Graduates Yorkshire, which offers a range of recruitment services aiming to create employment opportunities for graduate talent in the region, has announced it is launching the region’s first Yorkshire Graduate Internship Awards.
The new awards follow on from the success of Graduates Yorkshire’s paid graduate internship programme which offers recent graduates a route into employment by helping them gain practical work experience. The Internship Programme is funded by regional development agency Yorkshire Forward.
Graduates Yorkshire is now inviting entries to Yorkshire Graduate Internship Awards from employers currently running a graduate internship programme and from graduates who have benefited from work experience in the region.
The winners will be announced at a special ceremony and dinner in Leeds on March 31 to be held at Anthony’s Piazza at the newly renovated Corn Exchange.
The awards aims to recognise the achievements of local employers which offer graduates a route into the workplace through work placement and internships whereby they can acquire new skills that will help them in their future career.
There will also be awards for graduates who have made the most positive impact through their internship.
Martin Edmondson, Graduates Yorkshire Chief Executive, said: “The success of the Graduates Yorkshire’s paid graduate internship programme has given us access to a lot of employers in the region who have embraced graduate internships to enhance their business performance.
“Meanwhile, we have witnessed the positive effect on graduates who have been benefited from a company internship. They all have very positive stories to tell and we hope these awards will recognise that.”
The awards, hosted by Graduates Yorkshire, are supported by all Yorkshire’s University Careers Services and Yorkshire Forward. They will be open to all companies in the region offering graduate internships including ESIF funded schemes and the Graduates Yorkshire Internship Programme.
Awards are split into four regional categories – covering North, South and West Yorkshire and the Humber with prizes for the top graduate and employer in each region as well as an overall Yorkshire-wide winner.
Already confirmed to sit on the judging panel is Becky Heath, Chief Executive of social enterprise Internocracy and Harrogate MP Phil Willis, who is leading a petition for fair parliamentary internships in central government. Jo Taylor from 4Talent – the Channel 4 offshoot which aims to nurture talent of the future, has also been confimed a speaker at the dinner.
Interested companies can nominate themselves or their intern by visiting the awards microsite at: www.graduatesyorkshire.co.uk/awards
Graduates Yorkshire was established twelve years ago with the support of Yorkshire Universities to close the “knowledge gap” between the region’s universities and its business community by matching graduates with companies looking to make best use of that talent. It became a self-financing social enterprise three years ago.
