08433 Student Guide to Work Placements

Before you go any further, please sign up to CareerConnect and our Work Placements and Volunteering Module Canvas pages.

CAREER CONNECT

By registering with CareerConnect you can:

F Book appointments with Placement Coordinators and Faculty Employability Advisors to discuss your career planning in more detail.

F Search and apply for work placement and volunteering opportunities and set your alert choices to receive relevant placement notifications.

F Be the first to hear about upcoming careers events.

How to Register

1. Once you have logged in to CareerConnect (winchester.jobteaser.com), navigate to the ‘Jobs’ tab.

2. Here you can enter the contract types you are interested in. Specify ‘work placement’ or ‘volunteering’.

3. You can select the ‘job category’ such as ‘admin’ or ‘marketing’ if you are looking for a job in a particular field. If you are open to different job roles, leave this filter blank so that you see the full range of opportunities available to you.

4. You can add a location you wish to search within. This can be a country, county, town or city. You can even select ‘international jobs’ only. You may also wish to add multiple locations if you are open to relocating. If you can, be open with your location by selecting ‘United Kingdom’, as many schemes are based at multiple locations and will not appear on your search if you choose an individual town or city.

5. Once you’ve completed these steps and selected ‘search’, all placements that match your criteria will be listed.

6. You can filter these results further by selecting ‘exclusive jobs’, which will remove jobs from larger jobs boards such as TARGETjobs, and will leave jobs which have been selected specifically for University of Winchester students.

To make the most of your job search criteria, select ‘save my criteria’ and ‘subscribe to job alerts’ to receive an email alert with any new opportunities that match your specifications. These emails will be sent to you a maximum of once per day and you can edit your criteria at any time by going to your Dashboard on CareerConnect.

CANVAS

By joining our work placement support and/or volunteering module pages on Canvas you can:

F Learn how to get started on your placement journey.

F Find out what support you can expect along the way.

F Get help with job sites, LinkedIn and how to utilise your existing networks.

F Receive notifications of the latest placement jobs!

How to Register

Scan the QR codes to enrol:

Work Placement Support

Volunteering Module Support

STUDENT GUIDE TO WORK PLACEMENTS AND THE VOLUNTEERING MODULE

Whether you’re doing a work placement module or the volunteering module, doing a placement as part of your course is a fantastic way to gain work experience in a field related to your studies. This is becoming more important and a recent survey of employers affirms that ‘46% of interns and placement students hired by the Best Student Employers were offered full-time jobs’ (Ratemyplacement.co.uk, 2023). With a placement, you could not only gain industry insight, make some key contacts, and clarify your career goals but also increase your chances of finding graduate employment.

Did you know? Doing a placement could get you a better degree classification! (Top Universities 2021). If you’ve had the opportunity to put your theoretical skills into practice, you will have a firmer understanding of your degree subject overall.

HOW WILL A PLACEMENT BENEFIT YOU?

A placement aims to bridge the gap between academic study and vocational experience enabling you to apply the theory and skills learned, to practical situations in a real-world environment.

A placement will enable you to:

F Make your CV stand out.

F Try out different career options.

F Develop your thinking based on the real world.

F Network with employers to boost your chances post University.

F Gain confidence of your abilities.

F Put your knowledge and skills into practice.

F Work with new people in new settings.

F Gain new skills and experiences.

WHAT’S IN IT FOR THE EMPLOYERS?

Employers will benefit from your knowledge and fresh ideas for a project or specific piece of work. They will also benefit from your motivation, dedicated skills, and energy.

WHAT ARE MY PLACEMENT OPTIONS AT WINCHESTER?

The placements available to you will depend on which programme you are studying but some examples are:

Semester long work placement (single module)

F Minimum 15 days.

F Part time at 1-2 days a week or block intensive.

Final year work placement (double module).

F Minimum 30 days.

F Part time at 1-2 days a week or block intensive.

F Can be undertaken over the course of the 3rd year or in blocks of time over the summer, Christmas, or Easter vacations and may be supported by the Winchester Employability Fund depending on a student’s individual circumstances.

F You may also have the option of taking a placement year (sometimes called sandwich year) which is a year of full-time work between your second and third year of study.

Volunteering module placement (single module)

Please find an opportunity within the not-for-profit sector that can accommodate you for at least 24 hours (or more if advised by your Module Leader. More details about the minimum required duration for your volunteering can be found on our Volunteering Module Canvas page). You may also have to commit for a longer period if required by the organisation. The Volunteering Module runs on a semestral basis and your module leader will advise you on whether you can do your volunteering in semester 1 or 2.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

It is your responsibility to secure a placement, but the Careers Team is dedicated to helping you plan your future, find and apply for placements, and build your connections. We have many links with potential organisations across Winchester and Hampshire and we are always looking for new businesses and charities to create more opportunities for our students to apply to. We will also help you develop your skills and create some great self-marketing tools like your CV and LinkedIn profile.

Remember – we are partners in your success!

WE ARE HERE TO HELP YOU WITH:

F Placement preparation sessions and employer events.

F Your options, your motivation, values, and achievements.

F Developing professional online applications, profiles, and statements.

F Directing you to the latest employment opportunities.

F Applying for the Winchester Employability Fund.

F Tailoring and updating your CV and cover letters.

F Assisting with completing placement forms and your InPlace application.

10 TOP TIPS TO FINDING A PLACEMENT

1. ■Book a placement advice appointment through CareerConnect to speak to either your Faculty Employability Adviser or one of the Placement Team.

2. ■Attend the prep and training sessions and keep a daily eye on the programme information on the module page. Sessions may include guidance on dress, tailoring your CV and interview techniques.

3. ■Use CareerConnect to search and apply for placement opportunities and set your alert choices to receive relevant placements to you.

4. ■Use specialist placement websites like Gradcracker, RateMyPlacement and Milkround as well as LinkedIn.

5. ■Approach contacts, your friends, family, fellow course mates, your tutors and guest speakers. Let them know you are looking for a placement and bounce ideas around

6. ■Find out what previous placements have been successful – utilise your alumni and course network.

7. ■Attend the employer events that are held on campus throughout the year - if there is a company you would like to work for, do your research before writing your speculative application.

8. ■Make social media work for you – many placements will be advertised on LinkedIn. Update your profile and make connections.

9. ■Investigate financial help options such as the Winchester Employability Fund.

10. ■Come visit us and the Careers Team! We can be found in SAB303 and are open Monday-Friday during term time and vacation periods. Please see the Careers intranet page for full details.

USEFUL WEBSITES TO START YOUR SEARCH:

CareerConnect

The University of Winchester’s jobs and opportunities portal. You can use CareerConnect to:

F book appointments with members of the Careers Team.

F view current job, placement and volunteering opportunities

F view and register for upcoming events and workshops.

ratemyplacement.co.uk

Rate My Placement is a site dedicated to helping students find placements and employers find placement students.

F Have a look at the industry insights for your course area.

F Use the Job search to find placements that interest you.

F Sign up for job alerts to get emails when suitable placements are added.

LinkedIn

You can change your settings to make it clear that you are looking for work. You can also search for placements that are being advertised through LinkedIn and even post to say you’re looking for a placement or volunteering opportunity.

prospects.ac.uk/jobs-and-work-experience/workexperience-and-internships

Prospects is a careers website that can support you with various parts of finding a placement. It has a job search but also lots of information about careers you may not have heard of or considered. The below tasks will support you, not only in looking for a placement, but in thinking about what skills are needed for jobs you may want as well as which careers you may be suited to.

F Use the jobs search to look at placements

F Find three Job Profiles on prospects that might make a good placement option for you.

F Take the “what jobs would suit me?” careers quiz.

You can also find out how to write a speculative application by visiting prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/applying-for-jobs/

how-to-write-a-speculative-job-application

studentladder.co.uk

Student ladder is another place to search for placements and this site breaks down placements into different placement areas. Things to look at on this site include:

F The site’s job search for internships.

F Their blog has some interesting articles that may support your search Why not read “Who are the main consultancy firms in the UK” and “10 Student Jobs in IT You’ve Never Considered”?

VOLUNTEERING WEBSITES:

Career Connect winchester.jobteaser.com/

Charity Jobs

charityjob.co.uk/volunteerjobs?workingfromhome=true

Do It Org do-it.org/opportunities/search?working_from_home

The Media Trust mediatrust.org/volunteer/view-currentopportunities

Reach Volunteering reachvolunteering.org.uk/opportunities-solr Volunteer First volunteerfirst.co.uk/ Hampshire County Council hants.gov.uk/jobs/volunteering

LinkedIn - do a volunteer job search linkedin.com/

Get Volunteering getvolunteering.co.uk Studenteer studenteer.co.uk/

REGIONAL WEBSITES:

Hive Portsmouth volunteer.hiveportsmouth.com/opportunities/ Basingstoke Voluntary Action bvaction.org.uk/bva-projects-and-groups/thevolunteer-centre/

Reading Voluntary Action rva.org.uk/volunteering/ Southampton Volunteering solinked.org.uk/service_area/volunteer

What Else Can I Do?

Many placements are not advertised, especially in smaller companies and charities. Make a shortlist of some organisations you would like to work for which don’t have advertised placements. Be proactive by sending them a speculative application; the careers team can help you with this. Make sure you search the company website to identify a suitable contact within the company. With larger organisations this can be someone within the Human Resources department. However, many smaller businesses and charities won’t have a dedicated HR department so in these cases you will have to make a quick call to determine who a CV should be sent to, sometimes this person is an Office Manager.

Having acquired an in-depth knowledge and understanding of the business – and demonstrated their abilities and potential – former interns/placement students make highly favourable candidates for graduate positions.

Gradcracker, 2023

Reminder

F A placement is an approved period of assessed learning in a workplace included in a course.

F You are required to find your placement, however, there are many resources to support you.

F If you are doing the Volunteering Module, your placement must be with a charity or not-for-profit organisation.

F Opt-in to the daily emails on CareerConnect and Jobs Board to get up to date information on placement opportunities at winchester.jobteaser.com

F Focus your social media channels to actively notify you of opportunities.

F Students undertaking a placement may achieve a higher degree classification and improve their future work outcomes by gaining real experience in the workplace.

F Future employers actively look for those who have work experience and/or volunteering work on their CV.

F Most students have an excellent experience on placement and gain professional skills and a positive insight into the world of work.

NEXT STEPS/ACTIONS

Large companies will begin to advertise their sandwich year placements from as early as September or October for a summer start date so don’t leave it too late to begin your search. Smaller organisations may advertise later in the year or may not even advertise at all!

Searching for a placement can be a daunting process but the Placement Team is here to support you. However, you will need to source your own placement. It may be too early to start applying for a placement, but you should be doing the following regularly even if you do not start applying until closer to the time:

F Searching for jobs you would like to do as a placement: practising your jobs searching skills will help you when you do need to find a placement. Not only this, but you will get an idea of which companies offer placements and what the job title might be, which will make your search easier.

F Doing a skills assessment, knowing what skills you have, what skills you need to work on and what you can tell employers about yourself is helpful for you going forward. Start thinking about this early so you don’t have to rush this when you need to apply.

F Follow the companies you are interested in. It is especially useful for you to understand the culture of companies you are applying to as this will help with tailoring your applications and CV. You can start to do this by following company pages on LinkedIn or signing up to blogs available on the company websites.

What Else Can I Do?

The University of Winchester organises numerous employer events throughout the year such as placement pop-ups, skills sessions hosted by employers, and careers fairs. These offer the perfect opportunity to meet employers informally and talk to them about placements. Look out for employer-led sessions if you’re interested in placements or graduate schemes with those companies. They will often keep note of students who attend these sessions and fast-track their applications in the placements and graduate processes. We will advertise these events on CareerConnect.

Some placement applications, especially for larger companies, will involve filling out an application form online. Others, particularly in the case of speculative applications, will require a CV and a cover letter. We have put together a helpful guide on how to write your CV so please take a look at it HERE. There are some excellent example CVs in there, which will help you know exactly what to write and how to lay things out. Once you’re happy with your CV, you may wish to send it to the Placements Team to check over.

You can find some useful tips on how to write a cover letter here:

prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/cvs-and-coverletters/cover-letters

targetjobs.co.uk/careers-advice/cvs-applicationsand-tests/covering-letter-essentials-graduatevacancies

Companies will often immediately dismiss CVs and cover letters that are not specific to them so you will need to tailor your applications to every placement you apply for.

When asked about the most reliable predictors of graduates’ skills and attitudes, the majority of employers (72%) agreed that graduates who completed an internship or placement arrived with better skills and attitudes than other graduates.

ISE report, 2023

GET IN TOUCH

WANT MORE HELP?

Contact us on workplacements@winchester.ac.uk or volunteering@ winchester.ac.uk and we will be happy to provide advice and support.

Join our Canvas pages for lots more help, advice, and resources (scan the QR codes at the start of this booklet)

Come visit us in the Careers & Opportunities Hub: SAB303

Open Monday-Friday during term time and vacation periods. Please see the Careers intranet page for full details.

ONCE YOU HAVE SECURED YOUR PLACEMENT

You will need to complete a Placement Agreement. The type of agreement will differ depending on whether you are doing a work placement or the volunteering module:

WORK PLACEMENT – PLACEMENT LEARNING AGREEMENT

You can download a copy of the Placement Learning Agreement from our Work Placement Support canvas page. We have included an example copy on our homepage to help you know what to write.

We have designed the Placement Learning Agreement to ensure that you and your employer get the most out of your placement experience. Your Placement Learning Agreement must be completed before you embark on your placement and must be a collaborative effort between you and your host organisation.

F Page 1-2

Placement details

F Page 3

Your chance to say what you want to get from a placement i.e. specific skills development

F Page 4

Your organisation’s chance to say what they want to get from you whilst on placement

F Page 5

A collaborative effort between you and your organisation to set objectives that will enhance your academic understanding and boost your transferable skills whilst responding to your employer’s business needs

Once you have completed your Placement Learning Agreement, you will be required to upload it to InPlace, our online placement database, where it will be assessed by your academic supervisor who will be responsible for approving your placement.

You will be unable to start your placement until your position has been approved through InPlace.

VOLUNTEERING MODULE –PLACEMENT FORM

Your placement form can be downloaded from our Volunteering Module canvas page.

You will need to record details of your placement on

your form, including a description of your role and duties whilst on placement. This then needs to be signed by your host organisation.

Once you have completed your placement form you will be required to upload it to InPlace, our online placement database, where it will be assessed by your academic supervisor who will be responsible for approving your placement.

You will be unable to start your placement until your position has been approved through InPlace.

Insurance documents

You will be required to obtain the public and/or employer liability insurance for your host organisation, which you will then need to upload to InPlace. Employers should be happy to provide you with their insurance documents. Please note that these must be genuine insurance certificates that are within date when you begin your placement.

If you are unsure how to word a request for insurance documents, we have prepared a template for you that is available from our canvas pages under the ‘Next Steps – Registering Your Placement on InPlace’ section.

Equality, Diversity and GDPR

The University’s Equal Opportunities Policy will apply to organisations providing placements. There are a range of protected characteristics, against which it is unlawful to discriminate when choosing someone for a job, considering people for promotion, dismissal or redundancy. For more information, you can check the government’s guidelines HERE. Further information is available through the Equality and Human Rights Commission

The University will continue to be compliant with elements of GDPR. The University will not disclose any commercially sensitive data or information externally. Where such information is made available it will, with the employer / placement provider’s permission, be used for assessment purposes only and not subsequently discussed or divulged.

It is the employer / placement provider’s responsibility to make Disclosure and Barring Service checks on prospective employees.

The University uses InPlace, a placements CRM, to record details of student placements. Students will be asked to record elements such as their host organisation’s details, a risk assessment for the placement, insurance documents for their host organisation and details of work to be carried out whilst on placement. This information is then assessed by the student’s module leader, who will have final say in whether or not the placement is approved. You can find details of InPlace’s privacy policy HERE

OVERSEAS PLACEMENTS

An overseas placement means any placement that takes place outside of the UK. If you are an international student who is returning to your home country to do a placement, this is also classed as an overseas placement.

A growing number of students are considering overseas placements. An overseas placement is not only valuable from an employability perspective but also provides an incredible life experience for students, including – but not limited to – immersing oneself in a new culture, the opportunity to learn new language skills and a chance to explore new parts of the world.

If you have secured an overseas placement, you will need to begin your InPlace application. As you complete the application, you will be required to select whether your placement is in the UK or overseas. If you select overseas, you will need to complete a Microsoft Form with your placement details. This will then be assessed by teams across the University, including your academic department, to determine the suitability of your placement.

You will receive an automated notification when your application has been approved, which you will need to upload to your InPlace application.

Please note that it can take up to one month for your placement to be approved so please leave sufficient time for this process to take place before your placement is due to start. If you submit your overseas application with less than a month to go before beginning your placement, we cannot guarantee that your placement will be approved.

It is your responsibility to check the Foreign Office’s pages one month before your placement is due to

begin. The University’s Health and Safety team will monitor conditions in the host country prior to and during the placement. If the University, Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the insurance provider advise against travel, then the student must reconsider their placement location.

It is recommended that you refrain from booking travel and accommodation until your placement has been approved. The University’s travel cover will provide travel and emergency medical cover for students on placements if approved by the University but will only take effect from four weeks before the placement is due to commence. If you choose to book travel and accommodation before the University’s travel cover takes effect, you do so at your own risk.

HEALTH AND SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS FOR PLACEMENTS ABROAD

For placements abroad, we advise that the placement cannot be determined as ‘low risk’ on the InPlace risk profile. Therefore, students travelling abroad to work must assess all aspects of the risk profile and give details.

To help prepare you for working abroad, we recommend that the following topics are taken into consideration.

Travel arrangements

F Students should pre-arrange their flights and transfers to and from the placement location. They should be clear about where they are going to and ensure that they have plenty of time to make any connection journeys.

F Accommodation – students should ensure that they have suitable accommodation booked before departing.

F Bear in mind the effects of long-haul travel (jetlag, fatigue) and how to avoid them.

Personal safety

Students should research the area they are travelling to prior to departure and avoid ‘no-go’ areas and areas of high crime. This link offers government guidance on safety when volunteering or travelling overseas.

F Safe use of public transport, taxis, etc. – where possible, students should only use registered taxis/buses and should pre-book taxis if necessary.

Climatic Conditions

Students should consider the climate of the area they are travelling to (e.g. higher temperatures, monsoon seasons, arid conditions, extreme winter conditions) and pack accordingly.

Health Risks and Vaccinations

F Venomous animals and insects

F Contagious diseases

F Students can refer to the NHS Fit for Travel website for vaccination information for every country, and check that their vaccinations are up to date.

F Students should avoid consuming contaminated drinking water and food.

F For some countries it may be advisable to drink bottled water only.

F Students will need to apply for a GHIC card online.

Cultural Differences

Other countries may live by different customs and/or speak another language. To avoid causing offence to locals or breaking the law, it is advisable that students familiarise themselves with the ‘cultural norms’ of their placement country, such as the following:

F Accepted behaviour

F Local laws and religions

F Dress codes

F Alcohol use.

Obtaining Medical or Other Emergency Assistance

Local healthcare arrangements and contact number(s) of local emergency services should be noted before beginning an overseas placement.

LIABILITY INSURANCE ABROAD

You will need to check if your placement provider has appropriate insurance in place to protect you while undertaking your placement. You will also need to

check the country’s guidelines on insurance. Some countries do not require businesses to have such insurance or may have insurance schemes in place which are similar but do not provide the same level of liability cover.

It is essential that you include attachments of insurance certificates in your InPlace application. If the placement provider does not offer this, you must notify your module lead.

The University’s travel cover will provide travel and emergency medical cover for students on placements if approved by the University. This will begin four weeks before the placement is due to commence. Please note that if you make any travel arrangements outside this period, you do so at your own risk as you will not be covered by the University until four weeks before you begin your placement.

If you are seeking to gain employment experience that is not formally part of your course, you will not be covered by the University’s travel cover and should arrange your own cover.

If the University, Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the insurance provider advise against travel, then you must reconsider your placement location. Insurers will not normally permit travel in these circumstances as it is not possible to guarantee that you can be evacuated in the event of an emergency.

Your safety is our greatest concern. If the work placement is planned in a country where the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has raised concerns but not advised against travel, then you must include this information in the risk profile section of InPlace, and this must be approved through the University’s international placements process.

Ultimately, if our insurers consider that the risk of travel is too high for your safety to be guaranteed, then travel insurance may not be available. Under these circumstances, the placement will not be supported by the University.

STUDENTS ON A STUDENT VISA

1. Sponsored students (Students with a Student visa for the University of Winchester) will normally have restrictions on the number of hours they are permitted whilst studying:

• Up to 20 hours per week during university term time. UKVI has defined a “week” as “a sevenday period starting on a Monday and ending on a Sunday”

• Full-time in vacation periods

• Full-time during term time if on a work placement that is an integral and assessed part of the course – any work placement must not be longer than 50% of the total course length (unless there is a UK statutory requirement for the course to contain a specific period of work placement which exceeds this limit.)

• The placement must be reported to the UKVI by the International Student Success Team once it has been approved by both the Careers Team and the International Student Success team. Students are not permitted to start their placement until after it has been approved and reported to the UKVI.

• Sponsored students may work as a student union sabbatical officer for up to two years. This must be reported to the UKVI by the International Student Success Team.

• If the student holds a Student Visa for a part time course they will not have the right to undertake any work, paid or unpaid, in the UK.

• If the student holds other immigration permissions they must be able to provide evidence that work placements are within the student’s immigration conditions.

• Unlimited volunteering for a charity or notfor-profit. Volunteers can be reimbursed reasonable travel or food (subsistence expenses) but should not receive any financial reward or benefits in kind with a monetary value.

• Voluntary work differs from volunteering in that it is performed under a contract. Voluntary work is subject to the same restrictions as paid work or a student placement.

2. Student Visa students can only work on a temporary basis

• They cannot be employed on a permanent contract. They cannot be self-employed or set up a business or be employed as a professional sportsperson or as an entertainer.

3. Please note: if the work is not an integral and assessed part of the student’s course, this would not be regarded by the Home Office as a work placement, but would instead be regarded as work experience, which Student Visa students are not permitted to miss scheduled classes to undertake. Students undertaking work experience should ensure that they are doing so within the work conditions of their visa.

4. For full details, the University of Winchester’s Visa Sponsorship Policy can be found HERE.

WINCHESTER EMPLOYABILITY FUND

The Winchester Employability Fund can provide support to students, who meet the eligibility criteria, with expenses related to placements, volunteering or work experience. The opportunity may be an assessed part of your course or undertaken independently of your course. You can find more information by clicking on this link.

PROBLEMS WHILST ON PLACEMENT

Most students have a great time whilst on placement and come back to university, having developed a range of exciting skills and contacts. However, we recognise that occasionally things don’t go to plan and this section aims to explain what to do if you have a problem.

If you are experiencing any problems whilst on placement relating to the placement itself, you should follow your organisation’s internal procedures. This may involve having a professional discussion with your supervisor to explain your concerns. This can be daunting and you can contact your academic placement supervisor or workplacements@winchester.ac.uk if you want help with knowing how to do this.

For serious concerns, or if your discussion with your supervisor doesn’t resolve the problem, you must contact your academic supervisor. You can also contact the Placements Team on workplacements@ winchester.ac.uk, Make a 1:1 appointment with a Placement Coordinator via CareerConnect or pop into SAB303 if you need to speak to us at any point.

Whilst on placement students can access Student Support and Success services. More details are available HERE or via our Work Placements and Volunteering Module canvas pages within the sections on Wellbeing.

Students’ Wellbeing, Disability and the Placement Process

It’s so important it is to look after your mental and physical wellbeing while at University, including when on placement. If you have a physical or mental health disability, or are neurodiverse, please make sure you know how to access the right support. The term “disability” covers many types of health conditions both physical and mental, specific learning difficulties and neurodiverse conditions. Any of these entitle you to access extra support during both the recruitment process and in the workplace.

It is important for you as a disabled applicant to know that The Equality Act 2010 protects those with a physical or mental health disability against discrimination when applying for jobs and less favourable treatment when in employment. Employers also have a legal duty to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to reduce or remove obstacles disabled people may face in the recruitment process and workplace and ensure that disabled employees are able to carry out their duties without being disadvantaged compared to others.

At the University of Winchester, we work closely with students, graduates and employers to ensure opportunities are equal and inclusive for all. We are keen to support our disabled students in the transition from study to the workplace and our Disability and Learning Diversity Team can provide tailored support for students with a disability/dyslexia, information on Disabled Students Allowance (DSA- inc. non-medical help), Assistive Technology and Learning Agreements. There are further resources available on our Work Placement Support and Volunteering Module canvas pages. You can also find advice and support on the Student Support and Success intranet pages.

If you have a disability and/or an additional learning requirement or need any kind of assistance during your placement in the workplace or in accessing a placement, you can receive support from the Disabilities and Learning Diversity Team, who can provide advice as to:

F How to share information with your employer about your disability or support needs.

F Information about adjustments that your employer could make to support you to work comfortably

and thrive in the workplace.

F How to navigate workplace cultures with a disability and or/adjustment needs.

F Discuss the government’s Access To Work scheme which can help you with in-work support and funding.

While on placement, you are still a student at the University and can still access the support from the Disabilities and Learning Diversity Team via disability@ winchester.ac.uk or telephone 01962 827341.

STUDENT INPLACE GUIDE

OVERVIEW

The University of Winchester uses InPlace to help you manage your work placement and/or volunteering opportunity.

With InPlace you can:

F Fill in details of your placement, employer and complete your own Risk Assessment.

F Upload your employer’s public/employer liability insurance. Please note that sole traders will only have public liability insurance.

F Track the progress of your upcoming placement via your desktop, laptop, smartphone, or tablet.

F Use your homepage to check for tasks you need to complete and view notifications you need to be aware of.

F View organisation (InPlace calls this “agency”) and placement details after a placement is confirmed.

F Keep track of your placement schedule and other engagements using the Calendar.

F Upload relevant documents, complete placement surveys and much more!

Logging In

You can find the InPlace link on the Intranet, relevant Canvas page or by navigating to inplace.winchester.ac.uk

When the page loads, click on the “Staff and Students” button then use your normal University log in to access InPlace.

The Home Page

Once logged in the screen below will be displayed, with an example 2022 Events Management 30 day PT Placement showing.

The “Home” tab shows you an overview of the placement options available to you (listed under “To Do”), this will be the module you have chosen as part of your options or will be a year sandwich placement option.

The “Confirmed” tab will show you any placement you have previously submitted via InPlace “Requirements” tab will display what is required for any placement you have opted in to, for example a 30-day placement would show you the below:

Please note – you will need to gather documents from your employer to upload during the Registering your placement section below. These are:

1. Placement Learning Agreement (if doing the work placement module)

2. Placement Form (if doing the volunteering module)

3. Your host organisation’s public/employer liability insurance*.

If you haven’t got these yet you can click the “Save as draft” button and return once obtained.

* Please note that sole traders will only have public liability insurance

Registering Your Secured Placement

Once you have secured your work placement, you will need to complete the InPlace application form. To do this, log in to InPlace as above and then from the “Home” tab, under the “To Do” section, click on the placement you wish to register.

Once the Placement Details screen loads, scroll down to “Provider Details” and begin entering the information required as you won’t need to alter the weekly placement roster or placement details section. Provider name is the organisation you will be working for. Please note, you can click the “Save as Draft” button at any time during the application process.

You will then have to complete information for the “provider contact details” this is often the person that has hired you. Please ensure you complete all required fields.

There may be occasions when you need to provide another contact from the organisation you will be placed with. You can provide those details under the “Contacts” section. Please note, if the contact here is the same as the provider contact already completed, you can just tick the “Contact person is the placement supervisor” box, this will copy all the information you have already completed.

The next step is to complete your own Risk Profile, this is a series of risk areas we want you to think about and to rate each area as either High, Medium, or Low overall, considering all risk factors – you will then be required to type explanations into the relevant Comments box

Work and/or study factors could include the following:

High

F Potential risk that may cause permanent injury, including working at height, manual handling and/or working with/maintaining electrical systems, operating manufacturing plant or equipment such as weights, ropes or moving parts.

F Working with vulnerable groups of people or location, (e.g., vulnerable adults, children).

F Activities that need specific licences or qualifications, (e.g., diving, security, REPS, coaching, SIA).

F Work involving significant risks in small companies that do not have professional health and safety advice, (e.g., gym instructor, sailing instructor, fitness and personal trainer, coach).

Medium

Working close to the above high-risk factors, but not directly with them, (e.g., events assistant, event co-ordinator, working at home, wedding planning assistant).

Low

Office work or other low hazard (risk) environments and activities, (e.g., marketing assistant, web developer, retail systems consultant, assistant account manager, office-based events coordinator).

Location and/or regional factors could include the following:

High

F Significant risk of danger in the area – e.g., placement in war zones, or any countries/ regions where the FCO advises against travel. These examples are considered extreme. The University will not be able to support these placements and we strongly advise against travel to such destinations.

F Locations where the student can expect that most of their work and communication will be in a language that they are not fluent in.

F Lone or remote working where local infrastructure is underdeveloped, so transport, medical and rescue services are not available quickly or locally.

Medium

F Placements abroad (including inside the EU) should be medium risk unless the location is determined as high risk.

F Higher than normal risk of civil disorder, crime, or comparable danger.

F Delays in communicating with tutors and others – (e.g., due to lack of communications/connections, mobile network coverage and Wi-Fi).

F Locations which have diverse cultures and customs to the UK, (e.g., appropriate behaviour, dress codes, religion, etc).

Low

Placements in the UK with no significant local risks.

Travel and transportation factors could include the following:

High

F Significant travel to the building where the placement is based or travel on public transport facilities known to be high risk (e.g., abroad, or unknown).

F Placement requires students to drive other people in unfamiliar vehicles (e.g., minibus of school children).

Medium

F Night travel or long daily commuting required (one hour or more).

F If students are driving for business-related purposes (i.e., not commuting, but driving between business sites, for example), then they will need to have ‘business use’ on their personal motor insurance.

Low

F No significant travel, comfortable daily commute (less than an hour on known roads).

F No driving associated with placement.

General and environmental health factors could include:

High

F Regional/local health risks require specific health protection measures (e.g., vaccinations).

F Very hot /cold or strenuous working conditions (e.g., manual working, working outside or in the sun).

Medium

F Regional/local conditions require some action (e.g., optional vaccinations)

F Occasional working outside.

Low

F No significant environmental health risks.

Personal student factors, select either “Yes” or “No”, if you have selected “Yes” then please give details.

Insurance limitations, again select either “Yes” or “No” here together with an explanation if you have selected “Yes”

If your placement is based in the UK, please select ‘UK’ from the drop down menu. If your placement is abroad, please select ‘overseas’ from the drop down menu and click to complete the linked Microsoft Form. Guidance on this process can be found on page 10 of this booklet.

PLACEMENT DOCUMENTS

For your placement to be considered you will need to gather certain documents relating to the job you will be doing. If you haven’t gathered these yet you can click the “Save as draft” button at the bottom of the screen.

Placement Agreement

Depending on whether you are doing a work placement or the volunteering module, you will need to upload either a Placement Learning Agreement or a Placement Form. This will include details about what you will be doing on placement. Once you have completed your document, you can upload it by either clicking on ‘select or drag file’ or by dragging the file to the box provided. You should then select ‘yes’ from the drop down menu under ‘Learning Agreement Uploaded’.

Public And Employers Liability Insurance

You should obtain your organisation’s insurance documents and can upload them here. You must upload at least one insurance certificate in order for the placement to be approved. We recognise that your organisation may not have both types.

Submitting your application – Once you have completed all the above you can submit your placement application by clicking on the “Submit” button at the bottom of the screen.

Student Induction Checklist

F I have been given an overview of the organisation and the work it does, including the products / services it provides, the industry it is in, its size and structure and whether it has a national or international focus.

F ☐I have been told about my itinerary for my placement, and what my role will be, including which departments I will be working in, and the type of work I will be observing, learning about, and doing.

F ☐I understand the days I need to attend my placement, the start and finish times for each day and I know when I can take my lunch and breaks times.

F ☐I have been told about, and understand, the organisation’s policies and procedures including dress code, health and safety, and drug and alcohol use.

F It has been explained to me who my mentor for my industry placement will be and who to speak to if I have any questions or if there is a problem.

F I have been shown the location of any food outlets, staff rooms, toilet facilities, car parking, and prayer rooms.

F I have been told if there are areas which are restricted to me or where I must always remain with my manager/ an employee, due to security or safety reasons (where applicable).

F I have been told how to access the organisation’s IT systems, and I understand the organisation’s policy about using IT equipment, including the use of social media in the workplace, and when and where I am allowed to use my mobile phone.

F I have been briefed on potential hazards/safety issues, if any, that I could be exposed to during the industry placement and I have had the chance to ask questions where this is not clear.

F I have been told about safe working practices to adhere to while on my placement.

F I understand that I am not permitted to operate any machinery without the permission of my manager, and without first receiving the appropriate training.

F I have had the importance of safety equipment explained to me, such as PPE, where it is kept, which areas it must be used in and why.

F I have been told I must report any injury/accident to my manager or a first aider immediately.

F I have been told what I should do in the event of a fire, and how I will know if a fire alarm has been raised.

F I have been told the emergency procedure and where the assembly points/emergency exits are, and I know that I should not run during an evacuation. I understand that I should speak to my manager if I am unclear which emergency exit to use on the site, in case of an emergency.