A celebration of excellence in employability and enterprise
Nick Hillman, Director of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI), joined staff, students and business leaders to celebrate innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial spirit at Southampton Solent University’s (SSU) Employability and Enterprise Awards 2014.
The awards recognise employers, staff, students and graduates involved in a range of innovative real-world learning initiatives within volunteering, business start-ups, work experience or placements and the University’s own graduate associate scheme.
During his welcome, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Richard Blackwell praised the nominees for making the judging panel’s job so difficult.
He said, “The panel, which included representatives from the University, ABP Ports, the LEP board, Hampshire Chamber of Commerce and the city council, were blown away by the truly excellent examples of innovative real-world learning, and inspirational entrepreneurial talent that Solent continues to nurture and produce.”
The winners are:
Outstanding employer contribution to real-world learning
Lesley Strachan, Programme Leader in Marketing, and Julia Potter from Coalporters Amateur Rowing Club
Outstanding staff employability initiative
Joint winners: John Barfoot, Academic Leader (Built Environment) and Christina Dinsmore, Senior Lecturer in Business Strategy
Outstanding staff enterprise initiative
Serkan Ceylan, Senior Lecturer in Economics and Business
Student/graduate start-up business
Joint winners: Broken Physics Productions (Emma Leighio and Craig McDougall) and Highline Aerial Media (Mikey Oldfield)
Graduate associate of the year
Michael Hill, now working for Ordnance Survey
Student work placement/experience of the year
Craig Burrows, BA (Hons) Business Studies -work placement at GE Healthcare. Lukasz Stupka, BA (Hons) Football Studies with Business, was highly commended.
Student volunteer of the year
Odelle Hogg, BA (Hons) Business Studies, who volunteered at The Polygon School in Southampton
The winners also receive a cash prize of up to £5,000, which can be used to further their initiatives or personal development.
The key note speech was given by Nick Hillman, previously special advisor to the RT Hon David Willetts MP, the Universities and Science Minister. Mr Hillman praised the real-world learning and entrepreneurial flair that he had first encountered at Solent during a visit to the University a couple of years ago. Speaking of his visit to the University’s renowned Warsash Maritime Academy, he said: “I was impressed by how hands on, vocational and relevant to industry the facilities are. It is the clearest example of a university really delivering for industry."
The event was run by the student-led events company, Solent Works, which was developed from funding, received from one of last year’s Employability and Enterprise awards winners.
In his closing remarks, Solent Vice-Chancellor Professor Van Gore CBE said: “This fantastic event represents the very best in what can be achieved in developing students for diverse careers. These students can feel confident about going out into the world of employment with the skills and experience they need to work within industry. I am extremely proud of the achievements of all these outstanding winners.”
Notes to Editors:
Information on the winning entries:
• Outstanding employer contribution to real-world learning: Lesley Strachan, Programme Group Leader for Marketing at Solent, and Julia Potter from Coalporters Amateur Rowing Club
Students on the BA (Hons) Advertising with Marketing course were given the opportunity to work with an industry client on a challenging project to redevelop the rowing club’s website and expand into digital marketing.
• Outstanding staff employability initiative: joint winners John Barfoot and Christina Dinsmore
Working in partnership with Southampton City Council and city developers, the built environment team’s John Barfoot has helped create 20 work placements, three graduate jobs and over 100 student site visits over the last 12 months. Christine Dinsmore organised an employability conference with students that brought businesses into the University to meet students and advise them on getting a job.
• Outstanding staff enterprise initiative: Serkan Ceylan
Serkan’s development and implementation of the PRINCE2 course is proving hugely popular with students and staff from local businesses, keen to gain extra skills and a professional qualification. In 2013 six courses were run and 109 exams taken, with a 100% pass rate.
• Student/graduate start-up business: joint winners Broken Physics Productions and Highline Aerial Media.
Broken Physics Productions is fast becoming a key organisation in the region developing a blend of commercial, social and educational work. They provide film-making services for local groups and events and are currently developing film-making courses for beginners.
• Highline Aerial Media provides aerial photography and cinematographic services. In 2013, film graduate Mikey Oldfield and a partner bought an unmanned aerial drone (UAV) and camera equipment and collaborated with a similar business in the USA to help get the company established. They provide moving or still images for broadcast, cinematic, promotional or surveying purposes. Clients so far include the BBC and Blenheim Palace.
• Graduate Associate of the Year: Michael Hill
Michael joined the employability and enterprise team to investigate, analyse and report on key information at both faculty and University levels, in support of student employability and graduate outcomes. He was praised for taking the initiative and seeing things through from start to finish.
• Student work placement/experience of the year: Craig Burrows
Business student Craig has been gaining valuable experience at GE Healthcare. As a project manager, he has been responsible for overseeing the general delivery and installation of healthcare equipment and solutions to the UK and Ireland’s public and private healthcare institutions. He won the company’s ‘above and beyond award’ and went on to manage the second-largest project that quarter. Craig’s employers praised his pro-active approach to his work and his problem-solving skills.
• Volunteer of the year: Odelle Hogg
Odelle won the award for work with the Polygon School in Southampton working with pupils, he helped organise and run a community fundraising day at the school, to raise funds for a trip to Iceland. The school praised Odelle for being a positive role model for the pupils and a fantastic ambassador for the University.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT THE MEDIA OFFICE ON 023 8031 9642 or email press.office@solent.ac.uk
About Southampton Solent University
Southampton Solent University offers more than 23,000 students over 200 qualifications ranging from HND to PhD, in subjects such as maritime education and training, fashion and design, media and television, music, health, sport and leisure, business, IT and technology. The university was awarded the 2013 Quality Assurance kitemark for quality and standards of teaching and learning. Solent was voted one of the most creative universities in the UK in a Which? University 2013 poll of students. It has been awarded ‘Gold approval’ by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
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