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Placement Year FAQs
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A placement year, often called a sandwich year or industrial placement, is an exciting opportunity for university students to gain hands-on experience in their chosen field.
Typically taken after your second year of study, work placements let you take what you’ve learned in lectures and apply it to a practical setting. They’re a fantastic way to boost your CV and make you stand out to future employers.
How does a placement year work? The journey begins with exploring placement opportunities in your second year at university. Keep an eye out for university career services, job boards (like ours!), and networking events to help you get some work placement ideas.
When it comes to finding the perfect placement, think about what excites you! Whether you’re interested in finance, marketing, sales, or even sustainability, there are plenty of options available. Choose a sandwich year that aligns with your passions to get the most out of the experience.
After 9-12 months of practical experience, valuable networking opportunities, and skill development, you will return to university to complete your degree. Placements are more than just a break from studying; it’s an adventure to set the tone for your future career. You’ll be in a great position when it’s time to graduate!
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Placement years are a great way to get your foot in the door while at uni. It’s tricky to land that first job after graduating, but an industrial placement helps you get ahead of the game:
Increase your employability skills
- The biggest benefit of a sandwich year is the work experience. Skill building is key to progressing your early career and honing the skills employers are looking for. It’s a surefire way to make your CV more memorable and secure your chances of landing a job after uni.
Start building your network
- Reaching out to industry specialists is a lot easier when you break the ice with them in person! Connect with colleagues, managers, and business partners, which can lead to references for future opportunities. You can even make some new friends to help you settle into the business world.
Clarify your career aspirations
- Embrace your next big adventure! Getting hands-on experience in the working world can teach you a lot about yourself and what your future career aspirations are. Placement years are a chance to explore who you want to be: move cities, explore the industry, enjoy a full-time salary, and bask in new-found independence!
The wins don’t stop there – many apprenticeships offer plenty of extras like paid training, gym memberships, working abroad, wellness initiatives, team socials, and more!
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Placements in the UK can be either paid or unpaid, depending on the sector and employer.
Paid placements are more common in fields like business, engineering, IT, and finance. These typically form a sandwich year where you’ll work full-time and earn a salary. Time to cash in on your hard work!
However, unpaid placements are more typical in fields like healthcare, education, parliament, and the charity sector. For example, NHS placements or teaching roles might be unpaid, but they offer invaluable experience to help you secure that dream job.
Wondering how your student finance fits in? Your tuition costs will be reduced since you won’t be paying for those 9am lectures, but your maintenance loan eligibility will be lowered too. Don’t worry though, if you’re doing an unpaid service placement (like in healthcare or government), you could still get a full loan to help you through.
Applying for this is the same process as usual – just make sure to tick the placement box on the student finance application. The finance team will handle the rest and let you know how much you can borrow.