The targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards is an annual competition aimed at finding the best undergraduates in the UK.
There are 10 Awards on offer and each one is partnered with a prominent graduate recruiter who provides a fantastic prize for the winner including paid internships, trips abroad and other exclusive opportunities.
To have made it to the final stage for the award is an incredible achievement, each award this year had 100s of applications and finalists made it through the initial application, psychometric tests, interviews and assessment centres.
We are very proud to introduce *Drum roll please* our 4 fantastic University of Bristol finalists:
Finalist: The Built Environment Undergraduate of the Year Award finalist 2022 (Partnered with AECOM)
Miyu Kudo, Engineering Design with Study in Industry (MEng) Year 4 – PLUS Award Achiever and Vice-President of Engineers Without Borders Bristol.
What does becoming a Finalist mean to you?
To me, becoming a finalist means that the things I enjoy and work hard for, such as being the chair of the Institution of Civil Engineers Bristol & Bath, Graduate, Student and Apprentice committee, are being recognised. It’s nice to know that I’m doing something well!
Do you have any advice to offer to other students who would like to develop their career skills?
Try and get a placement in industry. For me, not only has it developed my knowledge and skills in the career field I’m interested in, but it has also developed me personally. Be as proactive as possible and you will learn and experience so much!
How has the Careers Service helped you in your career development?
I decided to take part in the Bristol PLUS Award after my summer placement and that really helped me reflect on my experiences.
Finalist: The Undergraduate of the Year Award for Excellence through Adversity (Partnered with Rolls Royce)
Muskan Gupta, International Business Management and French (BA) Year 2 – PLUS Award Achiever
What does becoming a Finalist mean to you?
Applying for this award has been an extremely challenging process but also an invaluable experience that has taught me so much in such a short period of time. From filling in the online application all the way to the assessment centre, I have had to reflect on my experiences and who I really am. Being selected for the top 10 has certainly developed my self-confidence and I’ve learnt that nothing is impossible if you believe in yourself.
How has your experience at the University of Bristol helped you become a Finalist?
Since my time at the university, I have really matured as an individual through various experiences and activities- achieving the Bristol Plus Award, being a part of several societies and committees, engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and most importantly studying for my joint honours degree. Without being able to do all this, I wouldn’t have made it this far in the award.
Finalist: Young Activist of the Year Award (Partnered with Clifford Chance)
Max Boulton, Politics and International Relations (BSc) Graduate
What does becoming a Finalist mean to you?
Becoming a finalist means a great deal to me. I have always admired Clifford Chance and the impact that their pro bono work has. To have them endorse my idea for a database that helps people to find centres of treatment overseas has given me a second wind to turn that dream into a reality and made it easier to drown out the sound of the naysayers.
Do you have any advice to offer to other students who would like to develop their career skills?
Do whatever you can to build your network as early as you can. I would say get your name out there, cast the net out wide, and don’t fall for the idea that there’s only one way to tap into the industry you want to get into.
How has the Careers Service helped you in your career development?
As well as sponsoring the two internships I did with Bristol-based start-ups, the Careers Service has been incredibly supportive since I graduated. They proofread my training contract applications, they have offered to help me with interviews, and they keep me motivated to keep pushing with positive affirmation and sound advice.
Finalist: The Future CFO of the Year Award ( Partnered with CIMA)
James Whelan, Economics and Finance (BSc) Year 1 – Founder and President of Bristol Mergers and Acquisitions Society
What does becoming a Finalist mean to you?
It means a lot. There were, no doubt, a lot of very talented, applicants so to be picked as one of the top 10 best is satisfying and humbling.
Do you have any advice to offer to other students who would like to develop their career skills?
Get involved with as much as you can, even if it isn’t ‘career related’. A lot of us, as confident young adults, like to think that we know exactly what we want to do when we are older, but in the vast majority of cases, our future won’t be exactly as our self-made blueprints indicate. So, even if it isn’t something you think will directly help your career, do it anyway.
How has the Careers Service helped you in your career development?
We receive constant communication from the Careers’ Service, offering us opportunities to develop our skills, and improve as people away from the classroom.
Finalists have been invited to an awards ceremony, hosted by Sue Perkins, on Friday 29 April in London where the winners will be announced. The students will have the opportunity to network with each other and many industry professionals from the award partners.
From all of us at the Careers Service, we wish them the best of luck!