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Student Placements

Employers are increasingly demanding that graduates have some knowledge of the working world and student placements provide the ideal opportunity to develop this.

"Involving employers in interviewing students for placements reduces the chance of them feeling that they will be taking on poor quality students”.
Dr Andrew Smart, Cornwall College Newquay

In this section, you will find:

Benefits

There are tangible benefits to all parties:

Students	Employers	Academics
Opportunity to put theory into practice	Opportunity to see what students are capable of	Opportunity to showcase the knowledge and skills you are developing on your programme
Opportunity to consider career options within a 'real' environment	Potential to shortcut the recruitment process and reduce costs	Increased awareness of what your students can offers which leads to enhanced employability
Find out what they do and don't like doing	An extra pair of hands to develop new projects and ideas	Incorporates industry expertise into your programme
Opportunity to develop key transferable skills and enhance employability	A fresh perspective to solve problems	Widens your professional networks

Cornwall College funds a deal with Newquay Zoo and Blue Reef Aquarium to allow students access to placements for one day per week and two to three week placements over the summer. The tutors offer the placements (e.g. five at Newquay Zoo) and students have to apply for them. They have real interviews with a member of college staff and a person from the zoo. This reduces the chances of the zoo feeling like they are getting poor quality students.

This is expensive but well worthwhile as the zoo and students tend to be very happy. It has resulted in students being offered further paid placements, then employment and students tend to return to do funded top up degrees.

Points to consider...

The placement retainer fee is expensive, and even with it, we cannot guarantee placements as places are becoming more competitive.

Resources

The resources below can be downloaded and customised to meet your needs (although you should check whether your HEI has standard forms you should use):

Staff at the University of Plymouth should use the Staff Handbook for Placement and Work Based Learning available on the staff portal under Skills Plus.

Student Placements - Practical Considerations

Sample Work Placement Agreement

Sample Health and Safety Form

Sample Risk Assessment Form

Sample HEI Monitoring Form

Sample Monitoring Form for Host Organisations

Sample Final Report Brief