Salford Business School is strengthening its industry connections through a growing partnership with CMap, creating new opportunities for students to gain practical experience, develop professional skills and connect with employers.
The collaboration has already seen two students secure roles with CMap, a growing company that delivers industry-tailored software solutions to businesses around the world. A final year Business Management with Economics student has accepted a graduate role with the company, while a second year Business Management and Finance student, Maggie, will begin a 12-month placement in June.
Both students will take on Customer Success Analyst roles, developing experience in communication, client engagement, problem-solving and commercial awareness – transferrable skills that support a wide range of future careers.
The partnership represents the beginning of a broader collaboration between Salford Business School and CMap, focused on employability, industry engagement and student success. Alongside placement and graduate recruitment, CMap has already supported several student-focused initiatives within the School, including employer engagement activity on campus and an industry visit where Human Resource Management students spent a full day at the company’s offices learning more about the business and professional working environments.
Sian J, Employability Advisor at Salford Business School, said: “Partnerships like this create valuable opportunities for our students to connect directly with industry.
“It’s fantastic to see local companies like CMap recognising the value our students can bring while supporting the School in a variety of ways beyond recruitment alone. Collaborations like this help strengthen the connection between education and industry, giving students insight into the workplace.”
For CMap, the collaboration reflects a shared commitment to innovation, collaboration and developing emerging talent, while strengthening links with the local community and future workforce.
A spokesperson from CMap added: “CMap has been successful by creating an awesome product by awesome people, many of whom are early in their career or have been with us since early in their career and have developed to become leaders in our growth.
“By collaborating with local universities we are able to bring people on our journey early and create relationships to allow them to explore career options and understand the areas they want to focus on.
“Our partnership with the University of Salford strengthens our role as a responsible employer within Greater Manchester, and enables us to support our local community through various employability initiatives
“Through our work with the University of Salford, CMap help prepare aspiring young professionals for the world of work, supporting real-world application and providing opportunities for people to develop their wider skillset.”
Maggie added: “CMap attracted me as I liked the company culture and the opportunity to work on real projects with experienced professionals.
“I am most looking forward to applying what I have learned at university in a real working environment and learning from professionals in the industry. I am also excited to develop practical skills and gain a better understanding of how projects are managed in the workplace.
“This placement will help me build valuable industry experience, improve my professional skills and give me a clearer understanding of the career path I want to pursue after graduating.”
The partnership forms part of Salford Business School’s wider commitment to strengthening relationships with industry partners to ensure students graduate with the skills, experience and professional networks needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving workplace. Through placements, employer projects, industry visits and guest engagement opportunities, students are able to apply classroom learning in professional settings while developing the practical experience employers are looking for.