Should you take a placement year? (Placement Years)

Member Name: The Duke

Product:	Placement Years
Date:	06/02/01 (76 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: "Free" experience, might save some money

Disadvantages: Might be a gamble

I am currently doing a BSc (Hons) Computer Science degree at Queens University in Belfast. There are two degrees offered – one which has a year out, and one which doesn’t. The university recommends that students take the option that gives them a year out.

Now, I am a mature student, and having already spent 7 years in the real world, doing a job that I really hated, going back to university was something I felt I had to do. I wanted to get in, get my degree and get out again as quickly as possible, but friends of mine who have already completed the degree at this university told me that it made sense to get a year out under my belt before leaving university.

They explained why to me – it’s basically like free work experience. You apply in a manner similar to applying for a real job, depending on your university. Here at QUB we’re pretty much left to ourselves, (apart from some minor pointers) and upon obtaining a placement, you are given the opportunity to experience life in the real working world (which is a lot different to university, believe me!).

Placement years are used for the student to gain valuable experience in their chosen profession without the pressure that would normally be applied to a proper new employee. Most employers who take students are well aware that most of them have never spent a prolonged period of time in a job (working in a shop, or doing the paper round does not count!). Not only are they given first hand experience of what sort of work they are expected to do, but also they are exposed to working with a new group of people in a new type of environment than they would be used to previously.

Most of these placements, as far as I can see, are paid. You will probably not get the same as if you were a full employee of the firm, but you might be able to expect 80% of a starting salary depending on your job and degree.

Some people are not just content with staying loc
ally for their placement. A lot of people try and go somewhere a bit further afield. This all depends on the ties that your university will have with the industry in question, although if your university is not well equipped in this area, you may find it hard to get the placement you desire.

Perhaps the government should look into setting up something which will enable students to gain a wider variety of placements (both in domestic and foreign terms) and make it a lot easier than it is currently.

I think the placement year is a great idea, but I think that universities and the government should do more to encourage students to take them by offering sponsorship schemes, advice and help on gaining a placement no matter where the student would like to get their placement, or in what discipline their degree may be.

**Update**
I've applied for a placement with Auntie Beeb, but got turned down at the first hurdle, only days after submitting my application form, but with no reason explaining why. In these circumstances, it would be better for the companies who are taking placement students to let unsuccessful candidates know why they've been turned down

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