Carillion axes student sponsorship

The contractor has cancelled its sponsorship scheme owing to the “current economic climate”. The decision means that some students, who are halfway through their courses, are without the £1,500 a year they were offered. Some will also be without a summer placement, without which they will be unable to graduate.

It is understood that 83 have been affected at five universities, including Loughborough, Salford, Reading and Northumbria.

One construction management student said: “I was supposed to be getting £1,500 a year and two six-month work placements. That’s what my contract with Carillion said. Losing the money is bad, but the worst thing is not being able to do my placements. I was relying on them.

“My university has said I can only carry on with the course if I find other placements. I must have called 50 firms already but none can help. I have until September to sort it out, otherwise I’ll have to leave and I’ll lose the £3,500 on tuition and £5,000 on accommodation I spent in the first year.”

Carillion confirmed that the sponsorship scheme had stopped, adding that letters were issued in October last year warning students they would need to make alternative arrangements for the following academic year.

It said: “The students have all had a year’s notice as funding and placements, where we can’t still offer them, will be stopped in September until further notice. We will try to commit to summer placements where possible.”

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