KENT companies are being urged to 'step' forward to tap into the talents of some of the county's brightest students.

Business Link Kent, the county's independent business advice agency, is running a free two-hour introduction to the STEP Scheme, which matches the skills of local undergraduates to specific business or technological projects, for local business and students at venues in Ashford, Gillingham, Ramsgate and Sevenoaks.

Keith Casson, Innovation and Technology Adviser for Business Link Kent, said: "This is very much a business-focused scheme answering a real need - 94 per cent of the companies that took part in previous years' programmes believed the benefits of STEP either equalled or exceeded the cost of taking part, and 94 per cent predicted long-term improvements in company performance.

"Host companies can take advantage of the skills of an intelligent undergraduate to focus on a specific project of their choice, with the company arranging the project and the student completing the work."

He added: "The types of projects undertaken by STEP students are many and varied - anything from engineering to marketing, to developing a company website.

"Any size of company can benefit, and some of the smallest find that a STEP student can make a huge difference."

STEP traditionally runs during July and August but more flexible full- or part-time placements ranging from four weeks (or 20 full working days) to 12 months can be accommodated. The work undertaken by the students, in both programmes, is tailored to the needs of the host company.