If you have never taken on a university student for a placement before, you might be wondering what’s in it for you. The short answer? Quite a lot.
Offering a student placement opportunity can benefit your business from the latest industry insights, providing extra resources to a current project and offering development opportunities for your existing staff through management and mentoring. Student placements are beneficial for students to apply their academic learning but can also bring real value to your business too. It also helps you to spot future talent early on!
Benefits for an employer
- Additional resource to complete projects and short-term objectives.
- Motivated students with specialist knowledge and cutting-edge ideas.
- A cost-effective solution to a business challenge.
- A means of identifying potential employees for future employment.
- A low-risk way to grow your own talent.
- Providing current staff development opportunities via mentoring of the student(s).Â
Read our placement employer handbook
Types of placement at Solent
Solent has a flexible approach to placements and work-based learning, therefore, depending on the course, you will find different placement requirements.
Short or vacation placements
A short-term placement opportunity is usually offered and advertised by employers, although it may also be secured through a speculative application. Taken by students at any level of study in vacation time or part-time during an academic year.
Sandwich or year-long placements
A placement equivalent of a year’s academic study. Typically taken by undergraduate students as the penultimate year of their course. Generally, these are 35 hours per week over 36 weeks.
Work shadowing
Informal activities where a student will spend time on company premises but will have no contract or expectation of making a working contribution; it is an observation opportunity.
What are the costs of a placement student?
We do encourage our placement students to undertake paid placements, especially if their placement is full time for a full year. Many placement organisations in the UK currently pay between £18,000 and 23,000 per year. We are aware it is not always possible to offer fully paid placements, however we would then look for students to be reimbursed for expenses including travel and meals.
Expectations from the provider
- Provide the student with a contract and job description.
- Provide a comprehensive on-boarding, as you would for a new starter including, induction, health and safety training, introduction to staff.
- Ensure your company has appropriate employer and public liability insurance in place.
- Contact the University if any concerns or issues arise during a placement.
How to advertise your placement opportunities with us
- Register your organisation with Solent Careers Online. A member of the Solent Careers team approves new organisations; you can also add opportunities while awaiting approval.
- Upload any placement opportunities to the platform. All opportunities are reviewed by the placements team before advertising. Please include the following information in adverts:
- Job/placement title.
- Job description/person specification.
- Further information: salary or expenses, hours, number of vacancies, degree subject.
- Application process and instructions, usually submitted directly to the organisation.
What courses offer placements?
Many courses offer placements or work-based learning. To give you a clearer understanding of the courses that offer placements please see the link below.
Courses that offer a placement year
Find out more
If hiring a placement student is the answer to your business challenge, or you have any queries about what could be available, please contact placements@solent.ac.uk who will be able to support you and get your placement opportunity live. You can also visit Solent Careers Online for more information and other ways we can support businesses.
