THIS year’s Placement Employer of the Year Awards will recognise the contribution local businesses make to provide work based learning opportunities for students.
Hosted by Ulster University, the awards recognise the key role played by employers in nurturing the next generation of skilled graduates.
The university believes that work placements are an integral part of study as they allow students to apply their academic knowledge in a professional environment. Commenting on this, Seamus McConomy, work experience development manager at Ulster University, said: “Ulster University believes first-hand experience in the workplace gives students the opportunity to develop industry ready skills, while offering employers a fresh perspective on real business problems.
“Ulster University has spent many years developing relationships across key sectors to build placement opportunities and ensure its graduates are amongst the most employable and talented available. We believe it is important to recognise the commitment of those organisations.
He continued: “We are calling on businesses, along with Ulster University students and staff, to nominate industry exemplars that are committed to the professional and personal growth of our students and graduates.” Last year’s winners in the category of ‘Placement Employer of the Year as nominated by a student’, B/E Aerospace is in its fourth year of offering 12-month internships to students in engineering, IT, finance, health and safety, transport and logistics, supply chain, quality and HR.
Speaking about the value of work placements, Martin McGinley, vice president and managing director of B/E Aero-space said: “We were delighted to win the award and take our role as a placement employer seriously as we understand what we do today will ensure we have access to the relevant workforce we need tomorrow.
“Students who secure placements at B/E Aerospace are given an unrivalled experience that will help prepare them for their future career. They are fully integrated in all the company’s operations and will develop their commercial awareness and interpersonal skills. Students often bring fresh ideas to the company and many of our Ulster University placement students come back to take up a full-time positions on our graduate development programme.”
Ulster University Placement Employer of the Year Awards. The awards are open for nominations until this Sunday. To make a nomination visit www.pa.ulster.ac.uk.