Mali Gunter, Employability Boost: Moving Research into Entrepreneurship
Back to all stories What is an Employability Boost?
The Employability Boost offered fully funded one to three month bursaries opportunities for Surrey Black Scholars to undertake career enhancing activities such as grant writing, conference organisation, mentoring, public engagement, manuscript preparation, entrepreneurial development or stakeholder collaboration. Delivered flexibly alongside doctoral study, this scheme was designed to compensate students for time spent on these activities, allowing them to extend their doctoral work, develop new professional capabilities, and pursue opportunities that may otherwise be inaccessible.
I feel much more confident not only in my own skillset but also in the University of Surrey’s commitment to increasing equity and access for researchers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Surrey Black Scholars' Reflection of the Employability Boost
The Surrey Black Scholars (SBS) Employability Boost was a fantastic opportunity to translate my research findings into practical, real-world impact. My experience working with the SBS team on this initiative has provided me with a strong platform on which I now feel more confident sharing my ideas and collaborating with relevant stakeholders in my area of focus.
My project was based around my research on widening access to degree apprenticeships for underrepresented groups, combining research, outreach, and practical business development. I recruited and managed an undergraduate intern to support engagement with schools, colleges, and employers, aiming to nurture and cultivate multi stakeholder relationships. Taking on this project allowed me to gain hands-on project management experience while exploring how to scale my research into a full-time, commercialised venture that translates evidence into actionable opportunities for young people.
My initial motivation for applying for the scheme was to gain professional entrepreneurial experience, as my long-term goals are to commercialise my research and work closely with industry partners. The SBS Employability Boost provided me with funding to manage a 3-month project, during which I piloted my ideas in a real-world context, supervised an undergraduate student on an internship, and created opportunities for them to gain hands-on experience in research translation and stakeholder engagement. This not only enhanced the project’s impact but also allowed me to develop my own leadership and project management skills, further preparing me to work collaboratively with industry and academic partners.
The SBS Employability Boost has provided a strong foundation for me to continue on my journey, and I feel much more confident not only in my own skillset but also in the University of Surrey’s commitment to increasing equity and access for researchers from underrepresented backgrounds.
Many thanks to Dr Jeremy Olusola and Eden Anin-Adjei for their invaluable support in advertising the scheme initially and providing in-depth resources, which made everything run smoothly.
Biography
Mali Gunter is a Postgraduate researcher at the University of Surrey and founder of Guapo, an ed-tech platform supporting underrepresented youth into degree apprenticeships. His research focuses on improving access and equity in apprenticeship pathways for low income background and ethnic minority groups. His work bridges research, entrepreneurship, and practice, fostering collaboration between employers, schools, local authorities, and government to ensure opportunities reflect young people’s real-world experiences.