NCWE reveals short list for new awards scheme

Seventeen companies and organisations have been short listed by the judges of the NCWE Awards, the first scheme specifically set up to recognise, encourage and reward the provision of quality work placements for students.

Devised by the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE), the awards will reward organisations that display good practice in work experience and provide an opportunity that is beneficial to both the student and the organisation.

From a total of 45 nominations, companies have been short-listed in each of four categories - organisations of over 250 employees; organisations of under 250 employees; voluntary organisations and public sector organisations. The winner chosen in each category will go forward for the prestigious overall NCWE 2003 Award. All awards will be presented at a lunch in London on 14 May.

NCWE director Liz Rhodes comments:

ìWe are delighted with the high standard of nominations we have received. The short-list includes well known names such as Wella, George, BBC, Northern Foods and PricewaterhouseCoopers as well as some small to medium size companies and organisations in the public and voluntary sectors.î

Each short listed company is currently being visited by members of the judging panel and is being assessed on a range of criteria. Chairman of the judges is Hugh Smith, former head of graduate recruitment at BT and a past chairman and current vice president of the Association of Graduate Recruiters. Also on the panel are Bob Gilworth, director of the Careers Centre at the University of Leeds, John Sutton, assistant director at the Small Business Service and Julie Ingham, head of marketing at CSU, the higher education Careers Services Unit.

The criteria cover every stage of the work placement process from the involvement of managers and staff in the decision to offer a work placement, the administrative processes that are set up, the design of an induction programme, objective setting and on-going support, through to the specific outputs generated by the student. Each criterion is assessed in terms of the evidence that it has been met and the quality of the evidence and of the organisationís approach to the placement.

Adds Liz Rhodes: ìWork placements can be great value to both students and employers, but it is important that they are of a sufficient quality to ensure the best outcomes for both parties. The NCWE Awards will recognise the companies and organisations that are really committed to work experience and providing students with a placement that genuinely helps them to develop their employability skills.î

The full list of short listed entries is:

Over 250 employees:
George at Asda
Northern Foods
Wella
PricewaterhouseCoopers

Under 250 employees:
STEP
University of Birmingham Conference Park
Netsight
First Drinks
TGP

Public sector:
Kent Police College
BBC
DASA
Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council

Voluntary:
Year in Industry
Groundwork
International Institute of Risk & Safety Management
The National Trust ñ Dunster Castle



NCWE, the National Council for Work Experience, is a division of CSU, the Higher Education Careers Services Unit. It promotes, supports and develops quality work experience for the benefit of students, organisations and the economy. This includes disseminating information and good practice, encouraging the development of quality standards and encouraging more employers to provide placement opportunities.