By 
Developed in partnership with AI automation consultancy OptiBee, the tool gives students tailored placement support built around their specific needs
Step, the graduate and student placement specialist with over 30 years of experience, has officially launched stepBot: a bespoke AI-powered support tool designed for international placement students at the University of Greenwich. Built in close partnership with OptiBee, a Salford-based AI automation consultancy, stepBot completed its full rollout in January 2026 and is now in active use across the university’s student community.
The tool was created in direct response to the challenges facing international students as they navigate the UK placement market. While tools such as ChatGPT are widely available, they offer generic responses with no understanding of the specific programmes, processes, and expectations that Step’s students encounter. stepBot bridges that gap, providing informed, contextually relevant guidance on placement applications, interview preparation, and career development.
Faculty at the University of Greenwich have welcomed the launch with real enthusiasm. Stacey Duvenage, Senior Lecturer in Food Safety at the Natural Resources Institute, said: “I think it’s great that students can come here rather than the open world of ChatGPT, so that they have a more informed, bespoke response to their questions. It’s going to be a great addition for our students and for us as well.”
The interview preparation tool within stepBot has drawn particular praise. Rather than presenting students with ready-made answers to memorise, it works as a coaching tool, prompting students to think through their responses before offering feedback. Aliyah Essop, Academic Portfolio Lead for Engineering Management at the University of Greenwich, noted: “It doesn’t give all the answers to students on a plate. It forces them to think and improve their responses. ChatGPT would give them everything and they would memorise it. We don’t want that.”
Sadik Fahim, MSc in Engineering with Industrial Practice student, highlighted the interview tool specifically: “Once I put my CV and a job description in, it comes up with regular to innovative questions and grades them once I have answered them all. It organises the questions across motivation, competency, and situational categories. Overall, it provides very credible and genuinely useful support.”
Yehdego Habtay, Associate Head of School for Student Success in the School of Engineering, added: “Fantastic. There are a lot of possibilities here and real potential to develop this further.”
The response from students has been equally positive. Mubashirat Onireti, Food Innovation MSc Student, said: “I have found stepBot genuinely helpful throughout my placement search. The interview support has been particularly useful. Getting tailored questions and feedback based on my CV and specific job descriptions helped me feel more prepared and confident going into applications and interviews. Overall, stepBot feels like a supportive companion throughout the placement journey and has made the experience more structured, informed, and less stressful.”
stepBot was developed in close collaboration with Toby Remond, founder and director of OptiBee. Tamsin Millns, Managing Director at Step, said: “We are really proud of what we have built together. Toby brought real skill and commitment to the project from start to finish, and OptiBee is exactly the kind of business we love working with. The result is something that genuinely serves our students in a way that generic AI simply cannot, and we are delighted to be able to give them the credit they deserve.”
For the University of Greenwich, stepBot represents a practical commitment to supporting international placement students at every stage of their journey. The tool complements the work of placement teams and academic staff and is accessible and straightforward to use from the very first interaction.
About Step
Step is a graduate and student placement specialist with over 30 years of experience connecting students with paid, project-focused placements across the UK. Step works with universities, employers, and students to make placements meaningful for everyone involved. www.step.org.uk
About OptiBee
OptiBee is an AI automation consultancy based in Salford, Greater Manchester, providing tailored AI solutions for businesses and educational organisations. Founded by Toby Remond, OptiBee works with clients to build practical, purposeful tools that make a real difference to the people who use them. www.optibee.ai
Media enquiries
- Steph Miar, The Marketing Junction
- [email protected]
- www.themarketingjunction.co.uk
- Katrina Farrand, Step
- [email protected]
Comments