Solving Real-World Problems With a Global News Company on the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator
- Tayla Withers
For learners on the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator, the final phase of the programme is where everything comes together.
Across six months, learners gain a strong foundation in product thinking, from market research and stakeholder alignment to product design, development, and delivery. Each course builds practical capability while strengthening our learner’s confidence and career clarity.
The final six weeks of the Career Accelerator are designed to put this learning into action through the Employer Project: a live six-week real-world project set by a real industry company. Learners work in cross-functional teams to solve real business problems, collaborate remotely, and present their solutions to the company stakeholders.
This is where theory meets practice, and where learners prove they’re ready to move with confidence, whether that’s pivoting into product management, levelling up in their current role, or exploring new possibilities they hadn’t seen before.
We interviewed three learners who completed the Employer Project with a world-renowned news services company to give you a direct view of what that experience is really like.
A brief with global relevance
Closed captioning has long served as a tool for accessibility, but changing user behaviours and regulations across different markets have made it a critical product feature.
For a recent programme cohort, the business challenge set by the Employer Partner asked learners to explore how closed captions could be made more inclusive and compliant – without sacrificing usability. From regulatory frameworks (like Ofcom and the FCC) to use cases like silent viewing, non-native speakers and public settings, learners were tasked with enhancing the experience across multiple dimensions.
“We had the challenge of making closed captions for the company more inclusive, and aligned to compliance and regulations. It felt real in that way – it was not a performative activity.”
— Rubi Rodriguez, Career Accelerator Alumna
Turning theory into tangible solutions
The Employer Project on the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator marks the culmination of a curriculum shaped by industry experts, academic leaders, and real-world employer insight. Learners bring together months of study across product strategy, customer discovery, Agile methodology, UX principles, and stakeholder management.
This final six-week business challenge is about application – taking frameworks from the ‘classroom’ and using them in a real-world, collaborative product environment. Teams use tools like Miro, Figma, and Google Suite to research, ideate, prototype, and validate.
“We used a mix of tools and frameworks from the course. We started with user research to really understand the problem, then moved into ideation using tools like the opportunity solution tree and ‘How Might’ questions. We prioritised solutions, identified assumptions using the riskiest assumption test, and used tools like Figma and Miro to prototype and collaborate. It was a great way to reinforce the learnings.”
— Max Brind, Career Accelerator Alumnus
The project mirrors the end-to-end product lifecycle, making it an authentic, career-building experience.
Industry exposure that builds confidence
Learners kick off the project with a live briefing session from the Employer Partner and close the experience by presenting their solution directly to company stakeholders.
This exposure helps learners understand how product teams operate within large, global organisations – and how their ideas can add value. As Max said, “Knowing that what we’d created could actually be used was incredibly rewarding.”
“It felt like we were colleagues and they were supporting us and our learning process. They were open to all of the questions… really warm and clear and also very honest.”
— Rubi Rodriguez, Career Accelerator Alumna
Support that keeps you on track
While the project is designed to challenge learners, it’s also built to support them. Facilitators with industry backgrounds provide structured feedback, ask critical questions, and help teams stay aligned to product best practice.
“One of the biggest challenges was ensuring the robustness of our validation process. I felt that our approach was prone to confirmation bias, and I was critical of the fact that we didn’t implement A/B testing from the outset. While this was a point of concern for me, Facilitator feedback helped us refine our validation strategy.” — Oluwabusuyi Adebiyi, Career Accelerator Alumnus
“Having Ged as a Facilitator made a huge difference – he’s an industry expert, gives great feedback, and has a very clear understanding of product and the whole cycle. The standout for the course is having those industry experts.” — Max Brind, Career Accelerator Alumnus
Career coaches work behind the scenes to help learners frame their work for future applications, building CVs, portfolios, and storytelling confidence.
This ongoing support reflects a broader theme across the Career Accelerator: personalised guidance tailored to where each learner is starting from, and where they want to go.
A career-ready outcome
The Employer Project gives learners the opportunity to talk about their skills in a credible, real-world context. Many learners use this portfolio-ready case study to demonstrate their skills cand often credit it as a key differentiator in job interviews and applications.
“The project provided a tangible case study that I can showcase in my portfolio and job applications. The structured approach we took – from problem identification, user, market and competitor research to ideation, prototype development and validation – demonstrates my ability to work through real-world product challenges.”
— Oluwabusuyi Adebiyi, Career Accelerator Alumnus
“Working on the employer project – it had a huge positive impact on my imposter syndrome. It made me realise I have so many skills and that my experience is a big value.”
— Rubi Rodriguez, Career Accelerator Alumna
“It’s a great addition to my CV. King’s College London carries weight, and having that project experience shows I’ve invested in my own development. In interviews, I now have real examples to draw on, frameworks I can talk about, and a better understanding of what hiring managers are looking for.”
— Max Brind, Career Accelerator Alumnus
With King’s College London on their CV, a product portfolio project grounded in real industry needs, and the ability to articulate their value, learners finish with both the skills and the confidence to step into product roles.
And the support doesn’t end there. With access to an alumni network, career services, and AI training, learners are equipped for long-term success in the field.
🎯 Recent learner outcomes:
- 🪙 Rory changed careers from talent manager, landing a role as an assistant product manager at 7IM just three weeks after completing the King’s Product Management Carer Accelerator. Watch his interview.
- 🚀 Mike completed the Career Accelerator and went on to launch his own startup and digital product, SensePilot. Read his story.
- 👩💻 After 15 years as a personal assistant, Amy pivoted her career and landed a product role whilst on the Employer Project. Hear her review.
“The day that I actually did my final presentation for the Employer Project with my team, I had my final interview for my product manager role in the afternoon, so that was a day that I will never forget. I found out that afternoon that I’d actually gotten the role as a Product Manager Executive. It’s been brilliant.”
– Amy Eastall, Career Accelerator Alumna
A catalyst for confidence, career clarity, and real-world capability
Though the Employer Project marks the end of the King’s Product Management Career Acccelerator, it’s the beginning of a new chapter for learners. The project empowers learners to see themselves as product managers, contribute meaningfully to real business challenges, and position themselves for their next role with clarity and confidence.
It’s proof of potential and a springboard into a career in product management.
Download the programme brochure to find out more about the full curriculum, the real-world project experience, and how the King’s Career Accelerator can fast-track your career.
