The Innovation in Placement Awards are held annually to recognise the success of students who have been on placement over the last year, with the 2026 ceremony taking place in June on the Belfast campus.
This event allowed the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment to formally recognise and celebrate the success of its students who have been working on placement over the last year.
At the event, nominees and winners were honoured for their outstanding achievements and their key role in innovation within their organisations. These contributions can be through innovations such as the development of new processes and the implementation or integration of new technologies.
Professor Colin Turner, Pro Vice Chancellor and Executive Dean, Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment, said:
“It is well established that the work placements undertaken by Ulster students enhance their academic performance and provide the type of real-world experience that significantly improves potential for success in gaining employment, with many of our graduates taking up jobs with their original placement organisation.
“Recently published reports indicated that 82% of graduates from degree programmes offered within the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment are in employment within 15 months of graduating. In addition, placements allow our students to build personal networks and develop valuable transferable skills and competencies that provide a foundation which they can develop throughout their entire future career, wherever that may take them.
“The consistently high-quality placement opportunities that are made available to our students would not be possible without the excellent support provided by our various external partners, many of whom also make invaluable contributions to ensuring that course curricula are relevant for current and future requirements across the various sectors concerned. In this way, we collectively ensure that our graduates have the knowledge and skills necessary to take up employment in many of the areas that will drive economic growth here in Northern Ireland and beyond.
“On behalf of the University community, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our placement partners for the continued support they offer to enriching the learning experience of our students.”
Innovation in Placement Student Winners:
This year, an exceptional number of nominations were submitted, each highlighting the outstanding contributions made by students to their placement companies and, after careful consideration, the following students have been selected as the winners of the Innovation in Placement Awards 2026.
Built Environment winner:
Mallaidh McAvoy (Placement Company Representative Vicki Palmer at Hollis)
Mallaidh demonstrated exceptional innovation by identifying a gap between Hollis’s EDI commitments and the realities of site-based work for lone workers, women, and those returning to work following maternity leave, caring responsibilities, or career breaks. She independently designed SiteWELL, an opt-in framework translating policy into practical support. It includes Her Toolbox, Site Sisters, and Site-Step Return, addressing confidence, safety, and inclusion. Developed from employee insight and presented to senior stakeholders, her work shows strong leadership and practical impact, with potential to enhance safety, retention, and inclusive practice across site-based roles.
Computing winner:
James Dolan (Placement company representative George Schofield at Assa Abloy Ltd)
James introduced an innovative, data‑led approach to Amazon product listing optimisation at Assa Abloy. He designed a structured, repeatable framework to audit and enhance listings across six regions, identifying gaps in attributes, content quality, and variations. Integrating sales data, traffic insights, and competitor analysis, he prioritised high‑impact improvements. His work improved metadata, discoverability, and scalability, delivering measurable results of a 26% increase in sales and an 18% increase in traffic, with annualised value exceeding €600,000, while enabling future automation across EMEIA markets and regional expansion opportunities.
Engineering winner:
Joshua Belvis (Placement company representative David Clarke at Medtronic)
Joshua was instrumental in driving an innovative transition to EU‑sourced packaging at Medtronic, addressing supply chain, cost, and sustainability challenges. He designed a comprehensive in‑house testing programme to validate non‑equivalent materials, enabling regulatory‑compliant approval of new suppliers. By strengthening technical documentation, design control, and supplier collaboration, he improved manufacturability and resilience. His data‑driven approach delivered reduced lead times, lower emissions, and annual cost savings exceeding $400,000, while establishing a robust, scalable material qualification process.
Professor Jonathan Wallace, Academic Chair of the Faculty Computing Employer Advisory Board and Chair of Innovation in Placement Judging Panel, added:
“The awards are in their 24th year this year and once again the level of innovation presented to the judging panel was to a high standard.
"We developed these awards to allow us to recognise and showcase the positive impact that our students can have on their placement organisations. The students are nominated by their placement organisations, only if they felt they had made a significant impact upon their organisation, above and beyond that expected as the duties of a normal placement student. Innovations this year included development of new policies, new technologies, and software development, which have significantly improved business insight and operational efficiencies in their placement companies.
"Undertaking a placement year is vitally important and not only helps to prepare students for the world of work but increases their employability in what is an increasingly competitive marketplace.
"The Faculty and the University greatly value the collaborative relationship we have with our placement providers, especially given the impact of AI upon placement opportunity availability, and the vital practical experience it brings to our students.”
Photo caption:
Group photo (top left) - Photographed are the winners of the CEBE Innovation In Placement Awards 2026, from left to right: Computing winner James Dolan, Built Environment winner Mallaidh McAvoy along with her employer Vicki Palmer (Hollis), and Joey Duggan (Medtronic) who collected the Engineering award on behalf of placement student Joshua Belvis.
