Students win WiP awards
Two students from universities in Liverpool and Manchester have won prizes at a national property industry competition by the Association of Women in Property National Student Awards.
Charlotte Robinson, studying architecture was named as the Leading North West Property Student, while Gillian Lysons studying real estate management and business at Liverpool John Moores University was given the accolade Highly Commended.
Robinson goes forward to the national final taking place in London on 27 September.
Claire Beaumont, chairman of WiP's North West Branch and a solicitor with Laytons, said, "This is a tough awards process, when we ask the best degree students from across the region to compete against each other, in front of a panel of judges, to win a place in the national final. Charlotte and Gillian have done exceptionally well just to get this far and, armed with the experience these awards bring, will be well equipped to make their mark on the industry. They are among the industry's future stars."
Robinson wins £300, an opportunity for work experience, free membership of the association upon graduating and the opportunity to participate in the WiP mentoring programme whereby a mentor will support her in her early career.
Robinson said: "I'm completely amazed and delighted to be given this award. I realise I'm up against some other very talented girls so I'm particularly proud that the judges put their vote with me. These awards are important because there is still an imbalance in terms of the low numbers of women in the property and construction industry, so we need to raise awareness to the career options out there."
The National Student Awards is now in its fifth year and open to female, second year students studying a built environment degree course.
Students are nominated by their universities. The National Student Awards are this year being sponsored in the North West by property consultants, Fisher Wilson and nationally by construction firm Byrne Group and international property advisers Jones Lang La Salle.
The awards aim to recognise the talent available to the industry at the earliest possible stage and highlight the necessity to link with universities early in the educational process.
The aim is also to broaden opportunities open to students as they progress through their university career and improve the knowledge of those at university on the career options available as well as improve the students' skills to present their coursework.
The 2011 judges were Neil Wilson of Fisher Wilson, Jessica Padgett of Jones Lang LaSalle, Hugh Coulter of Byrne Group and Lisa Raynes of Raynes Architecture.
The winner of the National Student Awards in September will take home £700 and a year's membership of Women in Property.
Continuing in its aim to recognise excellence among women in the property and construction industry, nominations are now open for the Property Industry Woman of the Year, sponsored by Women in Property North West.
Contenders can nominate themselves or a colleague on the Forward Ladies website. Deadline for nominations is Tuesday 31 May. The Women in Business Awards North West will be held on Friday 23 September 2011 at The Midland Hotel, Manchester.
Meanwhile, Place North West and Women in Property has launched a joint survey to gather the attitudes and perceptions of women working in the industry around the region.
The questions in the survey are as follows…
- What is the biggest obstacle you have overcome in your career?
- What do you see as the barriers to progression?
- What are your ambitions and do they include staying in the industry?
- What advice would you give to a woman entering the industry?
To complete the survey please click on this link. The survey will also be circulated around WiP North West's members to gather their views. The findings of the anonymous survey will be published on Place in April.
