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Making Placements Count
What is a work placement?
High on students wish list is the chance to gain their first work placement, a foot in the door. When there are so many graduates and not enough jobs, gaining experience before graduation gives them a head start. Placements, usually in a student’s penultimate year, are between 1-3 months for summer placements up to one year for Year in Industry** students.
Placements enable you to host a student with the specific skills and aptitude to manage a project that will help your business in terms of growth, development or sustainability, which otherwise would not have been accomplished.
In a recent survey*, of the companies interviewed 79% stated that their student added significant real value and 74% felt they added long-term value to existing or new technologies and processes. Of the students interviewed 61% were offered additional employment with their host companies.
Even with the best selection techniques, recruiting the right graduate can be a real gamble. Placements give employers and students the opportunity to ‘try each other for size’ and, if all works well, companies have the opportunity to identify graduate recruits who are already familiar with their organisation, products and working practices. For SME’s this also saves time and money attending recruitment events, advertising and losing the best candidates to larger multi-nationals.
It would be useful to specify who is responsible for the student, someone they can ask for advice. If the placement were a year in industry or sandwich placement, it would help if someone were willing to act as a mentor. Information on the role of supporters.
Advise that recording their learning is important. If you already have development record forms within the company these will be sufficient, there is no need to duplicate records. Alternatively, you can download some of the suggested forms we have on this web site from Forms for Recording Your Professional Development.
Students need to reflect on the knowledge and skills they are developing. You could consider, with the student, which of the competences they are contributing to, and they should note this in their records.
Keeping records up-to-date during the placement will make it easy for them to be signed off before they leave. Whilst verifying that the records are accurate, this will also give you the opportunity to discuss the success of the placement with the student, where you will be able to help them understand their strengths and weaknesses. This will guide them in identifying where they want to be in the future, and give them a head start on planning their professional development after they graduate.
As with all things, spending time planning leads to better results. The checklist below may help you focus your thoughts.
Planning the placement:
- Consider where your student(s) will come from – local universities or those which specialise in your field.
- Create a detailed project outline, with expected outcomes, objectives and deadlines.
- Ensure staff commitment and support by keeping them informed.
- Brief the supervisor. Is this a development opportunity for a staff member needing supervisory experience?
- Make sure payment levels/expenses are agreed and mechanisms in place. Prepare desk, equipment and protective clothing if necessary.
- Would the student benefit from an orientation day?
During the placement:
- Always give an induction, including health & safety, company information, staff introductions, and project outline.
- Give clear objectives for the project, and plan reviews dates. Students will need regular support initially, reducing as time goes on.
- Review project regularly to check that the objectives have been understood and adequate progress is being made. Check deadlines are still achievable and amend plan accordingly.
After the placement
- Student should present a full project report.
- Give a full, written appraisal of student’s performance.
- Keep student informed of outcomes and invite back for follow-up actions if appropriate (e.g. staff training if changes to systems/procedures have been made).
- If you wish to recruit the student consider offering final year sponsorship, or make an informal offer before they leave.
Employers are often surprised at how keen and well-organised universities are on making placements happen. Most have a placement officer, and this is often the best place to start.
*STEP - The Shell Technology Enterprise Programme is an invaluable link between business and students, providing advice and guidance on placements. If you would like someone to advise you on structuring a placement, narrowing down the selection of applicants and paperwork, visit their web site at www.step.org.uk
**Royal Academy of Engineering “Year in Industry” scheme is for gap-year students to gain pre-university experience of industry www.yini.org.uk
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