News and Events

Retail student clinches BU placement award

15 May 2009

Nick Jones, second from right, with Safestore colleagues receiving business of the year award

An outstanding retail undergraduate has won BU’s top student placement award.

BU has announced Retail Management student Nick Jones as the winner of its Placement Student of the Year Award 2009.

The £500 award will be officially presented to Nick at BU’s School of Services Management graduation ceremonies, due to take place at the Bournemouth International Centre in November 2009.

Nick, 23, from High Wycombe, received the award for his outstanding contribution while undertaking his work placement as Assistant Business Analyst with Safestore Ltd – the fastest-growing storage unit company in the UK.

He was praised for his involvement in introducing a new graduate training scheme, and his pivotal role in helping Safestore to win the RBS/ NatWest Business of the Year award. Reviewing the company’s growth, Nick produced the report on which the judging was initially based.

Nick Riding, Chief Operating Officer at Safestore Ltd, said: “We were delighted with Nick’s contribution to Safestore over the time he was with us. He approached his work with a desire to contribute as well as learn and earned a great deal of respect from his colleagues in the process.”

Commenting on his achievement Nick said: “I feel very happy and proud to win this award as it signifies the hard work I put in last year, as well as the huge benefit a placement offers to an individual and the company they are working for.”

Nick spent the first few months of his placement at the ‘sharp end’ of the business at the company’s Reading store. He then moved to its Head Office in Borehamwood, where he undertook many high-level duties, providing valuable data on which key business decisions were made.

He added: “The introduction to finance in the first two years of my Retail Management course definitely helped me, but the most useful aspect of the course was creating an understanding of store and Head Office-based functions. This was particularly good for me as I spent time in both at Safestore.”

Jacqui Gush, Head of BU’s Graduate Employment Service, said: “It was a difficult choice as we had some outstanding students who made real contributions to their employing organisations.

“What helped Nick to clinch it was the evidence that his hard work had directly helped his company to win the prestigious Business of the Year award. We congratulate Nick on this achievement.”