DEVELOPING STUDENT EMPLOYABILITY

The impact on students’ career objectives of taking a year- long industrial placement as part of their degree was underlined during the 2014 Alison Tasker Award held on 27 March in LUMS.The competition is for fourth-year LUMS students who have completed an industrial placement as part of their degree. The competition commemorates Alison Tasker, a LUMS student who died while on her placement year. The winner was Karina Bjornaroy, a BBA Management student who spent her placement year with Hewlett Packard. Shortlisted final-year students presented reflections on their placement to an audience of 150, including an invited panel of industry experts in addition to LUMS staff and students.

The panel was chaired by Professor Linda Hendry, LUMS Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies, and included: Karen Rizzello (Strategy and Growth Manager, Hewlett Packard  EG EMEA), Philip Haig (University Recruitment Partner, Johnson & Johnson), Toby Stanbrook (partner, Mazars), Alex Stewart (Senior Consultant, IBM), Sharon McCulloch (Student Learning Advisor, LUMS) and Louise Briggs (Head of Careers, Alumni and Employer Relations, LUMS).

Rory Daly, LUMS Placements Manager, said: “Karina reflected so well on her role and position as a placement student and on how she managed her own personal development in a complex and diverse organisation”.

The Alison Tasker competition took place during a week-long module which is compulsory for all LUMS second-year students taking a paid industrial placement in their third year.

For information on industrial placements for LUMS students please contact Rory Daly, Placements and Internships Manager: r.daly@lancaster.ac.uk .