Education
The past year has been a busy one for Smarter Lives in the Educational Consultancy sector. We have supported clients through the university applications process to UK and US universities including :
UK – Cambridge, Oxford, Durham, Imperial, UCL, Warwick, Bristol, Lancaster, Loughborough, Leeds, LSE, Edinburgh, UAL, Southampton, Exeter, Kent , Royal Holloway, Nottingham, Aston, Bath
USA – Northeastern, Boston University, Boston College, Syracuse, Parsons School of Design, University of Southern California, UCLA, Hult and Pace.
Guidance is provided with all aspects of applications ; from researching suitable universities and course choices to advice on UCAS statements and admissions testing . Advice on US Common Application and essays, scholarship/finance guidance and university selection, provides a comprehensive support package for study in the USA.
Other work included preparation for Eton entrance tests, Harrow scholarship exams and support with postgraduate applications. Secondary school entrance assessments require online psychometric test preparation. Working with students from GCSE (16yrs), we support curriculum development with super-curricular activities and work experience opportunities to ready students for university applications and careers.
Business
In 2018, we have worked with self employed and small business clients to support them with business strategy and planning to achieve their business goals through:
-business and market development through improved networks and digital marketing
-strategies improving financial outlook and funding strategy strategies for scaling the business improving visibility via media and website enhancement
-Corporate work included a seminar on Change Management in Colombo, Sri Lanka and psychometrics for Job Profiling
Corporate psychometrics packages include competency based assessments for recruitment and ability/talent based psychometrics for leadership and performance assessment.
Careers
Psychometrics for career guidance have been useful for advising undergraduate and professional career coaching clients . A career guidance psychometrics workshop was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in July 2018 for students planning to apply to study in the UK and USA.
Online psychometric assessments such as Morrisby and My Careers Profile were used for advising students with A/L and university subject selection. Career coaching in the past year has included
-university undergraduate and graduate student applications to internship and graduate schemes
-assessment preparation for Pilot Aptitude Tests
-Career coaching for working professionals looking for new pathways and progression
Career coaching involves preparing candidates for a number of psychometric reasoning tests and situational judgement tests. With an extensive database of employer tests and assessment centre exercises, we are able to provide focused preparation and training for the various stages of the recruitment process.
Highlights
The Change Management Seminar delivered at Silvermill Group HQ, Sri Lanka received extremely positive feedback. We hope to deliver Manager Coaching workshops during 2019.
Career guidance for internships and Graduate Schemes has supported undergraduates applying to competitive company programmes with employers including EY, KPMG, PwC, XPO Logistics, JP Morgan, Goldman Sachs , Marks & Spencer, Unilever, Philips, Lloyds, HSBC, Sky, P&G and other major companies.
Psychometric assessments for education and career profiling have been popular. There are plans to expand the use of assessments in the corporate sector and for international clients.
University applications support programmes for 2020 and 2021 entry have commenced for clients planning their educational goals post GCSE. This past year we had several successes for clients who have applied to top universities in the 2019 entry cycle including specialist art schools in the USA and Russell Group universities in the UK. In 2019 we hope to continue to do inspirational work to help clients reach for success.