EMPLOYERS GUIDE TO WORK PLACEMENTS Building Futures Together
Contents 1
Introduction
2
Definitions and structure
3
Benefits to you
4
Recruitment
5
During the placement
6
Responsibilities
7
Contact us
Introduction Thank you for considering taking on a placement student from the University of Winchester. In this handbook we aim to provide you with information on how placements work, the benefits it offers to your company, what you can expect from the student and the support from the University.
Definitions and structure A work placement is a chance for a student to gain valuable practical experience in a real working environment. It is also an approved period of assessed learning within the workplace and should be relevant to their course. The length of the work placement will depend on the course of study and your requirements. Typical placement types include: 1
Semester long placement (15 days, Part-time 1-2 days a week)
2
Academic year long placement (30 days, Part-time 1-2 days a week)
3
Short term or Vacation long placement (Full-time)
4
Sandwich year (Full-time, Paid)
Students are required to complete a minimum number of days to gain sufficient professional experience in the workplace in order to complete their module placements (Options 1 and 2). Students will be tasked with writing assessments on their experience and as the placement is credited, you will not need to pay the student. Want to get further involved with the University of Winchester? The University of Winchester are proud of our students who we want to enable to achieve their future success. If you are interested in getting more involved on campus, we would be delighted to welcome you as a guest speaker or your organisation to feature in our careers fayres. Also, if you have any upcoming fulltime, part-time or temporary roles, you can signpost them to us to place on our job board for free, which has access to over 3,500 of our students. If you are interested in getting involved, we would love to hear from you so please get in touch on careers@winchester.ac.uk . Tom Lowe – Head of Student Engagement & Employability.
Benefits to you Taking on a work placement student from the University of Winchester can offer a range of benefits to your company: ■
An additional resource for a short-term project or change initiative
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Access to enthusiastic, motivated individuals with fresh ideas that can bring modern professional skills into your workplace
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A low-risk recruitment method, saving you time and money
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Contributes to your company’s Corporate Social Responsibility
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Early access to the best talent with a high proportion of graduates remaining in the region.
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An opportunity to strengthen links with the University, which could lead to research collaboration.
What we will do for you: ■
Advertise your placement free of charge on your behalf via our dedicated jobs intranet site ‘Career Connect’
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Target appropriate students for your placement
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We offer a variety of career and networking events to which we welcome employers
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Provide the student with a training session prior to the placement and support throughout the placement
What makes Winchester different?: ■
38% of University of Winchester Graduates remain in the region
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Shortlisted for ‘University of the Year’ by The Times Higher Education Award
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Winchester is the first UK university to secure green finance for campus development from sustainable bank Triodos (for the new West Downs Centre).
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Placed second in the UK for Quality Education and in the top 100 universities world-wide in the global University Impact Ratings put together by Times Higher Education in April 2019, based on its work in sustainability and social responsibility.
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Awarded the National Union of Students’ (NUS) Responsible Futures accreditation for our commitment to embedding sustainability and social responsibility in its teaching and other activities (2019)
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The University of Winchester Business School is a UN PRME champion school
Recruitment The University of Winchester has a dedicated jobs intranet site for placements, graduate jobs and internships; CareerConnect (www.winchester.jobteaser.com). You will be able to post your vacancy free of charge on CareerConnect for thousands of students to view. Using CareerConnect will: ■
Enable students to click through to your company website
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Promote brand awareness of your company and recruitment process
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Allow the students to receive up-to-date job alerts as soon as new opportunities are posted.
If you would like to advertise a placement, part-time or graduate role, please contact our team on workplacements@winchester.ac.uk We simply require a job description and proof of health of safety policy for any opportunities you wish to advertise through our service. We will ensure that your vacancy is promoted to the appropriate students and course staff. Once you have received your applications or shortlist, then please arrange to interview the candidates in accordance with your own practices. Pay Whilst not a legal requirement for placements if it is part of their course, the majority of students receive an industry appropriate salary. We find that employers receive noticeably more applications if they advertise a salary or hourly payment with the job description. Equality, diversity and recruitment of disabled students The University’s Equal Opportunities Policy will apply to employers providing placements. The University will continue to be compliant with elements of GDPR. It is unlawful for any employer to discriminate against a disabled person when choosing someone for a job, considering people for promotion, dismissal or redundancy. You can access further information through the Equality and Human Rights Commission website www.equalityhumanrights.com
‘Many recruiters consider that hiring candidates who have proven their abilities during a placement to be a more reliable way of employing graduates’ High Fliers 2018
During the placement Responsibilities We expect the employer to treat our students in the same way as you would your other employees in respect of their induction, supervision, health and safety and welfare. It is important that the student receives an induction on starting their placement which should outline their role, responsibilities, and how it fits into the team and wider organisation. A Successful Placement The vast majority of placements are extremely successful, however if any issues should arise then please address these as early as possible with the placement coordinator or academic tutor so that it can be successfully resolved. Attendance The student needs to attend their placement in order to complete their assessment. Should the situation arise where the student is absent, and you do not know why then please contact the University at the earliest opportunity. Assessment All students must complete an assessment relating to their placement which allows them to reflect on their learning experience and personal development. Assessments may take the form of a reflective journal and a portfolio of evidence, or a written assessment. In preparation for the assessment students will be encouraged to set personal and professional objectives at the start of the placement and keep a detailed diary recording their placement activities. The academic tutor will support students in setting objectives and preparing the assessments. The employer is encouraged to review the student’s objectives with them. International Students from outside the EU/EEA International students from outside the EEA are sponsored by Winchester University and on a Tier 4 General Student visa. We are obligated to notify the UK Visas and Immigration if a student’s attendance or performance on their placement is unsatisfactory. Please let us know immediately if the student has unexplained absence from work, goes on holiday and does not return, or if their progress is unsatisfactory.
‘59% of graduates that were hired by our Top Undergraduate Employers were former interns and placement students’ Ratemyplacement.co.uk 2019
Responsibilities The success of a work placement depends upon a mutually supportive three-way relationship between the student, employer and the university, based on realistic expectations. With the right support, students can make a significant positive contribution to an organisation. The Employer’s role ■
Provide a written contract/agreement and job description.
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Support the student with health and safety training and a company induction
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Nominate a mentor who will supervise the student for the duration of the placement.
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Provide the student with access to resources if appropriate to compete their assessment.
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Meet or talk with the students tutor or placement co-ordinator to discuss student’s progress.
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Notify the University at the earliest opportunity if there are any concerns, including absences or any serious accidents, or if the placement is cut short.
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Complete feedback at the end of the placement.
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Ensure that the appropriate employers’ liability and public liability insurance is in place and comply with health and safety legislation.
The Student’s role ■
Attend pre-placement training at the University and familiarise themselves with all the relevant information supplied.
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Follow the organisation’s procedures, policies and guidelines.
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Understands that they act as both a representative of the University of Winchester and of the host organisation. It is expected that they will act in an appropriate, courteous and professional manner when dealing with the organisation, its businesses and its staff.
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Discuss and agree with their employer the appropriate time to undertake assessment work.
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Consult with the employer if they wish to make any changes to their placement
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Report any concerns to the employer, including personal and health concerns, health and safety, or a disability that may require adjustments.
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Understands that the business of the organisation may be confidential. If this is so, the student agrees not to disclose any information to third parties without the consent of the organisation.
The University’s role ■
Work within the University placement procedures as set out by the governing bodies
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Appoint a Placement Tutor alongside the Placement Co-ordinator
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Be a point of contact for any queries and make contact at appropriate intervals
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Provide the students with pre-placement training
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Establish dates for placement check-in’s if appropriate
“The University plays a key role in helping to produce our ‘knowledge workers’ for tomorrow. It is just one of the reasons why the County Council works closely with the University and, given our shared vision for Hampshire as a prosperous and attractive place, that is a magnet for talent and investment, we look forward to further collaboration in the future.” Councillor Roy Perry, Leader of Hampshire County Council
University of Winchester in partnership with employers and communities Our vision is to help shape a better world through everything we do, driven by the ambition, wisdom and impact of our students and staff. To fulfil this, we partner with local and global organisations and work with you to enhance your impact and innovation, and to enrich your workforce, helping individuals and communities to flourish. At the University of Winchester, we have created a range of services to connect with regional, national, and international businesses and voluntary organisations. You may want to source talent from our student population of approximately 8,000 or to develop closer links with the University or to: ■
Raise your company profile on campus and online and your employment and professional development opportunities via our free jobs portal and take up opportunities to have stand on campus or to deliver a workshop.
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Find a creative solution or tackle a specific project to drive your business forward and support future growth.
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Address emerging issues through consultancy or research collaborations with our academics and industry experts.
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Fill specific skills gaps by employing our students and graduates, via our free jobs board, whether this is in part-time roles, placements, apprenticeship, volunteering, or graduate positions.
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Upskill your workforce to strengthen your business capabilities and increase productivity, through one of our courses, an apprentice, a placement student, or consultancy with our industry experts.
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Find a venue for accommodation, conferences, events, and weddings.
Contact us Placements are a period of assessed learning in a workplace included in a course and lasting up to a year. The University greatly appreciates the time and effort from employers to help students gain valuable skills for their future. Our placements team would be delighted to discuss this and any opportunities for collaboration further. To find out more about where our students could work for you, please contact workplacements@winchester.ac.uk
+44 (0)1962 827232
@universityofwinchestercareers @_UoWcareers
@_uowcareers
