Reto von Arx

Business consultant

Career Starter Week

UNILUS, Zambia, August 15 - 31, 2024

Cooperation with university / institution staff

Cooperation with the staff of UNILUS was very effective. Everything worked smoothly and there was hardly any short notice surprise. Rabecca and Natasha and the B360 team did a great job organizing the two weeks and handling the local experts and the panel members for final presentations. We had the honor to welcome Professor Bryson Mumba, Dean of the business school, to the introduction session and to the first week’s panel. The external professionals and the members of faculty who volunteered to attend added a very important element to the course. Patience and Crispin from the UNILUS team were very helpful providing IT or admin support. The students liked the lunch prepared by the team of the UNILUS cafeteria very much and it uplifted their level of energy for the afternoon sessions.

Collaboration with participants 

Collaboration with the students was very good from the beginning. We established a WhatsApp group to communicate on a very informal way and to upload information or slides used during the course. This channel was widely used by the students to announce a delay or to ask questions. The participants appreciated the fact that they were able to learn in a safe environment, where mistakes could be made without negative consequences. They learned how to give and receive feedback in a constructive manner. Most of the students used the opportunity to present regularly. Some of them needed a little bit of nudging to step out of their comfort zone. But even these students managed to perform above expectations on the final business case presentation. It was very impressive how all the four groups managed to deliver a consistent presentation after only little time for preparation.

The students were generally a bit anxious with regard to the interviews. But again, the fact that there was a safe environment and that they were able to watch their colleagues’ interviews helped them to profit a lot.

Impact and win-win 

The impact I witnessed was remarkable thanks to the incredible support of the B360 and the UNILUS team and the balanced program of the course. First, the participants had to learn a lot in a short period of time. They were on a steep learning curve and experienced a lot of progress. As teachers and at the same time coaches and mentors we experienced a very high level of energy, dedication and focus. The personal feedback provided by some students shows me that the impact of the career starter week is valuable and will be sustainable either for their career in the corporate world or as entrepreneurs. I personally witnessed a group of young graduates ready to learn, perform and deliver against all odds they are facing on the labor market and the ongoing energy crisis.

The experience gave me a memorable understanding of how education and teaching prove to be of mutual benefit for the students and for us as teachers. I learned a lot about the Zambian business environment and the opportunities it offers. Most notably I had the chance to meet very engaged young graduates ready and eager to make an impact.

Memorable event  

There are several memorable events during the two courses. Witnessing shy students to present probably their first time a complex business idea to a panel of professionals. Seeing them working on a business idea, going through crises in their team building process and presenting at the end a nicely prepared business plan. And of course, at the end of the course the gratitude and the joy of the students after a short night before final presentation. Saying goodbye and hoping to see them again sometime was a moving moment.

Personal message 

To the incredible graduates I had the chance of working with, thank you for your energy, passion, and your commitment to your personal growth. I am confident that you will achieve remarkable things in your career and I am happy to have been part of your journey. Let’s continue to inspire each another and create positive change through collective efforts!