Embedded Files
A placement year is a great opportunity to put into practice using the skills you have developed so far in your degree. This can be really useful when thinking about how these skills are transferable while also gaining new professional experiences. In order to make the most out of this year, regularly reflecting can help you understand how your experience can benefit your employability and which career/job/industry will suit you best in the future. Although the focus of this year is ‘Develop’, you can use the structure of ‘Explore’, ‘Reflect’, and ‘Plan’ to help you develop your skills, reflections, and confidence throughout this year.
You can use the SGAs as a framework for identifying and evaluating the skills you are using. You can learn more about the SGAs here.
Each section gives you reflective questions, links to resources, and activities to help you make the most of each stage of your placement.
BEFORE:
BEFORE:
- Reflective Questions:
What are my expectations from this experience?
What do I think I will gain from this experience?
Which skills do I feel most confident with?
Which skills do I think I will use the most?
Are there any skills that I want to learn/develop?
What would my ideal experience look like?
What is essential for my host to know about me?
Do I need any accommodations?
What are my priorities for this placement?
What am I most concerned about?
Who do I contact if I am having any issues?
How do I want to feel when I finish this placement?
- Useful Links:
https://students.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/experience/placements
https://careers.dept.shef.ac.uk/casestudies/placements/index.php
https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/arts-humanities-employability/english?authuser=2
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/support/rights
- Activities:
DURING:
DURING:
- Reflective Questions:
Which skills am I using that I expected to use?
Which skills am I surprised that I am using?
What other skills do I want to make sure I use?
Are there any skills/experience that I want to gain that I haven't yet?
If I could change anything about my experience so far, what would it be?
How could I go about changing this aspect?
If I could describe my experience in 3 words, what would they be?
Do I feel confident in my role and responsibilities?
What I am looking forward to most in the rest of my experience?
What am I enjoying about my placement?
What am I not enjoying about my placement?
Which aspects of this placement would I like to replicate in a future career?
Which aspects of this placement wouldn't I like to have in a future career?
What can I take from this placement to use in the rest of my degree?
Do I have any issues or concerns? How can I help address these things?
How confident am I feeling?
- Useful Links:
https://sites.google.com/sheffield.ac.uk/arts-humanities-employability/english?authuser=2
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/careers/support/rights
- Activities:
AFTER:
AFTER:
- Reflective Questions:
What did I learn from this experience?
What was my favourite part of my placement?
What was my biggest challenge?
How confident do I feel about my skills and value to a future employer?
Did the experience meet my expectations?
Were there any aspects of my placement that surprised me?
Were there any parts that I would have changed? How could I have changed this?
What have I learnt about myself during this placement?
What was my biggest achievement?
Were there any challenges that I faced and resolved? How did I resolve this and what did I learn?
How will I use this experience in the rest of my degree?
How has this experience helped me develop my confidence?
How has this experience helped me develop my employability?
What advice would I give to someone who is about to do a placement?
- Useful Links:
https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/skills
- Activities:
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