From left to right, Frontrunner Project Officer Hannah Myatt, Director of Employability Dave Stanbury, Modern History student Chantel Le Carpentier, Financial Economics student Olu Odubajo and Placements Manager Liz Guyar-Brown.
The Employability and Careers Centre at the University of Essex is celebrating success at the East of England Responsible Business Awards after receiving the Local Impact Work Inspiration Award for its innovative Frontrunners programme.
The event is organised by Business in the Community (BITC) the largest business-led charity of its kind which works locally, nationally and internationally with members to transform businesses and transform communities by encouraging responsible business leadership. The Local Impact Work Inspiration Award recognises the University’s work to provide inspiring work placements through Frontrunners.
The Frontrunners programme was developed at Essex and was the first of its kind in the UK and offers students part-time paid work placements within the University. As part of the initiative staff develop graduate-level project proposals which are then advertised openly and competitively.
Placements manager Liz Guyar-Brown said: “It is great to have this recognition for Frontrunners as we work incredibly hard to offer placements which are really valued by students. We are also incredibly proud the experience provided by Frontrunners has helped so many students go on to graduate jobs after University. The feedback has been incredible 98 per cent of students who have taken part in Frontrunners would recommend it to a friend, 95 per cent rated the training either ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ and 100 per cent said they gained new skills or improved their skills.
"How frontrunners helped me land a graduate job" Ana from University of Essex on Vimeo.
“The whole of the University supports Frontrunners and virtually every department engages with the programme by offering placements. Everyone involved including placement supervisors work very hard to make this a continuing success which makes a real difference to our students and helps our University provide better and better services.”
Frontrunners was developed because conventional work experience can be monopolised by those already with good employability skills and networks. Frontrunners looks to respond to this by widening the range of students who can benefit from placements, opening-up opportunities that fit around study commitments and looking at the extent to which the applicant might grow through the placement as part of the selection process. The scheme is not just about picking the ‘best’ applicant, but the person who has most to gain.
Students are full of praise for the scheme. Modern History student Chantel Le Carpentier, who is Human Resources Frontrunner in the Students’ Union, said: “Frontrunners is such a fantastic opportunity. The placements really do cultivate independent learning and prepares students for the workplace.”
Financial Economics student Olu Odubajo, who is Internship Assistant for Frontrunner Plus, added: “You learn so much through Frontrunners – about communications, team working, influencing decisions and how to bring an idea to fruition. You could not get this kind of training and support anywhere else. You also get to work with some great people.
“Frontrunners also takes you out of your comfort zone, but if you don’t try things you don’t find out what you are capable of achieving and the scheme allows you to realise the skills you have got and put them into action.”
Our photo shows, from left to right, Frontrunner Project Officer Hannah Myatt, Director of Employability Dave Stanbury, Modern History student Chantel Le Carpentier, Financial Economics student Olu Odubajo and Placements Manager Liz Guyar-Brown.
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Notes to Editors
You can download a high resolution picture from Flickr at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/universityofessex/9143688180/
If you need more information about the award contact the University of Essex Communications Office on 01206 874377 or e-mail: comms@essex.ac.uk.