New for 2012, this Award recognises the Medium-sized Employer (more than 250 employees/less than 14 students on a placement/internship scheme) that has received the highest scoring reviews written by students on RateMyPlacement.co.uk. The Award was given to the employer who impressed the judges with their attitude to work experience and the value they place on students across the business.

The Winner is:

SAP

“SAP took on 8 students last year across both placements and internships, and received 7 reviews at an incredibly high average score of 8.91 / 10. With their scheme doubling in size, they will be one to watch out for as they migrate into the Top 50 Placement & Internship Employers category next year.”

This Award recognises the Small to Medium-sized Enterprise (SME) that has consistently received high scoring reviews written by students on RateMyPlacement.co.uk. The Award was given to the company who impressed the judges with their attitude to work experience and the opportunities they offer to students.

Finalists include:

• Ash Gaming
• Avco Systems
• Champions Life Academy
• Golfbreaks

The Winner is:

ProspectSoft

“ProspectSoft's nomination detailed statistics and tangible data outlining return on investment of all students, with examples of students achieving real work and generating significant value to the company. Fantastic training and development showcasing their commitment to placement students, from onboard right throughout their placement, with clear targets providing students what is fully expected of them. With 71% retention rates onto the graduate programme, multiple nominations from a range of stakeholders and excellent additional information, they’ve set the benchmark for others to follow.”

RateMyPlacement.co.uk feels that every business, irrespective of size, would benefit from offering work experience to students. This is an Award to promote the introduction of work experience opportunities, or a formalised placement and internship scheme for students within a company.

Finalists include:

• Dennis Publishing Ltd
• Barclays Corporate
• Foxtons

The Winner is:

Cooper Industries

“With a growing range of opportunities since the conception of the scheme two years ago, 66% retention rates as graduates already demonstrates the success. Management buy-in from the HR team and throughout the organisation was clearly detailed and with an estimated cost saving of over £1m achieved directly from the students.”

This is an Award to promote inclusion and diversity in work experience for all students within a company. The company may have a diverse attitude to staff whilst on their placement, they may run recruitment initiatives aimed at increasing the diversity of their intern and placement students or they may just be a highly diverse place to get work experience.

Finalists include:

• Financial Services Authority
• Pearson
• Barclays Capital - Nominated by Stafford Long & Partners

The Winner is:

Civil Service Fast Stream

“The depth of their entry and range of schemes targeting a broad range of candidates, combined with excellent statistics on the success of the scheme made this company stand out. Initially designed for under-represented black and minority ethnic groups 10 years ago, the scheme expanded to attract disabled students and then refocused in 2011 to reach those from diverse socio-economic backgrounds. 95% of all students on the scheme in 2011 would recommend it to their peers, with 85% of them applying for graduate roles.”

This Award recognises the company that has received consistently high scores on reviews written by students who attended a Short-term Insight Scheme during the 2010/2011 academic year.

Finalists include:

• PwC
• Nabarro LLP
• Financial Services Authority

Highly Commended:

• Simmons & Simmons LLP

The Winner is:

Linklaters

“The judges picked up on Linklaters' nomination, highlighting their involvement of upper management and their focus on education about working in the industry. With over 50% students accepted onto their training contract through their vacation scheme and 87% acceptance rate from all offers - their Short-term Insight scheme is clearly a successful and efficient method of recruitment.”

This is an Award to recognise and reward those employers who have gone that little bit further than the standard attendance at Careers Fairs and online advert!.

Finalists include:

• KPMG - Nominated by Bernard Hodes Group

Highly Commended:

• Ernst & Young - Nominated by SAS
• PwC - Nominated by 33

The Winner is:

The Royal Bank of Scotland Group

Nominated by ThirtyThree

“RBS combined a real range of on-campus marketing techniques promoting 30 programmes at 87 universities and in 24 countries. With a varied range of online and offline material that was engaging and interesting, the theme 'right time, right place' was educational in helping raise the awareness of the industry alongside promoting their opportunities. Overall, applications were up 24% and specific hard-to-fill programmes saw real success with a return on investment per application reduced 21%.”

This Award celebrates the tireless and invaluable contributions made by the University Placement or Careers Service in helping students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities.

Finalists include:

• Lancaster University Management School
• University of Huddersfield - School of Computing & Engineering

Highly Commended:

• Dundee University

The Winner is:

Brunel University

“With a long-standing commitment to employability, Brunel has consistently impressed throughout their nomination with a real emphasis on the quality of work experience provision. Their students are provided with wonderful opportunities to succeed through a range of innovative and engaging activities. Their employability Guide given to all first year students, placement mentoring programme and industry specific ‘uncovered’ events are just three examples of the service going beyond the call of duty and excelling in its engagement with students.”

Previously known as The University with a Forward Thinking Attitude to Work Based Learning, this Award celebrates the improved efforts and services provided by a University / Placement or Careers Service / Department in helping students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities.

Finalists include:

• University of Exeter
• The University of Reading, Student Employment Experience and Careers Centre
• University of Southampton, Career Destinations
• Newcastle University Careers Service

The Winner is:

The University of Birmingham, Careers & Employability Centre

“Birmingham demonstrated a significant increase in their investment and commitment to employability. Run centrally, the centre have doubled their team from 30 to 60 people in the past 4 years, allowing a broader range of skills and more specific positions to support students. They also appear to be integrating their work with individual schools, which as Stephen McAuliffe on the judging panel cited, is the major challenge to a careers service.”

This Award celebrates the tireless and invaluable contributions made by a particular individual in the University Placement or Careers Office in helping students apply and maximise their work experience opportunities.

Finalists include:

• Kath Foot
• Emily Timson
• Kirstin Burke

Highly Commended:

• Graham Kaye-Taylor - Brunel University

The Winner is:

Jim Wood - Newcastle University

“Jim has had a fantastic 18 year career, placing over 11,000 undergraduates, with 480 in 2011/2012. They set up the successful 'Students into Schools' programmes leading and delivering modules, and what was most striking was the ability to have a work-based learning module upgraded to 20 credits by the university and integrating work-related learning modules into various academic schools.”

This Award celebrates the amazing contribution that students make to businesses across the UK and abroad.

Finalists include:

• Alex Tabor
• Andreas Constantinides
• James Connolly

The Winner is:

Lillian Hiscox - Microsoft

“The level of emotional intelligence displayed with all colleagues shone through in Lillian's nomination, the ownership in terms of people and remit she looked after, revenues generated, and the contribution across her role apparently superseded anything a previous student had managed to achieve. Consistent 100% scores in presentations to senior executives, a contribution of $5.6m revenues and what was most impressive was the renewal and rescue of a multi-million dollar deal in 6 weeks.”

This Award celebrates the amazing contribution that students make to businesses across the UK and abroad whilst on an internship.

Finalists include:

• Neil Uttridge
• Thomas Houseago
• Ryan Radley

The Winner is:

Sophie Petrie - HSBC

“In her third internship at the company, Sophie used a range of skills working closely with senior management on a real estate project and with her peers by creating a gender diversity network, and being appointed as Intern Chair of Chairs where she coordinated the intern-wide charity project too. On her major project she identified a larger than expected potential shortfall of £200m real estate when reviewing strategy, something that is helping shape the company's criteria and strategy now.”

This Award recognises the student who has exceeded expectations and genuinely made a significant impact to the small business as a whole.

Finalists include:

• Charlotte Hoskins
• Charlotte Leach
• Robert Laid

The Winner is:

Michael Daniel McAllister - Buzzlines Travel

“Daniel's main achievement was the creation of a new brand and package aimed at the student market. He planned, designed and created this and then adopted innovative and engaging marketing strategies to get it to market, exceeding all expectations. This development also opened doors for new destinations for the core business, adding significant value outside of his remit. He created and left behind a brand and a legacy that will shape the organisations strategy which outlines significant impact to the business.”

This Award celebrates the university society who has promoted and encouraged their members to undertake some form of work experience.

Finalists include:

• Newcastle University Maths Society
• UCL Economics and Finance Society
• Manchester University Law Society

The Winner is:

University of Warwick History Society

“Work experience was woven through their nomination and was demonstrated as a fundamental part of value to current members and tactic to continually attract new members. The acquisition of support already will help the society, which follows a course that traditionally doesn't lead you into a particular line of work, will hopefully ensure employers looks to a broader range of candidates.”

Previously known as the Best RateMyPlacement Brand Manager, this Award celebrates students who have exceeded expectations and genuinely made a significant impact to the On-Campus Promotions team and our clients.

Finalists include:

• James Watson-Lee
• Rupert Olszowski
• Gregory Garfield

The Winner is:

Amelia Marchant

“Amelia secured record attendances at events, packing lecture theatres driving significant numbers of students to fairs and all events. Applications specifically from her campus have increased to 300 since their first event in September and she has also helped share success stories with other Brand Managers’ Facebook pages. The winner has also won Brand Manager of the Month in November, played a fantastic role as lead student judge on our judging panel.”

The judges felt one company in particular deserved a special Award as it provides fantastic opportunities for students, dedicates its workforce and all revenues to students and their emphasis on student development is a core foundation to their business. In the past three years since its inception in 2008, the company has seen fantastic growth too and therefore the judges felt it fitting to Award this one-off Award to a company that deserves a particularly special mention.

The Winner is:

Champions Life Academy