If you’re an undergraduate student at university, especially if you’re in your first or second year, you might have heard the term ‘placement year’ being thrown around a lot lately. To clear up any confusion, a placement year is a period of work experience – usually around a year long – which is integrated into an undergraduate degree. They’re usually taken in the third year of a degree. A placement year is very different to an internship as it is assessed and sometimes even required for a degree (like at Sheffield Hallam), while internships are extracurricular and don’t contribute to your degree. They’re usually done during the summer or after graduation. You’re usually also paid for a placement year, while you’re not as likely to be paid for an internship.
So, is it worth doing a placement at university? That varies from person to person, but read on to find out more and discover whether it would benefit you to do a placement as a part of your degree!
If you’re still on the fence about whether or not it is worth doing a placement at university, it might help to hear about someone else’s experience. Keep reading for an interview with Mollie, who is currently on placement in Leicester.
What field do you work in? What is your job title?
I work in sustainability. My specific job title is Student Sustainability Coordinator.
How did you get your placement year?
Through my university. They offer internal placement years for those struggling to get a placement area, or those who cannot leave the area due to responsibilities like caring. I was applying and getting to the interview stage for other positions but was struggling to get further. I saw my university advertising this placement and got an interview, and the rest, as they say, is history.
When I applied to university, I didn’t want to do a placement year because I didn’t think it was necessary. After my first year, I decided I wanted to do one. It was easy to change my degree title and I now get ‘with a placement year’ at the end, which is awesome.
Are you enjoying your placement so far? What have you enjoyed the most?
I’m really enjoying my placement so far! I have learnt so many new skills and built upon the ones I already have. I’ve also been able to experience so many new things. For example, I am writing this on the train on the way to a conference! My soft skills have flourished, as shown by my achieving Carbon Literate status. I have also become a Carbon Literacy Facilitator. This not only looks good to future employers on my CV but has also helped me develop my presentation and time management skills.
What are the pros of doing a placement year?
Experience. Graduating with a year’s worth of experience will be invaluable for me. I’ve developed my soft skills and computer-based skills, both of which employers look for in applicants. I am also experiencing things I would never have thought of doing before!
What are the cons of doing a placement year? What have you found the hardest?
Knowing that all of my friends are graduating this year and won’t be here when I finish my degree next year has been hard, but having a placement in my university city has been great, as I’ve still been able to see them! Adapting to office-based etiquette was hard at first, as it’s something I wasn’t used to previously.
What do you think you’ll get out of your placement year?
A whole bunch of skills and experience I would never have got if I hadn’t done it. Not only that, but I’ve forged new connections with other people in the industry. I’ve also gained some really invaluable life lessons and tips from my colleagues.
Would you recommend doing a placement year for other students and why?
I absolutely would. It not only allows you to develop new skills but also to ‘test drive’ a potential career. I would tell anyone to do a placement year if they can, as it gives you a taster of what working a 9-5 is really like and the experiences that come with it.
Getting a placement year
If hearing about a student’s experience on a placement year has helped you decide that you’d like to do one yourself, you might be wondering if there’s anything else you should keep in mind. There are many things that you might not be aware of that are useful to know, so read on for more information!
If you’re already studying an undergraduate course, note that you may have to change your course if you didn’t apply for one with a built-in placement year. Many degrees come with several options when applying – for example, Business and Management, Business and Management with Year Abroad or Business and Management with Industrial Experience. ‘Industrial Experience’ here is just another term for a placement year (also if you’re interested in these courses, check out the course webpage about studying them at Exeter!).
However, if you’re still applying for undergraduate courses, you can apply for the courses with built-in placement years or courses with modules where you complete work experience. This is very useful if you’d like to do a placement as there will be staff on the course to help you secure a placement. If you didn’t apply for one of these – don’t fret! You can approach your university’s career service to get help securing a placement after changing your degree.
Applying for a placement is much like applying for any job. You’ll usually have to fill in an online application and/or submit your CV. If you reach the next stage of the application process, you might have to attend a formal interview and/or an assessment centre before being offered the job.
If you’re still a little confused about the ins and outs of placement years, check out this article on placement years for more information.
Is doing a placement worth it?
As you can see, doing a placement year at university can be very rewarding and worthwhile. It brings many benefits, such as getting real-world industry experience that will set you apart from others in future job applications. However, there are many things you must consider in order to decide if it is the path for you.
You may decide that you don’t want to do a placement year, but that a year abroad is right for you. If this is the case, read our views on whether it’s worth doing a year abroad at uni.
