The Durham Career Mentoring Programme is a three-month hybrid career mentoring programme designed to connect early-career professionals with ambitious first- and second-year undergraduate students from Durham University across a wide range of academic disciplines. This initiative offers employers the opportunity to:

• Engage directly with emerging talent
• Support the professional development of junior staff
• Raise your organisation’s profile with the next generation of graduates

We’re particularly keen to partner with professionals who have graduated within the last five years (from any UK or international university), and who are enthusiastic about inspiring students at the early stages of their career journey.

Benefits to Your Organisation and Staff

• Enhance leadership, coaching, and communication skills of your junior staff through mentoring experience
• Provide meaningful professional development opportunities for your employees
• Strengthen your talent pipeline by connecting with high-potential students
• Showcase your organisation’s culture and values to future applicants

Programme Overview

• One-on-one mentoring between students and early-career professionals
• Hybrid delivery model (remote and/or in-person engagements)
• Structured support including guidance materials and optional skill-building workshops and networking events

Impact on Students

• Builds confidence, industry awareness, and employability skills
• Provides insight into career pathways, work culture, and practical career advice
• Encourages aspirations through real-world engagement

By participating in the Durham Career Mentoring Programme, your team will help shape the career journeys of motivated students while developing their own mentoring and leadership capabilities. This is a mutually beneficial opportunity to invest in talent, both inside and outside your organisation.

Costs and sponsorship information available to follow EOI

Looking for fresh insight into a business challenge? Partner with Durham University and benefit from the talent, creativity, and analytical skills of three diverse student consultancy teams.
Over the course of just three weeks, your organisation will work with high-achieving Durham students as they apply their knowledge to develop innovative, practical solutions to a real business issue you provide.

Why Get Involved?

• Gain three unique perspectives on a current business challenge from multidisciplinary student teams
• Receive cost-effective, value-for-money consultancy, delivered within a short time frame
• Engage with top student talent and assess potential future recruits in action
• Raise your organisation’s profile with Durham University students
• Bring a fresh, diverse lens to your organisation’s thinking

What You Provide

• A genuine business problem or challenge for students to tackle
• Brief guidance at key points throughout the project

What You Receive

• Three distinct solutions to a business challenge
• A final presentation from each team
• An opportunity to spot emerging talent and build connections with the university

This is a flexible, low-commitment way to access new thinking, support student development, and explore future recruitment opportunities—all while contributing to meaningful university engagement.

Costs and sponsorship information available to follow EOI

Expression of Interest

The Employer Insight Programme is a unique opportunity for your organisation to engage directly with motivated Durham University students, while gaining valuable insights into the next generation of graduate talent.

Through a combination of on-campus, remote, and on-site activities, you’ll build meaningful connections with students exploring career options in your sector.

Why Participate?

• Gain direct insight into the skills, interests, and motivations of potential future recruits
• Showcase your organisation, culture, and career pathways to high-calibre students
• Engage with students early in their career journey—building awareness, trust, and interest in your brand
• Support your early careers strategy by identifying future talent and raising your graduate employer profile

Programme Highlights

• Launch/Mixer Event (On Campus): Meet participating students, introduce your organisation, and start building relationships
• Employer-led Workshops or Panels: Deliver 1–2 skills-based sessions or student/graduate panel events (on campus or virtually)
• Insight Day at Your Premises: Host a site visit and networking session to give students a deeper understanding of your business and working environment
• Student Work Shadowing: Offer a behind-the-scenes experience through informal shadowing of staff
• Sector-Relevant Training: Students complete industry-related online training (e.g. project management certification) to enhance their employability

By taking part, your team will help inspire and inform the career decisions of Durham students, while identifying enthusiastic and capable individuals who may become future interns, placement students, or graduates within your organisation.

Costs and sponsorship information available to follow EOI

Expression of Interest

Partner with Durham University through our Virtual Internship Programme and gain valuable insights from a team of talented students working remotely on a project tailored to your business needs.
Over the course of three weeks, a dedicated student team will contribute 125 hours of focused research and analysis, helping you explore key opportunities or challenges such as:

• Advancing your sustainability goals
• Conducting comparative policy research
• Shaping growth or market entry strategies
• Exploring and leveraging AI tools and applications relevant to your business.

At the end of the project, you’ll receive a comprehensive research report with clear findings and actionable recommendations—providing real value without the typical consultancy cost.

Why Take Part?

• Access fresh thinking and current academic insight
• Tackle a real business question or challenge at no financial cost
• Gain exposure to talented students who could be a future fit for your organisation
• Minimal time commitment, with full project support from Durham University and our tech partner, Practera

This is a flexible, low-risk way to explore innovation, contribute to student development, and connect with Durham’s outstanding talent pool.

Expression of Interest