A winning partnership

The partnership team, which joined forces in 2012, when the M&S Company Archive relocated to the University’s campus, has won the Employer Engagement Award at the Educate North Awards.

Marks and Spencers Company Archive accepting the Educate North award with Martin Holmes.

The partnership brings together commercial insights from M&S with academic expertise from the University of Leeds to deliver a distinctive package of employer-based support for students, giving young people the necessary skills to meet industry needs when they enter the workforce.   

The Educate North Awards is a high profile event, which recognises best practice and excellence in the education sector. The Employer Engagement Award celebrates higher and further education institutions or teams that can demonstrate excellence in engaging with employers and creating suitable learning interventions that meet business’s workforce development needs and forge links between students and potential employers.

Megan Parsons, Archive Relationship Manager at the M&S Company Archive, said: “We are thrilled to be recognised for our partnership work with the University of Leeds at such a prestigious event. We offer a comprehensive package combining placements, skills development sessions and business engagement to support students at the University. To date, we’ve supported over 6,000 young people and offered more than 115 work placements so this award really is testament to the hard work and passion of the whole team.”

Martin Holmes, Marketing Director at the University of Leeds, said: “This award is a testament to the innovative nature of the partnership between Marks & Spencer and the University of Leeds.  Through this Partnership we are demonstrating a shared commitment to creating a strong future workforce underpinned by the support we provide for our students in developing their skills and career prospects.”

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