Pre Placement Briefings - guidance for students going out on placement

Last week we ran the first of a series of Pre Placement briefings for the Students who will be starting on placement this Summer. All students going out on placement are expected to attend one of our briefings which will run up until July 31st, the deadline for Management students securing a position for 2019/

The students who have secured placements so far have done so at a range of companies including both large multinationals and SMEs. Placement companies include Ascot Wealth Management, Atos, AWIN, Cherith Simmons, Ekol Logistics (Turkey), Enterprise Rent-a-Car, GE, Groupe Seb, J&J, Loro Piana (Louis Vuitton), Mercedes -Benz, Microsoft, PiXL, Oakleigh (Thailand), PwC, SAP, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation,The Walt Disney Company. Massive congratulations to all!

The YIBs were reminded of the benefits of the Year in Business programme:

> chance to try out a Career path and determine if they want to do this long term.

> possibility of securing a graduate job offer or being fast tracked through recruitment.

> opportunity to gain valuable experience on their CVs – highly valued by graduate employers.

> development of increased focus and time management skills – can lead to better Final year results

> increased personal development which builds self confidence.

Students heard from Final year student Kane Nelhams, who did a General Management trainee placement at Enterprise Rent a Car in 2018/19. Kane spoke in a very motivating and engaging manner about how students could make the most out of their placement year. Kane talked about his promotion during his placement year, his opportunity to work part time during his final year and to be a campus brand manager for Enterprise and also about his Graduate job offer from the Company. Clearly Kane’s hard work, good attitude and willingness to make a difference to his Enterprise team put him in a really strong position with the Company.

The Placement Officer also shared an outline of expectations of the Placement Provider, the student and the University during the Placement year along with a pre preparation placement checklist, all of which can be found on the YIB Moodle page.

During the workshop break out groups were conducted looking at different scenarios a student may encounter on placement, be it too much work or not enough work or having to handle challenging colleagues or difficult relationships with their manager. The YIBs shared their views about the break out scenarios and in each case the importance of open communication was highlighted. We talked about keeping the lines of communication open with Managers, understanding how feedback will be given and being receptive to such feedback and to presenting solutions to situations and not just problems.

YIBs were also reminded that the Year in Business team at the University are also there for them during their year: they can call to talk through anything at any stage and indeed will receive a visit or skype call from the YIB team.

Resilience is an important skill employers are seeking and some of the key features will help the YIBs get the most out of their placement. Defined as an individual’s ability to overcome difficult experiences and adapt to new situations, resilience is key for solving problems and prospering in today’s job market.

We conduct Resilience workshops with our 2nd year YIBs midway through their 2nd year because we recognise that resilience is needed to manage setbacks in the job hunt and application process. Resilience is a skill which can be developed by trying to adopt certain behaviours and attitudes and these are ones students can think about as they start their placement:

1. Adopt a positive mindset

2. Be open to continually learning – think of obstacles as stepping stones to develop your own career

3. Identify goals – this will help put short term difficulties into perspective and help one move forward.

4. Network – make connections with others to learn from them and gain support during periods of difficulty or uncertainty.


The Workshop concluded by reminding students that while starting a placement can be nerve wracking, it will also be a fun and unique experience. It provides the chance to make useful contacts and gain invaluable skills/ experience helping with applications for graduate positions.

Students were reminded of what former YIBs have said:



Kevin John is currently doing a Marketing placement at Jaguar Range Rover he said “ I strongly recommend placement to anyone considering it as it really helps build key relationships and immerse yourself in a variety of experiences. I truly believe, my placement so far has amplified all my skills and has given me a strong edge to compete for future job”

Former YIB Sarah Hunt did a placement at GSK in Executive Search and now has a Graduate role with Pepsi. Sarah said “ My placement year was a valuable experience that I enjoyed thoroughly. Without it I would not have been able to secure a position at Pepsi, who value the experience and transferable skills which I learnt on my placement.”

Former YIB Slav Stateva said of her placement at Canon Europe in the Europeane Product planning department : “ My placement year was incredible… not only did I meet so many amazing people who I will stay friends with for life but I gained so much relevant experience. What is more important I have a clearer idea of what I want to do after graduating”







Some of our YIBs who have secured placements to date: