The government is inviting local organisations and undergraduates to apply for paid placements over the summer.

This is the Department for Enterprise’s Step Programme 2023, which forms part of the department’s work to ‘facilitate meaningful short-term work experience opportunities for young professionals in a variety of industries’.

Before being paused in 2020 due to the pandemic, the programme was responsible for facilitating 500 student placements across the island since 2002.

Students in their second or penultimate year of higher education are invited to apply to complete projects with tangible outcomes for local organisations over the summer of 2023.

The placements will run for eight weeks, followed by a presentation at the 2023 Step Final in September.

Previous project disciplines have ranged from policy and procedure reviews, website improvements, environmental audits, sector reviews and research.

Applicants will be matched with a corresponding organisation and project based on their skills and interests. For local organisations, the programme offers ‘significant benefits’, aiming to bring talented individuals studying at University College Isle of Man or off-island universities, together with organisations that are seeking additional skilled resources.

Minister for Enterprise Tim Johnston MHK said: ‘The island’s long term Economic Strategy highlighted an ambition to make the island more attractive to an economically active and younger population, focused on delivering rewarding careers, reskilling/upskilling opportunities and enhanced earning potential.

‘The department has decided to re-launch the Step Programme this year to provide the opportunity for students to engage with businesses and complete a meaningful project over the summer whilst we finalise the ongoing review of the department’s enterprise support schemes.

‘Initiatives such as the Step Programme aim to support local students to pursue their career ambitions and further their skills, by establishing and promoting project placements to help them gain experience of the diverse range of career opportunities and specialisms across the island.’

To find out more about the Step Programme or sponsorship opportunities, visit dfe.im/step