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A pilot project run by a virtual PA service near Haverhill to find work experience placements for students at the University of Essex has been hailed a success.

A year ago the University of Essex in Colchester commissioned The Time Finder Agency, based in Castle Camps, to set up a pilot scheme to match businesses in and around Colchester looking for additional expertise to work on company projects with students needing short term work experience.

The scheme has been a huge success with 87 companies registered, 60 places currently being offered and 329 students signed up.

Set up as part of the University of Essex’s Economic Challenge Investment Fund (ECIF) skills project, some placements have been fully funded by the scheme and others are match-funded by the scheme and the company.

Kate Anstee, founder of agency, said: “The Time Finder Agency is extremely proud of its work on this pilot project.

"We helped enlist more than 80 public and private sector companies for the scheme, ranging from sole traders to large national companies.

"The organisations include the NHS, local councils, marketing and PR companies, established solicitors and accountancy firms.

“The students were enthusiastic about finding work placements and the companies were keen to borrow a fresh pair of young eyes for projects that they had been putting off because of a lack of manpower.

"The Time Finder Agency will now be offering this service to other universities, colleges and schools in the area.”

The year-long pilot came to a close at the end of September but the University of Essex and has provided a sound base for the university to develop a permanent placements scheme.

Emma Hewett, the University of Essex’s ECIF project manager, said: “We were inundated with requests for placements from our students. Without efficient administrative support from The Time Finder Agency we simply would not have had the time to match them up with suitable employers. Each placement requires a huge amount of chasing up to make it work from both the employer’s and the student’s perspective.”