Industry Work Placements

It is time to put your skills into practice!

This year, as part of your course, you will be completing an industry placement that will make a significant difference to your future employment prospects. Industry placements are an opportunity to work within a business that is relevant to your course, for an extended period of time; this means you can work towards agreed objectives that are achievable and relevant. The placement will enable you to put your learning into practice and finish your course with the skills, knowledge and expertise that employers want – giving you a leg up over others!

Who is eligible to participate?

To be eligible to participate in the industry programme

You must be enrolled on a level 2 or 3 course.
You must have achieved a grade 4 or above in both Maths and English .
You must be aged between 16-18 years old.

Essential info

You’ll spend a minimum of 315 hours with an external employer in a real working environment.
The placement will be for 1-2 days per week, and/or block weeks over the academic year.
The placement will outside of your normal study days so it will not impact on your studies.
The placement will be directly relevant to your course.
Those eligible for our support for expenses such as transport will continue to receive this.
Some employers may pay a wage or cover your expenses, otherwise the placement is unpaid.
Completing your placement is expected.
You may be able to use your part-time job - speak to your Work Placement Officer as soon as possible.

We want to make sure that when you finish your training, you’re as ready for the world of work as you can possibly be. We think that spending time working for a real business will help with that, and will mean you stand out against other applicants in the job market.

“During my time on placement, I got to speak to lots of construction professionals and get advice about my career plans. Because of this experience, I realised that civil engineering would be a better career path for me. I couldn’t have made this decision without this work experience.” – Industry Placement Student 2017/18

What are the benefits for you?

Placements are really important. Two-thirds of employers say that previous work experience is a critical factor when they decide who to hire. Integrating real world work into your course will help to:

Build and develop your technical skills

increasing your competence and ability to progress into skilled employment.

Develop your ‘employability skills’

such as communicating, teamwork and problem solving.

Gain deeper knowledge of the running of a business

and general commercial principles.

Opportunity for personal growth

develop self-reliance, step out of your comfort zone, build confidence and learn about yourself. Identify your strengths and preferences for future career options.

Widen your network

including with other organisations, in the industry (also helpful for future employment)

Get a meaningful reference from your employer

to help with future job searches

Potentially secure a job or apprenticeship

with the employer afterwards and on completion of your course (this was the case for several students involved in the pilot last year).

“After just the first week, she was offered a part-time job to start at the end of the placement. The company are keen to keep her on over the summer and throughout her upcoming university course, starting in September.” – Industry Placement Employer 2017/18

We believe that involvement in an industry placement will make a significant difference to your future employment prospects. We aim to give you every opportunity to make sure that when you finish your course, you are best placed to succeed, whether that is through higher level technical training, an apprenticeship, higher education or moving directly into employment.

What do I need to do next?

Don’t worry, we don’t expect you to go and sort everything out yourself (although if you’ve already got an idea of where you want to work, speak to the Work Placement Officers in the Workspace). They’ll be helping you to find and organise your placements, and will be on hand to answer any questions. When you’re on your placement, they’ll also be popping in a few times throughout the year to check up on how it’s all going, and making sure you’re getting good training and development opportunities (we won’t let you get stuck making the tea).

There’s loads of support available. If you’re worried about money, transport, your part-time job, your caring responsibilities, your workload, access requirements or anything else — don’t worry, we’ve probably already thought about it and will consider carefully whether an Industry Work Placement is right for you.

You will cover relevant employability skills before you start as well as receiving information on Health and Safety at Work, PREVENT and Safeguarding.

Throughout the placement you will receive support from your designated Work Placement Officer. They will ensure the industry placement is good quality, safe (has up-to-date health & safety, insurance and safeguarding) and meets your learning aims before you start your industry placement.

If you’ve got any questions or concerns, pop into the Workspace and have a chat with the Work Placement Officers.

What happens when I am on placement?

During your placement, you will be expected to:

Work towards the objectives you’ve agreed in advance.
Track progress by keeping Grofar updated, having regular one-to-one meetings with your line manager and tutor, and attending any necessary review meetings.
Meet professional standards and etiquette and abide by all rules regarding safeguarding and health and safety during your placement.