Impact Challenge

The Impact Challenge (IC) is a week-long work experience opportunity, open to Undergraduate penultimate and final year Birmingham Scholars and/or those who have a home address in an IMD Quintile 1 or are registered as disabled / in receipt of Disability Student Allowance.

Work with employers to solve real-life problems and have the chance to learn and see first-hand how an organisation operates and how you can make an impact to their business. You will work in small groups on a project, set by an employer, where each group then presents back their output(s) at the end of the week. 

Applications will open again in Spring 2026, when we will confirm the next programme dates.

What will I gain from attending?

  • Gain real insight into the day-to-day working life and see first-hand how the organisation operates
  • Explore your career options with better knowledge and understanding of what you’d like to pursue
  • Learn from professionals about their journey to finding a career.
  • Move forward with increased confidence and inspiration to find work experience opportunities
  • Enhance your skills and attributes which a key in boosting your employability

This programme is run by the Pathway to Careers team, for any queries please get in touch with us at P2C@contacts/bham.ac.uk.

Eligibility and sign up

The Impact Challenge is open to penultimate and final year students who have not previously taken part in the Impact Challenge and are: 

  • Birmingham Scholars, defined as:
    • Students in receipt of a Pathways to Birmingham - (P2B) which includes the programmes Access to Birmingham, Routes to the Professions, National Access Summer School
    • Students in receipt of a Realising Opportunities offer
    • Students in receipt of a Sanctuary Scholarship
    • Care experienced or Care Leavers 
  • And/or have a home address in an IMD Quintile 1 (indices of multiple deprivation, IMD Deciles 1 and 2, lowest 20%) neighbourhood*
  • are registered as disabled / in receipt of Disability Student Allowance.

* If your home address is in Northern Ireland you will need to contact us with your home postcode so that we can check your eligibility to apply. 

For more information about how the University aims to improve access, provide equal opportunities and enable progress through higher education and in to graduate levels roles click here: Widening Participation and Access - University of Birmingham 

We encourage students who are not certain about their eligibility to get in touch via P2C@contacts.bham.ac.uk for verification.

How to apply:

Please submit your application by 9am on Thursday 24th April 2025. We receive many more applications than there are places, so each application will be reviewed in detail and successful applicants will be notified via email within 10 working days of the application deadline.

If you are offered a place on the Impact Challenge, you must accept your place by replying to the email within 5 working days or your place will be offered to someone on our waiting list. Once your place is confirmed, you will then be able to select your top three preferred employers and will be paired with one. 

Previous employers

Previous employers at Impact Challenge include:

  • Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust 
  • BT Group 
  • Limitless Travel 
  • PwC
  • Sainsbury's
  • Sport 4 Life 
  • West Midlands Police

 

Student Reviews

Louis MorganLouis Morgan,
BSc Biomedical Science (Impact Challenge 2024)

I participated in the Impact Challenge (2024) with an amazing team and a very supportive mentor from Amazon. Our project focused on creating a consulting-based educational programme to help teenagers build employability skills. Through this experience, I developed key skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and public speaking, particularly during the final pitch presentation. Collaborating under pressure and presenting our ideas to a panel gave me the confidence to communicate clearly and persuasively. This experience has strengthened my ability to build relationships, present ideas effectively, and think strategically—skills that are essential to my current graduate role in MedTech.

Hayley TeohHayley Teoh,
BA History of Art (Impact Challenge 2024)

The Impact Challenge is definitely an unforgettable experience! My team and I worked to create marketing materials for our employers and it was very enjoyable. At first, I was unsure about working in a group where we have not met before but, by the end of the week, I found that I was able to make really good friends. During my time at the Impact Challenge, I’ve learnt to work as a team- to designate roles and work collaboratively towards a shared goal. We’ve created so many fresh and exciting ideas for our employer by listening to each other's ideas and feedback! 

Amanpreet DhakAmanpreet Dhak,
LLB (Impact Challenge 2025)

The Impact Challenge was an incredible experience that helped me grow both personally and professionally. At first, I felt nervous and unsure about presenting to an audience, as public speaking was not my strength. However, with consistent practice and constructive feedback, my confidence steadily improved. I learned how to engage an audience effectively and discovered the power of clear, thoughtful communication. By the Final Showcase, I felt excited and proud to share our work and this led to great feedback and a sense of accomplishment. Another highlight was working in a team, I learned so much from my peers and their presentation styles, which inspired me to keep improving.

Ummay AimenUmmay Aimen,
BSc Psychology in Education (Impact Challenge 2025)

The Impact Challenge was such a rewarding experience. Our team partnered with CoachBright to tackle their brief of boosting community engagement and fundraising — from overhauling their website and event pages to creating a youth-focused TikTok strategy and a bank of scalable event ideas. We broke the project into clear priorities, played to each other’s strengths, and kept momentum through regular check-ins. Seeing our ideas align with CoachBright’s mission to support disadvantaged young people was incredibly fulfilling. Along the way, I didn’t just gain problem-solving skills — I made genuine friends, and we’re still in touch months later.

Richmond BoatengRichmond Boateng,
BSc Geography (Impact Challenge 2024)

The Impact Challenge was a brilliant opportunity to apply my research and communication skills to a real-world project.

Working with the Careers Network on the ‘Space Creators’ project, our team explored how to improve student engagement with careers services through targeted research and stakeholder interviews. The experience helped me build confidence, sharpen my problem-solving skills, and understand how to make practical recommendations.

It’s also helped me stand out in interviews and internships since. I’d recommend the Impact Challenge to any student looking to gain hands-on experience and make a meaningful difference at university.

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