The TARGETjobs National Student Challenge, in partnership with Siemens and organised by TARGETjobs Events, took place at the incredible Crystal Building in London on 9 December. The winner was Emily Burton, who is studying Mathematics at the University of Exeter. The runners up were Catherine Smith (Sports Science, Loughborough University) and Daphne McRae (Law, Queen Mary, University of London). Emily wins £1,000 and a paid internship with Siemens. For the first time, the winner and runners up were all female.
Records were broken with 4,332 students registered for the Challenge from 149 different universities. They came from every degree subject and they all took a lengthy online intelligence test designed by testing experts Cut-e and the 60 with the highest scores were invited to the final stage. They took part in a variety of practical tests which included individual and group exercises devised by Cut-e and the partner organisations to test their decision making, creativity and business awareness. The exercises were based on the challenges they will face at assessment centres in their final year and everyone, not just the winners, gained valuable practice.
The TARGETjobs National Student Challenge is open to all with no targeting or pre-selection based on university or UCAS points. The winner was the student who could best show that he/she had the personal skills to match their intelligence. In these days of targeting, the National Student Challenge is most definitely a level playing field and it shows that talent exists in universities outside the Russell Group.
The TARGETjobs National Student Challenge was organised in partnership with Siemens (Headline partner) and eBay, Smiths News PLC, Cognizant, BDO and Norton Rose Fulbright. The presence and support of top employers shows how important it is for UK businesses to identify the talented leaders of the future.
Claire Williams, Marketing Communications Manager, Graduates & Skills at Siemens said: "We wanted to partner with the National Student Challenge as it's a great opportunity to engage with university students from across the UK, whilst allowing them to develop their employability skills. Those who made the final got an invaluable opportunity to meet and network with employers and experience what graduate assessment centres are like. Siemens is delighted to be able to offer the winner, Emily, an internship as we feel this is the most valuable prize of all: gaining industry experience prior to applying for graduate positions."
The winner, Emily Burton, said: “Working (and competing) with such a talented group of people, really pushed me to make the most out of such an incredible opportunity. Now it has sunk in, I am absolutely thrilled to have won and very much look forward to working for Siemens in the near future. My recommendation to anyone that is thinking of taking the Challenge would be to apply and go for it - what have you got to lose? It's been one of the most invigorating days of my life and I doubt I will ever forget the experience.”
