An innovative course run by Huddersfield University in collaboration with some of the biggest names in the field of logistics has won two important industry awards in rapid succession and is now bidding for a third.

The run of success means that after two years, the partnership named NOVUS – which guarantees a career-boosting job to its graduates – has become established as a major factor in developing the next generation of supply chain professionals, who are vital to modern industry.

First came a prize for the Wincanton Supply Chain Innovation Project of the Year at the 2014 Retail Week Supply Chain Awards.

Just a week later, NOVUS won the Development of People prize at the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT) Annual Awards for Excellence.

Now the scheme has been shortlisted for the 18th European Supply Chain Excellence Awards, organised by Supply Chain Standard in association with PwC.

NOVUS is competing in the Training and Professional Development category and is bracketed with major players including Vodaphone, DHL, Unilever and Sky.

The ceremony takes place on November 5 at London’s Hilton Hotel.

Senior lecturer David Leach, who is programme director for NOVUS, said he was delighted by the sequence of success at awards ceremonies.

After the programme was shortlisted for the Supply Chain Standard awards, he travelled to London to give an hour-long presentation to judges. They expressed surprise that NOVUS had been under way for just two years.

“The two awards we have won so far play to the strengths of the scheme,” said Mr Leach. “The first reflects the innovative nature of NOVUS and the fact that it is a collaborative project right across the industry.

“The second award cuts right to the heart of the purpose of the scheme, which is to develop the next generation of supply chain leaders – identifying them, training them and developing them.”

The NOVUS programme at the university is accredited by CILT and now has the backing of more than 30 companies.

They have contributed to the curriculum and provide mentoring, work placements and other opportunities to students.

And once students have successfully completed their degree courses, they are guaranteed graduate-level jobs in the supply chain sector.

Representatives of several of the firms who are partners in the NOVUS project joined Mr Leach at the awards ceremonies.

Andy Kaye, chief executive of BiS Henderson and chairman of the NOVUS steering group said winning the Retail Week Supply Chain meant a great deal to all those in the industry who had supported the development of the NOVUS Trust,

He said: “I’m delighted that this collaborative, industry-wide initiative to offer students a degree course in supply chain management with a guaranteed job at the end, has been acknowledged as innovative within the sector through such a prestigious award.”

Mr Leach said the awards success showed how NOVUS was gaining increasing recognition and momentum within the industry.

He thanked the companies which have supported the scheme so far and now said he believed that it would attract even more corporate sponsors.