Offer a year work-placement
Contact us today to discuss your recruitment needs or arrange a meeting with our Graduate Recruitment Consultants.
Take on a placement student for a year
Our students can bring new ideas, energy and enthusiasm to your organisation
At a glance
Who it's for
Public, private and third sector organisations of any size
Cost
Free to arrange. You pay a salary — currently averaging £25,500 a year
Timescales
Typically nine to twelve months, full-time
Best suited to
Employers keen to grow their talent pipeline, with suitable professional entry level roles available
What's involved
A placement student joins you full-time for around nine to twelve months, bringing current knowledge from their course and the energy of someone proving themselves.
Our placement team can support the whole recruitment process, and a designated Placement Officer stays in touch with the student throughout. You set the selection criteria and the interview format.
A placement student can:
- Drive forward a project your team doesn’t have resources for
- Give you an extended trial period, and lower recruitment costs if you hire them later
- Let your staff develop managerial and mentoring skills
- Cover temporary shortages cost-effectively, particularly at busy periods
- Bring the latest research and industry trends through their course
- Inject new ideas where you’ve identified a skills gap
What the placement team does
Before
Gather your recruitment requirements, and explain the process. A meeting is recommended. If required, provides examples of previous placement adverts, advertises your vacancy, arranges student presentations, and connects you with our events team.
During recruitment
If you choose to work with the placements team, a Placement Officer collects applications, arranges interviews, and supports the process. You set the criteria. The team can manage Exclusive or Preferred opportunities for students on your behalf.
During the placement
A designated Placement Officer checks in informally, plus two Progression Monitoring Meetings with the student, their manager and University staff.
Assessment
Students complete a reflective assessment in the summer about their own experience. No confidential information about your organisation forms part of it. As an employer, you will be required to complete a Feedback Form.
How it works
Recruitment of placement students starts in September each year, for students to join the following summer (between June and September). Between September - December, we see large and/or multinational organisations advertised placements where SMEs and local organisations are more likely to advertise between January - April. You can get started by following the steps below.
1. Tell us about the role
The team can share examples of previous placement adverts to help you draft yours.
2. We advertise it
To eligible students across the University, or in a subject area you specify, on our online jobsboard:
Eligible students include:
- Second Year Students for a Sandwich Placement (in between their second and third year of studies). The student is expected to return to campus to complete their course after the end of their placement. Can join you on a permanent basis after Graduation.
- Third Year Students (or 4th Year for MEng disciplines) for a Post-Studies Placement. Students would have fully finished their studies, but they remain a student for the duration of the placement, with a requirement to attend 4-days of teaching while on placement. Fully available to join you on a permanent basis after the placement has ended.
- Post-Graduate Students from selected courses.
3. You select
If requested, we collect applications and arrange interviews. Selection criteria and format are yours.
4. They join you
Typically June to September, for nine to twelve months. Some Post-Graduate Students can start in January and May.
5. We stay involved
Informal monthly check-ins plus two formal monitoring meetings, and an assessment: Alongside working for your organisation, students will complete a reflective assessment which will be submitted in the Summer towards the end of their placement with your organisation. The assessment is about the students overall experience and no confidential information about the company or any associated projects will form part of the assessment.
Case studies
Cappagh Contractors: on their fourth placement student
“We’re on our fourth placement student so far, and they’ve all been absolutely brilliant. It’s critical that they are here and if they weren’t, we would have to employ someone in that role — that’s why we come back to you year on year on year.”
Compass Associates: placement students as business assets
“The students we’ve taken on have all had real drive to impress and exceed expectations. They’re fast learners and have a thirst to push themselves. We’ve found them to all be real assets to the business.”
Before you enquire
A placement is typically a full-time role for nine to twelve months. Students are generally available from June through to the following September.
You pay a salary at or above minimum wage. The current average is £25,500 a year.
The role needs to be a suitable entry level professional role.
Your student will complete a reflective assessment about their own experience. It contains no confidential information about your organisation or its projects.
Interested in a placement student?
Tell us about the role and we’ll help you shape and advertise it.
Where next?
Campus activity
Connect with our students on campus and build awareness of your organisation, your opportunities and your brand.
Recruit our graduates
If you are looking for an efficient and cost-effective way to recruit one of our graduates with up to 5 years' experience, then speak to our Early Careers Recruitment Consultants within the University of Portsmouth Graduate Recruitment Team.
