Student Project Briefs: The following are examples of potential student projects. Each brief presents a real question facing School of WorkLife and provides scope for students to apply their knowledge, ideas and expertise to the development of the business. The final scope of a project can be shaped with the institution, course and students involved.
The Briefs:
1. SEO & Discoverability
How can School of WorkLife become easier to discover?
School of WorkLife has an established body of written, audio and learning content, alongside its website and Shopify store. This project would explore how that existing body of work could be better discovered by the people it is intended to reach.
Students might examine areas such as search visibility, website structure, content discoverability, keywords, search intent and opportunities for improving the relationship between existing content and potential audiences.
Potential Outcome: A practical assessment of the discoverability of School of WorkLife, recommendations for improvement and, where appropriate, implementation of agreed changes.
2. Digital Marketing & Audience Development
How can School of WorkLife reach more of the people its work is designed for?
School of WorkLife works with several different audiences, including individual learners, independent workers, freelancers, business owners and organisations interested in professional development.
This project would explore how different digital channels could be used to reach these audiences appropriately, building on the content School of WorkLife already creates.
Students might examine social media, email marketing, content distribution and audience development, considering which approaches could be most relevant to different audiences.
Potential Outcome: A digital audience development strategy, recommendations for reaching and engaging relevant audiences and, where appropriate, implementation of agreed approaches.
3. PR, Media, Publishing & Speaking
Where could the ideas and work of School of WorkLife contribute to wider conversations?
School of WorkLife produces written stories, a weekly publication and podcast, and is developing its own publishing practice alongside exploring opportunities to contribute to other publications and platforms.
This project would explore relevant publications, podcasts, events, literary and professional platforms, speaking opportunities and other spaces where the work could contribute to existing conversations around working life, professional development, learning and related subjects.
Students could research potential opportunities and consider how School of WorkLife might approach them — from writing and podcast guest opportunities to guest lectures, speaking engagements and panel discussions.
Potential Outcome: A targeted map of relevant media, publishing, speaking and event opportunities, with recommendations for appropriate approaches and, where appropriate, support in making initial approaches.
4. Business Development & Sales
How could School of WorkLife develop relationships with organisations?
School of WorkLife creates professional development and self-coaching resources primarily designed for individual learners, alongside work that can be adapted for group learning and organisational development.
This project would explore possible routes to developing relationships with organisations interested in supporting the development of their people, including identifying relevant types of organisations, decision-makers, channels and approaches.
Students would be invited to consider how an independent professional development company could develop meaningful organisational relationships and explore appropriate approaches to business development and sales.
Potential Outcome: A practical business development approach identifying relevant organisations, potential decision-makers, routes into those organisations and agreed approaches for developing initial relationships, with support in putting those approaches into practice.
5. Website & Digital Business Review
How well is the digital infrastructure supporting the work?
School of WorkLife has developed its website, content, podcast and Shopify store independently and is now looking to understand more clearly how its digital presence is performing behind the scenes.
This project would examine the website and associated digital infrastructure from a user, technical and business perspective.
Depending on the students’ area of study, this might include website performance, user journey, analytics, indexing, Shopify and the relationship between different parts of the digital presence.
Potential Outcome: A clear assessment of the current digital environment, practical recommendations for improvement and, where appropriate, implementation of agreed recommendations.
To Get In Touch: Contact carmel@schoolofworklife.com