Following the completion of a research project to explore the labour market and education landscape in West Sussex, Chichester College and Central Sussex College appointed Prowse to help prepare a new Commercial Strategy and Stakeholder Engagement Plan for a merger.

Taking a key role on the College’s ‘Merger Transition Team’, Joanne worked with the leadership group of both organisations to develop a robust business case for the merger.  Activities included stakeholder research; student focus groups; economic research and a public consultation, all within a challenging timescale set by central Government.

The merger was subsequently approved by the Department for Education and Jo continued to provide consultancy advice for the new executive team, as it combined operational and academic employees with the responsibility to educate and train around 25,000 students every year.

The following year, Jo was asked to write an international marketing strategy to help the College team embrace digital marketing and deliver effective results for less investment that traditional marketing methods. This would ensure the Chichester College maintains its relevancy and appeal to prospective students, whilst transforming overseas marketing and enrolment processes.

As a result of Jo’s work, the client team were able to develop a data-driven, intelligence-led approach, better able to predict trends and help focus future course development and marketing/student acquisition activities. All whilst identifing opportunities in new overseas markets.