3rd November 2009

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Ulster Business School Placement Innovation Competition winners:

Christopher McIlhatton, Kathryn Kyle, Cathy Keenan, Michelle Davidson and Julie McKelvey

Five enterprising University of Ulster students were recognised for their outstanding achievements at the Ulster Business School’s 2009 Annual Placement Innovation Competition Awards ceremony. 

Each received a prize for their contribution to driving innovation and excellence during their placement year.   

The innovative projects ranged from introducing incentive schemes in the hospitality industry to counteract the effects of the recession to establishing a franchise of a catering organisation, as well as organising an enterprise fair to encourage students to consider entrepreneurship as a career option.

The overall prize went to Cathy Keenan, a BSc Business Studies student at Ulster’s Jordanstown campus. Cathy completed her placement in the Economic Development Unit of Belfast City Council. 

During the year she identified that there was a significant opportunity for Belfast City Council to engage further with students to promote business start-up as a viable career alternative. Her idea won support and Cathy organised a highly successful student enterprise fair in May 2009. The success of this event led to the development of an ongoing Student Enterprise Programme and a joint business networking initiative with the University of Ulster Alumni Association.

Cathy’s placement employer at Belfast City Council, Rhonda Lynn, said: “Cathy demonstrated a need for Belfast City Council to provide support to the student/graduate market and implemented the student enterprise event to stimulate awareness of entrepreneurship and self-employment.  She has been a fabulous asset to the Economic Development Unit.  Through the last year Cathy has been an enthusiastic and valuable addition to the Economic Development Unit establishing herself as an important member of the team.”

Building hands-on business experience is at the centre of the Ulster Business School’s undergraduate business education strategy.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Professor Marie McHugh, Dean of the Ulster Business School said: “The Placement year is a very important aspect of our undergraduate programmes with almost 300 students currently on placement despite the current challenging environment.  We are delighted to celebrate the success of our students and their placement providers.” 

The aim of the Ulster Business School Placement Innovation Awards is also to emphasise that innovation and creativity are crucial skills in the work place. 

Dr Adele Dunn, co-ordinator of the awards, added: “Our prize winners and their placement providers are powerful examples of the benefits to all from the placement year.  All of our winners can provide tangible examples of how they have contributed to innovation during placement and the employers have certainly benefitted from the outcomes.”  

The full list of award winners includes: 

Michelle Davison - Cameron House, Loch Lomond 
Cathy Keenan - Belfast City Council 
Kathryn Kyle - NIE 
Christopher McIlhatton - Doorsteps  
Julie McKelvey - Hamilton Foodhalls 

For further information, please contact:

Trina Porter
Telephone: 028 71675511
Email: Trina Porter