IBM awarded Quality Mark for work experience

IBM, a business and IT company, is one of only 14 organisations UK-wide to receive the National Council for Work Experience’s (NCWE) Quality Mark for developing the UK’s future workforce.

To achieve the NCWE Quality Mark, IBM had to undergo a rigorous assessment process. This involved an onsite visit by an external assessor and the Quality Mark Board evaluating all aspects of its work experience programme against six key areas, including commitment and recruitment. Intel is the only other IT business to achieve the standard.

Heather Collier, director of the NCWE explains: “Despite the recession, the IT market has proved to be one of the best and most forward thinking when it comes to nurturing talent. With internships gaining a higher profile on the government’s agenda as a way for graduates to improve their employability, IBM is an excellent example for businesses to follow.”

The NCWE Quality Mark will help IBM attract and recruit some of the best graduates, reducing recruitment costs and placing them at the forefront of developing and retaining talent.

Vanessa Gough, IBM Graduate Recruitment adds: “Bright, multi-skilled graduates are crucial to IBM’s growth. Receiving the Quality Mark continues to demonstrate why IBM attracts the best talent. The programme delivered gives students a real taste for the company, the culture and the opportunities available, so that they consider us as an employer post graduation."The NCWE Quality Mark raises standards of work experience, providing employers with the opportunity to benchmark their current programme, share best practice and take a more strategic view of their relationships within higher education.

30 June 2009