Undergraduate placement student returners event and awards 2025

Nottingham University Business School recently welcomed back undergraduate students who completed their placement year 2024-25 with a celebration and reflection event recognising their achievements.

Hosted by Jack Kavanagh and Laura Hammond from the undergraduate placements team, the event was an opportunity to congratulate students on their success and encourage them to make the most of their final year at university. Jack shared practical advice on building on the skills and experiences gained during a placement to enhance future career prospects.

Careers Adviser Bernadette Dooley also offered guidance on how students can refine their CVs and personalise their LinkedIn profiles to stand out in a competitive job market.

The placements team works closely with a wide range of employers, including PwC, Lloyds Banking Group, Newton Consultants, Barclays, and Deloitte, who regularly visit the Business School to connect with students and share graduate opportunities.

Now in its third year, the Placement Awards continue to highlight student achievements while showcasing the school’s strong partnerships with business and industry.

 

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Placement Year Award Winners 2025

The Placement Awards 2025 highlighted student success in the following categories:

Outstanding Impact on Business Award

Winner: Guy Kitson

Placement company: Kenvue

Company feedback:

Guy took the initiative to introduce new toolkits to address regulation changes impacting Profit and Loss. His work exceeded expectations, leading to its rollout in over 1,000 pharmacies across the UK. He also successfully negotiated the first-ever budget sign-off for Daktacort pharmacy activation, enabling implementation in over 1,400 pharmacies. This initiative drove both sales growth and increased product recommendations at the point of purchase, directly benefiting patients and strengthening market presence.

 

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Exceptional Professional Development Award

Winner: Anika Dhuna

Placement company: Caterpillar

Company feedback:

Anika developed a six-month plan focused on her professional goals. She dedicated her spare time to personal development, enhancing her understanding and awareness of her role while also recognising how different roles contribute to the wider community.

 

 

 

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Placement Student of the Year Award

Winner: Danielle Palmer

Placement company: Bosch

Company feedback:

Danielle consistently delivered work of the highest quality and achieved exceptional results. She played a key role in process improvements, supporting the adoption of automation and AI, and developed expertise in SAP, Excel, KNIME, and Power BI.

 

  

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Other students were also recognised for their outstanding performance and achievements during their placement year. The placements team admired the dedication and growth demonstrated by students, highlighting how the experience not only develops practical skills but also prepares them for success in their future careers. Placement Year Manager, Jack Kavanagh, said:

Our Placement Awards continue to showcase the outstanding contributions our students make during their placement year. I’m incredibly proud of the impact our Business School students have across industry, and this year’s nominations were truly exceptional - many could have been worthy winners. A huge congratulations to Danielle, Anika and Guy for their remarkable achievements over the past 18 months, and these awards were thoroughly deserved.

Winner of the Outstanding Impact on Business Award, Guy Kitson, reflected on his experience:

My placement year at Kenvue was an invaluable experience that exceeded all my expectations. From day one, I was given real responsibility, including leading multi-million-pound demand forecasting, and trusted to take initiative that directly impacted the pharmacy channel. The level of autonomy, continued support from my manager, the wider Pharmacy team, and the university, enabled me to make the most of every opportunity. Gaining these practical skills and confidence has prepared me for my final year, and I am very pleased to have already secured a graduate offer with Kenvue.

 

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Find out more about the undergraduate placement year.

Read more from students about their experiences, helpful advice and why taking an undergraduate placement year has been valuable in their educational and career development.