From scraps to riches: Student’s sustainable idea creates an extra half a million pounds for placement company.

“It was a simple idea really”: Is what BSc (Hons) Business Management with Marketing student, Cam Stephenson, said about his suggestion which catapulted a division’s turnover to £750k during his placement year.

Whilst settling into one of Ologic’s Shropshire-based workshops, Cam made his mark by turning seemingly redundant products into cash.

He explains: “Ologic repair technology for insurance providers – but a lot of the things our engineers receive just aren’t fixable within claim guidelines, so they get scrapped; literally!

“I proposed these products were recycled and, with the help of our engineers, are rebuilt into new devices that we can then sell as refurbished technology.”

This ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ mentality came after a routine tour around Ologic exposed a lucrative wastage issue. “There was literally a part of the room that was full of salvaged products ready for scrap – just piled high in the corner. I asked our business development director if there was something we could do about them - and in the space of a normal conversation, the idea took off.”

Throughout his year-long placement, Cam established what would become a separate department, hired two employees and came to manage the ecommerce and sales area for his project – an achievement which saw its turnover skyrocket 317 per cent and awarded Cam a perfect score from his employer.

“My placement was invaluable” says the business student. “My second year of university was majorly disrupted by COVID so seeing people face-to-face, building those networks, and giving me something to work towards couldn’t have come at a better time.”

Although the pandemic was hard enough for most, Cam battled through personal hardship and an eating disorder to make it to his placement year.

“It was a really tough time for me. I stopped studying, lost my motivation for everything and even gave up my hobbies. Eventually I just made the decision to pick myself up and get back to my degree, life and friends. The placement year was like a massive reset button.”

But what comes next after creating a half a million-pound idea? For Cam, it was returning straight back to Harper Adams to finish his degree. “I’m excited to come back. When I was considering my options after college I had a look around a few other universities but either the facilities weren’t right or the commute was just simply too much – Harper ended up being the right fit for me; plus, the standard of teaching is just so much better than a lot of other places.

“In terms of my future, I’m leaving it open! I chose my Harper degree to give me the biggest platform to stand on when I leave university so that’s what I intend to do. I’ve thought about starting a few businesses, had a look at some new opportunities but right now I’m concentrating on my degree and can’t wait to see where that takes me.”

Want to experience that Harper advantage for yourself? Join us on our next Open Day and, like Cam, you could be starting a degree that matters!