The best way for our kids to prepare for the working world is to dip a toe into the world of work with summer jobs and part-time jobs. Many universities in the UK offer an optional work placement or sandwich year. As Florence Mutero of Loughborough University says, “Doing a placement offers you the opportunity to put theory into practice, experience workplace culture, build a professional network and develop your employability skills.”
Don’t miss our article on this in Issue 2 of University Speaking, in which our friends at the University of Portsmouth and the University of Bath shared some advice. Here’s an extract.
How do professional placements or “sandwich years” work at Bath?
Placements can last between six and twelve months depending on the course and employer. Some students even take their placements in different parts of the world. Placement activities begin in Year One for the majority of students. First-year students will typically have one-to-one with a member of the placements team to discuss their options. They will also have the opportunity to prepare by attending placement lectures and seminars, and taking part in skills sessions and mock interviews with real-life recruiters.
During placement, students pay a reduced tuition fee to the University instead of the full year’s fee. Some placements are paid, meaning that some students earn a salary while they work.
How are students placed?
Bath’s placement team works alongside students to identify their personal objectives, develop their CV, and help them to find a placement that’s right for them. They will also organise practice interviews to help students get the placement they want.
“We work with a range of organisations and have developed lasting relationships with the companies and charities where our students have completed placements in the past,” says Jess. Bath students have previously completed placements at organisations including multinational corporations overseas, small to medium-size businesses in the UK, and start-ups in the local area. Depending on the course, students may do a research-focused placement, or work for a non-governmental organisation or charity.
“The University of Bath was established to fuse academic thinking with practical experience. Our work placements help students take their ideas and passion for their subject to the next level,” says Jess. No doubt the placement programme at the university is one of the reasons the university scores so well in UK and global employment prospects rankings.
Read more about Bath’s placement opportunities
Five ways that students can maximise their time at university
- Work placement. A sandwich year will give you something to put on your CV before you finish university.
- Volunteering. Develop transferable skills like communication and networking through volunteering opportunities. Portsmouth is a Civic University aiming to provide benefits to the local community by collaborating with local businesses, organisations and the public sector, and by offering free support, advice, and services. Our students volunteer for more than 60,000 hours at over 200 local organisations.
- Networking skills. Develop a network of contacts that can help with career planning and job searching.
- Part-time work while studying. Not only does this put a little change in your pocket, it can also build your CV. On a UK Study Visa, a student can work for 20 hours per week during term time and unlimited hours during vacations.
- Develop teamwork and leadership skills. Consider joining a Student Union club focused on something you enjoy to expand your social circle and develop your skills. Getting involved in sporting activities will demonstrate proficiency in teamwork and introduce you to a new network of students.
More resources
Read the full article in University Speaking, Issue 2.
Get more advice from The Learners Journey.
Find further information for students from South Africa on Portsmouth’s Country Page or contact Senior Global Officer, Jenny Hyde for details: jenny.hyde@port.ac.uk +44 (0)7939 275759
Watch Bath students talk about their work placements.