Four students from the University of Westminster were selected as finalists for the Targetjobs Undergraduate of the Year Awards, with second-year Software Engineering with Electronics BEng Honours student Muhammad Abdullah coming out on top of the Powering Technology in the North East category, winning a three-week internship with Accenture.
The Undergraduate of the Year Awards were established in 2021 to celebrate the UK’s best undergraduates. Each award category is partnered by a prominent employer who provides an exclusive prize for the winner, which could include a paid internship, a trip abroad or other professional opportunities.
Muhammad Abdullah came first out of ten finalists from across the UK in his category, which partnered with global professional services company Accenture to recognise students passionate about technology who have the ability to drive change in the North East of England. For his prize, Muhammad will undertake a three-week summer internship with Accenture’s Technology Leaders and Innovation team in Newcastle.
Three Westminster students were also recognised as finalists for the Celebrating Social Mobility in Real Estate and the Built Environment category, in partnership with global commercial real estate services and investment company CBRE. This included second-year Real Estate BSc Honours students Michal Rainda and Veer Larh, as well as Financial Economics BSc Honours student Owais Imraan. The shortlist recognised students who are passionate about a career in Commercial Real Estate Surveying and who have strong skills and a commitment to respect, integrity, service and excellence.
Michal Rainda
About his nomination Michal, who recently won the University’s Foxtons Internship competition, said: “I’m delighted to have been selected as a finalist for Celebrating Social Mobility in Real Estate and the Built Environment Undergraduate of the Year award. It’s incredibly encouraging to receive this kind of recognition, especially as someone who made a complete career change and started from scratch. Being a finalist reassures me that the hard work is paying off and reinforces my belief that this journey is not only worthwhile but also possible.”
He added: “I’m especially grateful to the University of Westminster for the support I’ve received throughout my studies. I’d like to give a special thanks to Dr Jan Wilcox, Elaine Tooke and Nicholas Vosper for their ongoing encouragement and for continuously pushing me to produce my best work. We've had so many opportunities this year to take part in additional activities and competitions, which have really enhanced our learning and helped us gain valuable work experience. I also really appreciate the University’s practical, hands-on approach. From presentations to interview-style assessments, the experience has been incredibly helpful in preparing us for real-world careers.”
Veer Larh
Veer, who recently won the University’s Berkeley Group Internship Competition, commented: "Being nominated for the CBRE Undergraduate of the Year Award is something I’m really proud of. It’s a great reminder of how far I’ve come and how much potential there is still to unlock. The support I’ve had at Westminster, from lecturers who genuinely care, to the opportunities to grow outside the classroom, such as Westminster Working Cultures, has played a big part in helping me build my confidence and aim higher. I’m really grateful to be part of a university that believes in its students and pushes them to achieve more."
About the nominations, Director of Employability for Westminster’s School of Applied Management and Senior Lecturer in Real Estate, Dr Jan Wilcox said: "I was very pleased to see that Targetjobs were offering an Undergraduate of the Year Award Celebrating Social Mobility in Real Estate and immediately shared it with our students, as social mobility is at the core of Westminster's approach to education. I was then delighted to see that three students from the University of Westminster, more than from any other university, made it through to the final shortlist. I am very proud of them for making it to the final ten, which reflects the passion they all have for our industry and their commitment to pursue every possible opportunity to secure relevant work experience. Although they did not win this competition, both Veer and Michal were shortlisted for three other internship competitions that have been created as part of our Employability strategy, and have both won one for this summer, in addition to other work they have secured independently. I hope that their success will encourage more students to put themselves forward next year."
The students’ work directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about undergraduate courses at the University of Westminster.
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