Guide to Student Placements
What is a Student Placement?
A Student Placement offers real-world work experience within a professional setting, designed to complement a student’s degree and provide valuable benefits to both the student and the employer.
Typically, a student placement occurs between the second and final years of a degree program, lasting for a year within an organisation. These placements are available across various sectors—such as business, manufacturing, or the public sector—and can be found in organisations of all sizes.
These placements are also known by other names, including ‘Industrial Placement‘, ‘Sandwich Placement’, ‘Placement Year‘, ‘Year In Industry’, ‘Work Placements’ but they all serve the same purpose: offering students hands-on experience.
Raptor Student Employability Data Study 2022
Why should you do a Work Placement?
✔ Gain Valuable Work Experience
Getting a placement sets you ahead on the graduate career ladder. With more students attending university to boost their careers, the value of real-world work experience has never been greater.
✔ Build Contacts
In a placement, you’ll spend 12 months working with other placement students and key professionals in the organisation. Did you know that up to 71% of graduate positions are filled by former placement students within that organisation? The connections and friends you make during your placement year could be crucial when you begin your search for graduate jobs and references.
✔ Apply Classroom Knowledge
An industrial placement serves as a real-world application of your undergraduate education. It’s a chance to use classroom knowledge in practical ways and demonstrate that you can excel in a professional role, validating the skills and expertise gained through your studies.
When should you start applying for Placements?
While companies may post placement opportunities at different times, the motto “the earlier, the better” holds true! Remember, first-year grades and UCAS points are taken into consideration when applying for placements. So, while you enjoy Freshers’ Week, remember that first-year results matter!
Many organizations begin advertising placement roles as early as September, making the start of your second year the ideal time to begin your search. Demand for placements is high, so applying early is essential.
Meet Rebecca who completed her Placement Year
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I wanted to gain real life experience to put me in better stance when I have to find a graduate job. The chance also to be able to take a year away from study and be able to earn a wage enabling me to save some money for my return back to Uni. In terms of what I have thought of the placement would be that I have learnt a lot and it will put me in good stead for gaining a graduate job having a year’s worth of experience in a real workplace.
Business & Marketing Placement Student at Yorkshire Bank
