Clarification on evidence placement: Media recognitions (OC2 vs MC) and multiple awards under MC

Stage 1
1

I’m preparing my application for the Exceptional Promise (Potential Leader) route and would appreciate guidance on the correct placement of the following evidence.

Question 1: Do media recognitions qualify as OC2 evidence?

I have the following media evidence:

  1. TV Interview 1 — Invited by a national television station to discuss youth participation in the country’s technology sector, including recommendations for government and private stakeholders to support the
    next generation of engineers.
  2. TV Interview 2 — Invited by the same national television station to discuss career development in software engineering, covering career paths and guidance for aspiring tech professionals.
  3. Tech Website Feature — Profiled on a major technology platform highlighting my engineering background and the products I have built.
  4. National Newspaper Feature — Featured in a widely-read national newspaper covering my career journey and my work building fintech infrastructure.

In all cases, I was invited or featured based on my professional work. The content primarily discusses my career, the products I’ve built, and advice for aspiring professionals.

Should this evidence be placed under OC2 (recognition for work outside my occupation) or under Mandatory Criteria as proof of recognition of my standing in the sector?

Question 2: Can I include two separate awards from different bodies under MC?

I have two national technology awards from two independent awarding bodies, both received within the last 12 months:

  • Award 1 — From a long-established national technology awards. Multi-stage judging process with independent panel.
    Recognised for my contributions in software development.
  • Award 2 — From a separate national digital technology awards programme focused on individual engineers and innovators. Multi-stage evaluation with nominations, documentation review, and structured interviews.
    Recognised for innovation and product impact.

Both awards recognise my professional contributions but were assessed independently by different organisations with different judging processes.

Is it acceptable to present both awards as separate MC documents, or would assessors view this as repetitive? Would I be better served using one award for MC and repurposing the other elsewhere?

Thank you in advance for any guidance.

2

@Ade_Ola Trust you are okay.

On your questions:

Question 1 : Do media recognitions qualify as OC2 evidence?

Just media recognition does not qualify for OC2, you need to show evidence that demonstrate that the recognition was as a result of what you did outside your immediate occupation that contributed to the advancement of the digital technology sector. Also, you said “In all cases, I was invited or featured based on my professional work.” this invalidates what is required by OC2 that requires - outside your immediate occupation or professional work.

Question 2 : Can I include two separate awards from different bodies under MC?

Yes you can use two different awards, but they have to be together in one evidence set, because they are unique. Also, award rightly aligns with MC. Can work elsewhere with a different context as external validation, if presented strategically. It is important to add that from recent feedback on awards, I need to know the awarding organisation to suggest whether it will cut it. Also, most applicants just show the award plaque without the reason for nomination, its criteria, the invitation letter that could show recognition, and convincing evidence (like pictures, videos, and external validation from a credible third party like media outlet) that they actually received the award.

All the best.