Your Placement Journey Toolkitis designed to support you to get the best from your placement experience. It will help you to think about your placement, looking at your expectations, recognising your own responsibilities alongside those of your university and placement provider.
Aligned with the Engineering Placements Toolkit, designed for education institutions and employers, this toolkit aims to support your placement experience in three key stages: before, during and after placement.
Your placement provides you with new learning experiences, knowledge, and skills that will be assessed by your university and valued by future employers.
Top Tips
Keep in touch with the people you’ve met and worked with.
Update your CV. Be proactive and engage with your Careers Service or Professional Institution for support.
Share your experience with the next generation of students.
Build your language skills. In the global market, knowing more than one language can be a plus.
Assessment
On completion of your placement, ensure that you have submitted all the documents and reports on the due date.
Evaluate the placement itself and prepare for meeting with your personal tutor and placement coordinator.
Reflect and evaluate your achievements
Look at what you’ve enjoyed the most and benefited from during your placement experience.
How do you assess your skills development? Reflect on what you have achieved and the skills you have acquired to enable this.
Reflect on what have you enjoyed the most, what have you and least, and why.
Your future plans
Write your CV, and give specific examples based on the experience you acquired during your placement.
Contact your Careers Service for individual advise on your future plans.
Think about professional registration
Once you have achieved the necessary qualifications and workplace experience you should apply to your institution to become professionally registered. Your institution will guide you through the registration process and help you to decide when you’re ready to apply.
As you prepare to enter the world of work, it’s critical to align your skills and experience with the needs of the businesses which will look to employ you. Many employers made it plain that undergraduates achieving professional registration as an Engineering Technician (EngTech) and / or ICT Technician (ICTTech) on completion of their year in industry will have a distinct advantage when it comes to finding employment upon graduation.
Share your thoughts and experience with your Career Services and fellow students at your university. You can also have a wider impact contacting organisms such as the National Centre for Universities and Business (NCUB) and their dedicated programmes such as My Placement Experience.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Your Placement Journey Toolkitis designed to support you to get the best from your placement experience. It will help you to think about your placement, looking at your expectations, recognising your own responsibilities alongside those of your university and placement provider.
Aligned with the Engineering Placements Toolkit, designed for education institutions and employers, this toolkit aims to support your placement experience in three key stages: before, during and after placement.
During your placement you have the responsibility to get the most of your experience. Be proactive in seeking out experiences for your level of practice and skills with the support of your placement supervisor at the company.
How can I get the most of my placement?
Communication
Communication is key. Demonstrate your willingness to work as part of the team and adopt a reflective approach to your learning. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Ask for feedback as much as possible.
Reflective skills
Also, reflect on your progress. Writing a log book and or/diary will help you not only to track and gather evidence of your learning, but also to increase your self-awareness and confidence.
Continuous development
Look out for learning opportunities in your company that were not initially expected to occur in your placement. Also, utilize learning opportunities outside the placement. Have you ever thought about learning a new language, or develop your business skills? Employers value your ability to learn new things inside and outside your field of study. Have a look at your university’s free courses or explore online resources such as:
Engage with your colleagues, be part of the team and be open to new learning experiences. Work in as many projects as possible, even if not directly related with your placement learning outcomes. You might enjoy things that you were not initially considering to do. Many students were offered jobs after their placements because of their engagement with the company.
How will I be assessed?
Make sure you know the criteria in advance. What is expected from you? Know your learning outcomes, learning tasks and assessment which you should agree with both your academic and your placement supervisors.
I am struggling with my placement. What can I do?
Seek guidance and support from your placement supervisor to enable you to achieve your learning outcomes.
If the relationship with your placement placement supervisor is not working for any reason, seek help from your university’s academic supervisor.
Work-life balance
Your placement can be a bit daunting in the beginning. You may feel that is all about work and getting yourself stuck in. However, it’s also important to have a good work-life balance.
Top Tips
Be proactive. Use your placement as an opportunity to develop your professional network. Create a LinkedIn profile.
Appreciate that your supervisors have other responsibilities besides you. Be clear, professional and flexible in your dealings with them.
Arrange meetings proactively with your supervisors, ensure you have a clear agenda and keep your appointments.
Don´t forget to enjoy your life outside placement.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
TheEngineering Placements Toolkit is designed to support higher education institutions and employers to enhance the experience and the value of students’ placements. Aligned with the Your Placement Journey Toolkit, designed for students, this toolkit aims to support the placement experience in three key stages: before, during and after placement.
Universities
Careers Service
Support students in writing up CV’s based on their recently acquired experience, knowledge and skills
Collect case studies and disseminate best practices
University Departments
Keep in contact with employers
Invite key links to become part of the Advisory Board
Employers
Write an exit reference at the end of the placement
Consider continuing engagement with the university:
offering placements for next years
becoming part of the Advisory Board
contributing to curriculum design
support employers in implementing future placements
Joint actions
Get feedback from the student at the end of the placement
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
The Engineering Placements Toolkit is designed to support higher education institutions and employers to enhance the experience and the value of students’ placements. Aligned with the Your Placement Journey toolkit, designed for students, this toolkit aims to support the placement experience in three key stages: before, during and after placement.
Universities
Academic supervisor
Ensure ongoing support and visits to the student at the placement site
Be available to meet face-to-face, by email or phone, accordint to the pre-placement agreement
Monitor student progress and attainment of learning outcomes. This is particularly relevant if the placement is credited by the university.
University facilities
Provide pastoral care for students
Consider implementing a peer mentor scheme, as appropriate
Employers
Placement supervisor
Try to give your student a set of activities that are valuable to the company, fit with the curriculum and are related with the degree
Ensure that your student is given the opportunity to present their work to a small audience from various areas of the business
Allow the student to explore different areas of the company and engage with different projects
Identify learning and training opportunities that are available in the company and encourage students to participate
Treat the student as regular staff, in the context of the placement experience
Joint actions
Provide regular and constructive feedback
Monitor student progress and attainment of learning outcomes
Provide time for reflection, regular and constructive feedback. Give suggestions on how to make further improvements
Set clear milestones and reviewing points with both the student, their academic supervisor and their placement supervisor
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Degree Apprentices must be employed for a minimum of 30 hours per week and must have the right to live and work in the UK. A Degree Apprentice cannot be self-employed and must be:
a new recruit or an existing employee where an employer intends to support the individual complete the apprenticeship;
employed in a real job and the employer must pay a wage/salary and financially contribute to the cost of training and accrediting the apprentice.
An employer must enter into an Apprenticeship Agreement when taking on a Degree Apprentice at the start of the Apprenticeship. If the student leaves or otherwise loses their job (eg because of misconduct or redundancy) then the employer would normally be held liable for the full course fees.
A national certification system operates for Apprenticeship. It is currently a legal requirement that this is followed. This is a simple process and more information can be found at Apprenticeship Certificates in England (ACE).
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
It is important to recognise that a successful degree apprenticeship programme has to be founded on a strong and real partnership between an employer (or group of employers) and a provider (or group of providers). The following are normally essential elements that need to be in place to underpin this, before starting significant development:
A clear statement of intent and purpose agreed by all parties;
A programme structure that suits all parties;
A clear delineation of where responsibilities and accountabilities lie;
A clear statement of deliverables and which of the parties is to deliver.
There are also some key deliverables or structural demands that have to be addressed as follows:
Innovation in teaching and learning methodologies: because much of the content is employer and employment driven, and because this is following a statutory scheme of award, the work is to be structured so that the effectiveness of the teaching and learning content remains sharp and focused and is fully evaluated at every stage. There is scope here for producing teaching and learning papers and presentations to inform both the next stages in this development, and also to inform a much wider range of teaching and learning development.
Leadership and entrepreneurship opportunities in the curriculum: this is demanded by the nature and content of the programme. Students will be educated to be leaders and pioneers.
Skills development for future employment: the candidates are already in employment and their continued employment is dependent on their engagement and delivery of the work and other obligations and responsibilities as undergraduate students on this programme.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
There have been recent reports that graduate recruitment will flatten off and apprenticeship recruitment will increase by 23 per cent. Reports from the Skills Funding Agency (SFA) agree. They are currently meeting large employers and finding significant interest in apprenticeships at all levels.
Government guidance states that there are currently around 1,000 degree apprenticeships. Government has made a pledge to increase the number of apprenticeships starts to 3 million by 2020 and to support this aim they are helping higher education providers develop and deliver degree apprenticeships. A degree apprenticeship is a real job where the employer invests in training and the employee receives a first degree during the course of the apprenticeship. Apprentices work for 30 hours a week. Learning fits around that work commitment and requires flexible learning modes like day or block release, distance or blended learning. Overall these programmes provide the opportunity for HEIs to open up to a much wider and newer audience and to introduce and instil HE’s values, attitudes and expertise to a whole cohort that would not otherwise be accessed. It also enables HEIs to develop new relationships and collaborations with organisations and companies.
With the expected introduction of the “Apprenticeship Levy” on all large employers in the near future, there is now a huge financial incentive for employers to engage with these programmes – potentially as alternatives to traditional models of Higher Education, in order to recover their mandatory contribution to the Apprenticeship Levy, with this funding only being eligible to spend on apprenticeship programmes approved under the new standards.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Higher apprenticeships refer to all apprenticeships which include the achievement of academic and vocational qualifications and learning from level 4 up to bachelor’s and master’s degrees at levels 6 and 7 respectively.
All levels can include vocational qualifications and academic qualifications. Degree Apprenticeships are the latest model to be developed as part of higher apprenticeship standards, seeing apprentices achieving a full bachelor’s or master’s degree as a core component of the apprenticeship. Degree apprenticeships combine both higher and vocational education and fully test both the wider occupational competence and academic learning, either:
using a fully-integrated degree co-designed by employers and HEIs, or
using a degree plus separate end-test of professional competence.
Put another way, a Degree Apprenticeship involves an individual being awarded a bachelor’s or master’s degree as part of their Apprenticeship. An Apprenticeship where an individual achieves a foundation degree as part of their Apprenticeship is a Higher Apprenticeship not a Degree Apprenticeship. Degree Apprenticeships are not available at level 8.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
TheEngineering Placements Toolkit is designed to support higher education institutions and employers to enhance the experience and the value of students’ placements. Aligned with the Your Placement Journey Toolkit, designed for students, this toolkit aims to support the placement experience in three key stages: before, during and after placement.
Universities
Ensure Health and Safety procedures in the placement
Give effective support in identifying placement possibilities, combining students and employers’ expectations.
Help students in writing up CVs and cover letters
Prepare students for interviews (e.g. mock interviews)
Assign an academic supervisor to support and visit the student during their placement, and act as key contact link with the company
Ensure Health and Safety
Employers
Set clear guidelines and criteria for selecting a student – knowledge and skills
Assign a placement supervisor to support and guide the student during their placement, and act as a key contact link with the university.
Plan and deliver an Induction programme/pre-placement, so that student feels like part of the team. Suggested issues to address:
Health and Safety
Professional skills and conduct (dress code, culture of the company)
Management expectations
Visits to different departments of the company, so the student appreciates quickly how it all fits together
Joint actions
Organise a joint meeting to agree milestones and methods of supervision and assessment. The combined assessment criteria could be organised according to the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC). The UK-SPEC “sets out the competence and commitment required for registration as an Engineering Technician (EngTech), Incorporated Engineer (IEng) or Chartered Engineer (CEng). It also includes examples of activities that demonstrate the required competence and commitment”
Suggestion: consider using mycareerpath – an online professional development system, designed by the Engineering Council and adopted by many professional engineering institutions for use by their members. The system is aligned with the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence (UK-SPEC) for EngTech, IEng, and CEng. The system is also aligned with other titles such as CPhys, CEnv, and CSci, to provide one platform to suit all. Progress can be measured and tracked against the competence statements for the chosen registration category.
Organise a joint meeting with the student, agree overall objectives and set expectations
Sign an agreement between the student, university and employer. The suggested topics below could be considered, if applicable:
Project title
Working hours (flexible or non flexible work arrangements)
Salary
Holiday entitlement
Expected dress code
Student’s roles and responsibilities
University’s roles and responsibilities – academic supervisor
Employer’s roles and responsibilities – placement supervisor
Schedule for academic visits and other meetings
Assessment criteria
Activities and resources are covered by university’s fees
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Your Placement Journey Toolkit is designed to support you to get the best from your placement experience. It will help you to think about your placement, looking at your expectations, recognising your own responsibilities alongside those of your university and placement provider.
Aligned with the Engineering Placements Toolkit, designed for education institutions and employers, this toolkit aims to support your placement experience in three key stages: before, during and after placement.
When choosing your placement, you need to consider a wide range of aspects such as your motivations for doing a placement, type and length, discipline, location and type of company.
First of all, get in touch with your Faculty’s or University’s Career Services, as they will provide you useful information and support on choosing and applying for a placement, building up your CV, and getting prepared for interviews.
Top Tips
Apply early, but don’t apply just for the sake of applying. Choose your placement according to your interests and expectations. After all, you will spend a lot of your time and effort in the company
Explore the websites of the companies you would like to work with. Many do offer placement opportunities. Also check with your university’s career services
Ensure you understand the specific expectations of the placement – get in contact with your academic supervisor (university) and your placement supervisor (employer)
Know how you are going to meet your learning outcomes. How will your learning be assessed? Keep a log book/diary of your activities
Have realistic expectations, and understand that they may change throughout your placement
Always act professionally with regard with punctuality, attitude and image. Your career services can provide you with a set of professional skills.
Doing a placement will improve your chances of getting a good job after graduating enhances your professional recognition. There’s also lots of evidence that students who gain some form of relevant work experience during their studies improve their grades.
What placement should I choose?
Do you want to narrow down your interests?
In this case you can pick a company where you can try different roles and work in a wider range of projects to get a taste of the different engineering fields. Instead of doing just one placement, you can also do short placements in different companies, for example, during summertime.
Do you want to focus on a specific engineering field?
If you already know the engineering field you want to specialise and work in the future, you should go for a placement of your preferred engineering field. You can have a look on your future professional engineering institution on the Engineering Council.
You might consider doing a gap year during your degree if you want to:
Get experience in your field of study before graduating. Employers value work experience when recruiting new candidates.
Increase your employment prospects. Many students get a work contract after their placement in the company.
Have a break from university and experience the world of work.
The Year in Industry (YINI) scheme provides STEM placements. They provide high-quality, paid placements for students in their gap year before or during their degree course.
Choose a company that will enable you to explore your interests, support your learning and future expectations.
Working in a big company you would be able to have the opportunity to work in different departments and projects. Working in a small company you would be able to get a more individualized experience and you will be more likely to have a closer direct management.
Don´t forget to consider salary, travel and accommodation
Ask yourself the following questions and plan ahead.
Will my salary be enough to pay for living costs?
Am I willing to move in a different city for doing the placement?
Can I easily travel there? What’s the public transport like and how much will it cost?
The application process can be complex. Ask for advice in your university’s career services, but be proactive. You might like to also explore the following resource:
Does your placement have VISA requirements? You can explore the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) for more information. Get in contact with your Career Services for advise and support.
Any views, thoughts, and opinions expressed herein are solely that of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, policies, or position of the Engineering Professors’ Council or the Toolkit sponsors and supporters.
Your Placement Journey Toolkit is designed to support you to get the best from your placement experience. It will help you to think about your placement, looking at your expectations, recognising your own responsibilities alongside those of your university and placement provider.
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