01/07/2011Association of Graduate Recruiters announces its 2011 annual award winners
• Grant Thornton wins Graduate Development Award
• RBS picks up Best Employer Brand
• Linklaters wins Graduate Integrated Marketing Campaign
• Ernst & Young picks up Graduate Selection & Assessment Award
• Centrica takes Literature Award
The winners of the 2011 Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR) Awards were announced yesterday (Monday 4 July) at the association’s annual conference at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales.
The Awards aim to ensure standards within the industry remain high, rewarding graduate recruiters for creative and innovative campaigns that attract the best graduate talent to their organisations. Now in their 33rd year, they highlight best practice in graduate recruitment.
Carl Gilleard, Chief Executive of the AGR, said: “It’s brilliant to see a range of companies amongst the winners this year. All of them have done enormously well and are brilliant examples of best practice for other graduate recruiters. Congratulations to all this year’s winners and we hope to see more of the same next year!”
Barclays scooped two awards this year, winning both the Digital Marketing Award and the Best of the Best Award celebrating overall excellence. The Best of the Best Award was bestowed upon Barclays for the excellence of its digital marketing approach. Both students and professionals hailed the company’s campaign as powerful and iconic, containing ‘lots of information, great integration, with a strategy that was well conceived’. It was described by judges as ‘innovative, reflecting the changing workplace. It gives real time information to students on the move, with news at their fingertips on an iPhone app.’
Grant Thornton scooped this year’s Graduate Development Award, for principles that were declared ‘supersonically clear’ by judges. With partners, managers and trainees working together, ‘all that the trainees learnt was used as a springboard into first placements’. The judges further commented on how ‘both the winner and the highly commended entries had online platforms in place for new recruits to connect with graduates already in the business.’
The Best Employer Brand Award was won by RBS, with the Professional Panel lauding the sound research on which ‘the EVP was based, with strong corporate context and clarity of message. The supporting marketing campaign encourages action, was inclusive and a brave choice.’
Linklaters gained much praise for their creativity, excellent quality and social media engagement, and were awarded the Graduate Integrated Marketing Campaign Award.
The Graduate Selection & Assessment Award was won by Ernst & Young, with judges citing a ‘brave approach, driven by cultural values and backed up by lots of research’ which clearly demonstrated ‘validity and effectiveness’.
Centrica garnered the Literature Award for a brochure that was not only ‘comprehensive and easy to use’, but also ‘informative, realistic, with diverse profiles and a clear process for entry.’
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NOTES FOR EDITORS
The AGR is the recognised national voice for all UK employers involved in graduate recruitment. The AGR has 750 members from both the public and private sectors. To find out more about AGR membership, visit www.agr.org.uk and click on ‘Join AGR’ or call 01926 623 236
www.agr.org.uk