Further Education Placements
All of our Further Education courses include an element of work experience.
Employers are looking to recruit staff with the right combination of skills, experience and specialised knowledge. Irrespective of which level you study, you will be at a major advantage when applying for a job if you have had some real experience of the working environment.
All our courses include opportunities to get valuable work experience, and the majority of these are real jobs with real responsibilities.
In total, around 2000 students undertake some type of placement or work experience each year, with the Industrial Placement Centre arranging the majority of these. Staff from the Centre work very closely with students on an individual basis, in order to find the best match between their aspirations and the requirements of the placement provider.
During periods of placement students put the skills they have learned during their studies into practice with an employer. Students have a real advantage when it comes to seeking work if they have the right practical skills to back up their qualifications.
The College has close working relationships with hundreds of service sector employers, and can offer a wide range of opportunities. Placements typically last around 2 to 3 weeks, and may occur several times during the course.
In some cases, students may use their own experience or part-time work to count towards this requirement, but the majority find a placement with the help of the Industrial Placement team.
The type of organisation reflects the interests of the student as well as the requirements of the particular programme being studied. For example, catering students may choose to work in hotels, restaurants, conference and banqueting venues, with Hair and Beauty students gaining experience with local salons, spa's or hotels.
There is even the opportunity to spend some time on placement abroad, through the Leonardo Di Vinci exchange programme, which allows selected students to work overseas for three weeks during their second year, in a role related to their studies.
Our Childcare and Education courses include a bigger work experience element, with students required to spend around 50 per cent of their time in a practical placement with children. Again, our Industrial Placement team will work to arrange a position appropriate to a student's particular needs and career aspirations.
Students who stay on at the College for a foundation degree or degree-level course will get the opportunity to carry out a wider range of work placements, with many of our programmes featuring year-long placements in the UK or overseas.