GRADUATE SCHEME PROVES SUCCESSFUL

The first full graduate placement created through the Unlocking Cornish Potential (UCP) scheme has been declared a success. Leanne Webb from Leedstown (near Hayle) has spent the 6 months of her UCP placement designing and promoting male fertility websites for Falmouth-based medical device manufacturer, Research Instruments Limited.

Leanne, a journalism graduate from Falmouth College of Arts, was recruited by Research Instruments to design and launch a website promoting FertilMARQ, the world's first home sperm testing kit. FertilMARQ allows men to assess their own fertility without having to visit their GP. The resulting www.spermtest.com website and promotional campaign have attracted extensive coverage in the national media and sales of the product are growing fast.

Speaking of her placement, Leanne commented, "Through the UCP programme I have been fortunate enough to find well-paid employment with a great company, who have given me an excellent opportunity to gain invaluable experience in my chosen field. UCP made it possible for me to progress in my career in Cornwall."

Bill Brown, Managing Director of Research Instruments, is equally enthusiastic: "We had a need for PR expertise to launch our new website, www.spermtest.com. UCP located and recruited a PR graduate as well as a mentoring service with a local PR firm. The project has been a great success with national press coverage and published articles in the magazines we targeted."

UCP was set up as part of the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) initiative to give graduates a challenging, rewarding start to their careers, and to bring new expertise into local companies who may not have had the resources to pursue their plans for growth. The current programme builds on the success of Unlocking Potential, a 5-year programme run by the University of Plymouth throughout Cornwall and Devon until November 2002. Investment in UCP through Objective One means that participating businesses receive 30% of the cost of taking on their graduate for the duration of the project (typically between 6 and 15 months). Graduates and their employers also receive support from an independent mentor, which in Leanne's case was provided by Graham Buckley of Mercury Public Relations.

"We are delighted that our first 6 month placement has been so rewarding for all concerned. As with many of Cornwall's small and medium-sized businesses, Bill and his team at Research Instruments have plenty of exciting ideas for growing their business," commented UCP Manager, Allyson Glover. "By bringing Leanne's expertise on board they had the resources to turn one of those ideas into a reality. Whatever Leanne decides to do next, she now has qualifications and workplace experience which will make her a great catch for any employer."

The UCP programme, which is managed by Cornwall College (one of the CUC partners), has already created 42 graduate placements with 38 companies since it was launched in April 2004. There are currently five graduate vacancies being advertised at www.unlockingcornishpotential.co.uk.

For further information please contact David Kirk, CUC, Tel 01326 370471 or email david.kirk@cuc.ac.uk.