Special recognition has been awarded to over 150 University of Worcester students who have undertaken a host of extra-curricular work and activities.
A total of 153 students completed the Worcester Award, with 70 of them completing the Worcester Gold Award. The Worcester Award encourages students to participate in a range of activities to help boost their employability. It is run by the University's Careers & Employability team and is supported by a number of local employers.
Rose Watson, Careers and Employability Service Manager said: "We are delighted that so many students have achieved the Worcester Award this year, particularly those who have reached the Gold level, which also involves a presentation and interview panel. We are so proud of all those students who have managed to do such great things during their time here at the University of Worcester. The range of additional and voluntary activities will greatly enhance their future employability as it shows their motivation, as well as the skills and experiences they will be expected to demonstrate in future job applications and interviews."
One of the students to achieve the Gold award was 28-year-old Anh Nguyen, from Worcester.
Anh, who studied a Master's degree in Nutritional Therapy, took part in a variety of roles alongside his studies including assisting with the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships; taking part in activities for charities such as Cancer Research UK, Alzheimer's Society and Asthma UK; as well as being a Student Ambassador and a Residential Ambassador for the University.
"I am truly honoured to receive the Gold Worcester Award and believe it is a valuable asset to my future," he said. "This award has only encouraged me to further continue achieving many more awards towards my professional development."
He added: "This award has inspired me to define myself and is a vital stepping stone for my career in health and nutrition to help improve the well-being of both the British and Vietnamese public."
Katy Rees, Managing Director of Smile Education, one of the businesses supporting the Award, added: "As a local business owner I regularly recruit graduates; we get a high number of applications and are looking for evidence that the applicant has used the skills we require. The Worcester Award shows us that the applicant is willing to go the extra mile, can manage their time effectively and gives fantastic talking points at interview."
Students completed activities including teaching English in Madagascar, volunteering at the European Wheelchair Basketball Championships, research assistance in South Africa, and a 26-mile trek for the Alzheimer's Society.
Three students also received additional special recognition awards. They were Emma Brooks for Outstanding Performance, Nhu Tran for Outstanding Presentation and Gwynnan Smith for Outstanding Interview.
For more information about the Worcester Award please contact worcesteraward@worc.ac.uk