Placement prizes for agriculture students

Posted 24 May 2011

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Agriculture students at Harper Adams were honoured for their outstanding performance while on placement yesterday.

Students, staff, parents and employers were invited to an award ceremony at the University College to find out who had won the Natwest Placement Awards and Andrew Lewis Trophy.

Terry Pickthall, Placement Manager, said: “Placement is without doubt, a key ingredient to the success of our courses at Harper Adams.

“It allows our students to explore their career plans, vocational interests, develop new skills, as well as make valuable contacts and friends in the industry for the future.”

Ian Burrows, Natwest Head of Renewable Energy & Agriculture, presented awards to three HND students – third prize winner Andrew Phillips, second prize winner Tom Mawtus, and first prize winner Megan Taylor.

22-year-old Megan from Brinsley, Nottingham, spent her placement year at a AJ Walker – a dairy farm in Buckinghamshire. She said: “I’m absolutely ecstatic and shocked, but also very proud.

“The application process was an interview and the panel asked general questions about my placement, how I enjoyed it, and what I hope to do for the future.

“When I leave Harper I’d like to rear heifers at home and sell them onto other dairy farms as fresh-calved heifers.”

Runners up were William Emmett, Dan Goodman, Kate Henderson, Alex Hollins and Mike Temple.

Also awarded yesterday, was the Andrew Lewis Trophy, a prize given in memory of former agriculture student, Andrew Lewis.

Andrew’s mother Sheila has visited the University College for the past 27 years to present the prize, this year to 22-year-old Owain Jones from Cynwyd, Corwen in Wales.

Owain, who is studying agriculture and land & farm management at the University College in Shropshire, said: “I was on placement at Alcan Farms Ltd in Morpeth working with the 400 cattle and sheep.

“It’s an honour and a privilege to receive this, not something I was expecting but it is good.

“I’ve been at Harper Adams for five years now and when I finish I’m going home for the summer and then plan to either go travelling or apply for a graduate job.”

Runners up for the prize were Robert Cotton, Chris Haylock and Sam Vaughan.