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One of the challenges set for Univative Illawarra program participant... |
Can UOW students get sell-out crowds for Wollongong Hawks?
Two groups of UOW students have been set an interesting challenge to test their future workplace skills -- develop a marketing strategy with the sole outcome to produce a sell-out of 5,700 at the first home game of the Wollongong ahm Hawks on Friday 25 September at the WIN Entertainment Centre.
In addition to attracting the sell out, the students must develop a follow- up retention strategy to maintain the attendance numbers throughout the season.
It is all part of UOW Careers Central’s student work experience program called Univative Illawarra.
Univative Illawarra is a voluntary unpaid team program that presents students with real life work challenges to solve for real organisations.
The teams prepare a presentation and business report for the organisation with outcomes that are often adopted by the host company.
“With the focus on the Hawks being a community organisation looking to rebuild and recreate its fan base for the new NBL season, the involvement of two teams of students working on innovative solutions for free is a great way for the club to move forward with minimal resources involved,” according to the Manager of UOW’s Work Integrated Learning, Mr Neil Webster.
He said the advantages go both ways with students gaining valuable skills in team work, workplace culture and using the skills and knowledge they learn through their studies.
Mr Webster said the host organisation receives a set of solutions to a genuine business problem/issue for which they may not be able to adequately allocate resources of their own.
He said there were also teams working on problems for:
• The Fraternity Club – which was a great chance for the club to use additional resources while in receivership
• Longboard Brewing Company -- local beer producers looking to expand
• Dixon Sports -- local sportswear company seeking help with business and operational expansion
• Siteflex – Camden-based IT company trying to raise business profile
• myhelper -- Sutherland shire based online job solutions company seeking help with their business model
The student teams compete against each other for their challenge and a winning team is chosen after their final presentations to the host in late July.
There are about 100 students competing in the winter session of the program -- all volunteering their time and skills to add to their resumé.
Univative Illawarra is run every winter and summer during the student breaks with local small to medium sized organisations encouraged to become involved.
Further information about the program can be found here.
And for anyone seeking more information on the Wollongong ahm Hawks -- or to sign up as a member -- visit www.hawks.com.au Tickets for the first game of the season go on sale on Monday 31 August.