For the past four years I’ve worked for 180 Degrees Consulting (180DC). It’s a university-based organisation which aims to make a positive social impact by providing consulting services to social enterprises. Each semester, students work in small teams to answer questions like, how the client can develop its individual-giving fundraising strategy, or which new market the client should enter to maximise its social impact.

Getting involved from the start

I applied to 180DC in my first year, hoping to gain relevant work experience. As my first project, I worked with a Devon-based physiotherapy clinic to develop their search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy. I spent about eight hours a week on client calls, team meetings, and creating PowerPoint slides. However, I enjoyed producing work that felt meaningful.  

Getting to know other consultants by working together and attending fun socials made the whole experience especially memorable. I liked that the team consisted of first, second, and final-year students, all with unique backgrounds and studying different subjects – through 180DC I made friends that I wouldn’t have otherwise.

How 180DC helped me secure a placement 

In my second year, I was promoted to Engagement Manager and was responsible for leading two projects: one working with a Canadian animal sanctuary and the other with a global humanitarian charity. From these experiences, the social impact of this work became even more tangible to me. Having the team’s recommendations implemented and watching our clients succeed was incredibly rewarding.  

During this time, I was also applying for placements – these are one-year internships that are part of my and many other degrees at Bath. My time with 180DC was very beneficial in this, as this experience was central to my CV and useful to talk about during interviews.  

While 180DC helped me secure a placement (I ended up working at a Private Equity firm), two of the skills I developed there helped me succeed in my new role.

At 180DC, we use issue trees to break larger problems into more manageable chunks. Whenever I encountered a difficult problem at my placement, I applied this approach. This allowed me to structure solutions on my own instead of immediately asking for help. The second skill is about managing client expectations. This skill is relevant to any workplace, such as when communicating your capacity to take on new work to your manager.  

While 180DC provides directly relevant experience for those interested in consulting, the skills taught are transferable to any professional setting. 

Returning to 180DC for my final year 

As I start my final year, I am now co-heading the Bath branch as the Vice President of 180DC. It has been such a rewarding and defining part of my university experience and I’m hoping to provide a similar experience, if not better, for incoming 180DC Bath consultants.  

I would recommend 180DC Bath to anyone who wants to meet talented people, gain relevant professional experience, and work with inspiring social enterprises to have a genuine social impact.