Yorkshire and the Humber has been celebrating the positive impact graduate interns have been making to the region’s economy in the first ever Yorkshire Internship Awards.
The winning Interns have been recognised for the difference they have made to their host companies. Organised by Graduates Yorkshire, the awards have also rewarded businesses who are creating best practice when establishing internship programmes.
Intern Joe Winson, who was on placement at Sheffield based Digital Entrepreneurs won the award for the best Yorkshire Intern. He gained the title for making the most of the opportunities he was offered and delivering an excellent return on a project he was working on.
York based software company Trustmarque Solutions received the Yorkshire Award for offering the best placement. The award was given for the excellent training and support offered to Intern Peter Birkinshaw and the opportunities for growth and development within his role.
Thirteen interns and eleven companies were shortlisted for the awards held at Anthony’s Piazza. Awards were also given in the four sub regional categories.
In West Yorkshire Stephanie Guy based at Dudley Child Executive Recruitment won the best Intern Award with Dudley Child Executive Recruitment also picking up the company award.
In South Yorkshire the regional Intern Award winner Joe Winson also picked up the award for best South Yorkshire intern with Sheffield based Digital Entrepeneurs winning the company award.
In East Yorkshire Tom Saunders who was on placement at Hull Truck Theatre won the Intern Award and Arco, a Hull based workwear manufacturer won the best Company Award.
In North Yorkshire Matthew Cockburn who was on placement at Drax Power won the best intern award and the regional company winner Trustmarque Solutions also won the North Yorkshire Award.
The judging panel included Becky Heath, Chief Executive of social enterprise Internocracy, Harrogate MP Phil Willis, who is leading a petition for fair parliamentary internships in central government and Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).
Martin Edmondson, Graduates Yorkshire Chief Executive, said: “These awards demonstrate how businesses can benefit from interns and will hopefully persuade more firms to set up their own internship programmes.”
“All of the companies and interns shortlisted are shining examples of what can be achieved if companies spend time and money harnessing the potential of raw graduate talent.”
“Those who take the step to channel the enthusiasm, eagerness and fresh perspective of interns find the benefits far outweigh the resource used to set up the schemes.”
Among those presenting the awards was Rosie Winterton MP, the Minister for Yorkshire and the Humber who is also the Minister for Regional Economic Development and Co-ordination. She said: “Helping businesses grow is a key way to help the region overcome the recent economic downturn. What I have seen at this event demonstrates the added value interns and recent graduate, offer to firms in the region.”
“I am delighted to support Graduates Yorkshire not only at this event, but in their work helping companies invest in their future by taking on the talented young people who have graduated from Yorkshire’s Universities and colleges of higher education as interns and in many cases eventually permanent employees.”
The awards, hosted by Graduates Yorkshire, are supported by all Yorkshire’s University Careers Services and Yorkshire Forward. They were open to all companies in the region offering graduate internships including ECIF funded schemes and the Graduates Yorkshire Internship Programme.
Graduates Yorkshire was established seven 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.
