Faculty of Humanities – Placement Year

Agenda for today’s session Why take a Placement Year Faculty Requirements Finding a Placement: practical points to consider how to start your search working abroad Support Available during the Placement Year Hear from students who have completed the Placement Year Next steps Page 2

Why should you do it? Get real-world experience Build a professional network New experiences & broaden your skills Graduate job offer from the placement company Confirm your career choice Better employment prospects Get a Better Degree Earn Money Page 3

So, what’s the problem? Your degree will take a year longer and you will graduate later than some of your friends You will be a real, full-time employee. It’s hard work Applying for placements itself is hard work and will take up a lot of time and energy The process starts now but may take time You may have set-backs along the way View, Master, Slide Master to change this text to the title of your presentationPage 4

What the Faculty Requires… Can cover virtually any industry or workplace Minimum requirement of 24 weeks Signed contract between the employer, university and student Pass/fail Assessed by  weekly/monthly blogs  Employer questionnaire  Reflective report Page 5

Some practical things to consider…… Where do you want to live? What type of organisation do you want to work for? Type of industry/sector do you want to work for? Do you want to… consolidate /broaden your learning? test out a particular career idea? try something new? position yourself to get a particular type of graduate job? earn money? Page 6

Finding a Placement Do your research Speak to your Tutors Visit the Careers and Employability Service Apply early to the ‘BIG’ schemes Carry out internet searches e.g. Rate My Placement We will help you but ultimately it is your responsibility to find a placement Page 7

Thinking About Working Abroad? The Erasmus Programme offers course fee waivers and non-means tested grants for the duration of Placement Year (available to UK and EU citizens) If you secure a placement in the UK but get posted to the EU for three months or more you may still be eligible for funding It is possible work anywhere in the world but make sure you do your research, some companies have specific work visa regulations e.g. USA Page 8

Support you will receive while on Placement Regular correspondence with the Placement Year Officer Feedback on your blog At least one site visit News about your course and returning to your studies e.g. Stage 3 Module Registration Reminders about important deadlines Student Loan Page 9

An overview of the process & some timescales Now – get your CV ready Autumn term & Spring Term – Apply for Placements Summer Term – attend pre-placement briefing By 19 th June – Inform your School of the Placement details July – December – Start Placement A few weeks into the Placement – start to write your learning log/ blog One/ Two months in – Workplace visit Page 10

Don’t just take my word for it… Kenneth Catabas (Stage S English & American Literature with a Placement Year) Jamie Harris (Stage 3 Film Studies with a Placement Year) Thomas Wales (Stage 3 Drama and Theatre with a Placement Year) Page 11

What Next? Write/update your CV & Consider what you want from your placement year Talk to colleagues in your home school and/or CES Attend as many company presentations and skills sessions as you can Start looking! Page 12

Placement students return to Uni with… A great CV Real, credible work experience and examples to use for future interviews Up-to-date knowledge that is in demand in industry A network of contacts A stronger idea of what they want to do in the future Better discipline and a good attitude to their studies A determination to get a good degree and maximise their student days! A bunch of new friends, experiences and expectations And, if they are lucky, a graduate job offer! Page 13

Any Questions? Page 14