The IES/Change Agents UK Leonardo Programme, has won the Graduate Internship of the Year crown in the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) Awards 2013 SME category.

The NCWE Awards are in their tenth year of recognising and rewarding employers who provide high quality internships to students and graduates. Categories cover organisations large and small, and all sectors including charities and the public sector. Winners were announced at Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London by Timpson chairman, John Timpson.

The sustainability and education charity Change Agents UK, who run the logistics of our Leonardo Scheme, took the title in the category for organisations with fewer than 250 staff. Our three-month internship, funded by Leonardo Mobility as part of the EU’s Life Long Learning Fund, provides paid experiences for UK graduates with 13 European hosts.

The judges, who reflected the full internship process, considered how the intern and business had benefited, the level of support and payment for the intern, and what made the scheme exceptional compared to the competition. They praised the charity for its supportive environment, providing an invaluable international experience and for providing the opportunity to do a City and Guilds Professional Development Award.

Jasmine Kubski, Partnerships Development Officer at Change Agents UK said: “The focus of each of our internships is environmental sustainability, helping graduates to boost their employability in the green sector. We’re delighted to have received this award, which is testament to our commitment to developing the next generation of change agents.”

Mike Hill, chief executive of the Higher Education Careers Services Unit, which runs the NCWE says: “Entries are blind judged and, thanks to a rigorous process, standards are high so all of those who made the final cut have done exceptionally well. The final list helps students and graduates identify companies that are providing truly valuable experiences among an abundance of opportunities that have wide-ranging standards.”

The complete list of winners can be found at www.work-experience.org/awards.