Employer wins top award after Harper nomination

Posted 13 March 2009

A firm of land and property specialists has won a national award after being nominated by Harper Adams University College

Tony Rimmer, Director of Rostons, collected the Best Work Experience Provider prize at the National Council for Work Experience Awards in London, after being nominated by Carrie de Silva, principal lecturer and land management placement manager at the University College.

Mr Rimmer had been an employer of placement students and graduates from Harper Adams’s Rural Enterprise and Land Management courses for many years.

He said: “I fully support placements as I remember that without having undertaken a placement myself, I would not have done so well."

Carrie de Silva added: “I nominated Tony for his influence and development with a particular student, whose placement enabled him to learn lessons of responsibility, clarify his career aspirations and set him up well to return and progress in his studies. Tony is a committed supporter of REALM and a most deserving winner.”

Charles Cowap, a principal land management lecturer and Director of the Harper Adams-led ReedNet employer engagement project, said:  “This is an excellent outcome!  I can endorse Tony Rimmer's support for our students as his placement visitor for the past few years - his operation is a model of a modern rural business in many ways, not least staff management points.”

The NCWE Awards showcase the very best of what employers have to offer and aim to commend work experience providers that have put thought, time and effort into helping students develop key employability skills. They also highlight the business benefits that students have brought to a company.

Presenting the awards were academic, broadcaster and writer Professor Laurie Taylor and NCWE Director Heather Collier.

Harper Adams is the country’s leading specialist provider of Higher Education for the rural industries and enjoys close links with industry. Former REALM students can be found working as Rural Chartered Surveyors across the UK. Many complete the first year of their Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors’ APC qualification during their compulsory placement year, fast-tracking them towards full professional status, in some cases, just one year after graduation.