Placement and Careers CentreSchool of Professional Development

With thanks to Enterprise Rent-a-Car for the sponsorship of this guide

Sandwich Placements

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Sandwich Placements

A placement is an exciting opportunity to gain experience and develop new skills while working in a field relevant to your degree studies. Here at Brunel University London, we offer a wide range of courses in which placements are an integral part of the course. Brunel has a distinguished history as a pioneer in providing work experience within our degree programmes.

Results from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education (DLHE) survey show that Brunel students who take the sandwich placement option are consistently more successful than their peers from non-placement degrees (full-time leavers) in terms of employment outcomes on graduating. *In 2012/13, 78.7% were in graduate level jobs, earning a starting salary £3,196 higher than non-placement graduates.

*Brunel University London DHLE survey 2013

What are the benefits of doing a sandwich placement?

• Broaden your knowledge base: Your academic studies can be enriched by the new perspectives, experience and enhanced skills that you will bring from your critical reflection on work experience.

• Get a better degree result: There is clear evidence in our own institution that students who take sandwich courses get better degree results than those who don't.

• Develop key employability skills: A work placement provides the opportunity for you to develop professional and social skills within a workplace environment (eg time management, initiative, decision-making or presentation skills).

• Gain a better understanding about career choices: A work placement will let you ‘try’ a career role without committing yourself permanently, will give you an insight into the operations of a specific employer and give you new ideas about career options.

• Get a graduate job: A work placement will give you a competitive edge when it comes to applying for graduate jobs and is a great way of building contacts. Employers value those graduates who have knowledge of the way businesses operate and look for those who have had some work experience.

• Broaden your horizons: You can undertake a placement anywhere in the UK– or even another country! If the placement is spent abroad you may have the opportunity to learn a new language and experience another culture.

• Develop commercial awareness and meet useful contacts: Immersing yourself in a work environment will provide valuable industry experience and the opportunity to develop a strong network, which may be useful for your final year projects/dissertations or for graduate opportunities.

• Earn money: Many placements can be well paid.

• Boost your confidence: Doing a placement can be a challenging and exciting experience, your experience of a professional environment where you get to apply your skills can give you a really useful confidence boost. 

What types of placements are there at Brunel?

Typically, placements at Brunel take place over one year (thick sandwich) or two separate periods of up to six months (thin sandwich) in the third year of study of a four-year degree programme.

Thick sandwich

• Biomedical Sciences

• Business and Management

• Civil Engineering

• Design

• Digital Design

• Economics and Finance

• Electronic and Computer Engineering

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• Mechanical Engineering

• Information Systems and Computing

• Law

• Mathematics

• Politics, History and International Relations

• Sport, Health and Exercise Studies

Thin sandwich

• Anthropology

• Communication and Media Studies

• Psychology

• Sociology

For more information about the type of placement offered within a particular subject or course, please refer to the Brunel University London UG prospectus or contact the relevant department.

If no official placements are available in your chosen subject or course, you may still be eligible for internships or other work opportunities that occur on an ad hoc basis.

How do I find out about placement opportunities?

The Placement and Careers Centre (PCC), part of the School of Professional Development, facilitates student placements in a variety of ways. We have well-established links with a wide range of both public and private sector employers. In addition, each academic department is assigned their own dedicated Placement and Internship Adviser who has a detailed understanding of the specific market sector. Last year the Placements team placed over 900 students in a wide range of industries, from small and medium-sized enterprises to large blue-chip companies, both in the UK and abroad.

The PCC advertises thousands of placements every year on their vacancy board with new opportunities added every week, however you

also have the opportunity to look for your own placement and draw upon your own contacts.

Placements in Europe and the Erasmus Programme

You may be eligible to receive an Erasmus grant if you are undertaking a work placement in Europe as part of your degree. There is a deadline to apply so please contact the Institutional Erasmus Coordinator at Brunel as soon as you know when the placement will take place. For more information on placements and the Erasmus programme, visit www.brunel.ac.uk/internationa/exchanges-and-study-abroad/exchanges/erasmus-eu/from-brunel/work-placement or the British Council’s Erasmus website where you will find the ‘Student Guide to Work Placements’, www.britishcouncil.org/study-work-create/opportunity/work-volunteer/erasmus-traineeship

What are the fees during a placement year?

The total fee for your placement year (for both Home and International students) will be only £1000. This covers support, administration, and assessment structures that form an integral part of your course. Students from under-represented groups will receive a fee waiver and there are also a number of placement bursaries and scholarships available. For up-to-date information, application details, eligibility and terms and conditions, visit www.brunel.ac.uk/courses/ug/fees.

How do I apply for a placement?

If you are interested in applying for a sandwich placement, it is strongly suggested that you begin gathering information and advice as soon as possible and attend the pre-placement module and workshops conducted in your department at the start of your first or second year of study. The Placement and Careers Centre (PCC) run a number of other events throughout the academic year that provide

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opportunities for you to meet employers and ask questions about the selection processes used in their organisations.

You should also book an appointment at the PCC to meet your subject-specific Placement and Internship Adviser and discuss your options. Contact details for Placement and Internships Advisers can be found on the PCC website at: www.brunel.ac.uk/services/pcc/about-us/people. Making an appointment couldn’t be easier- just drop into the PCC, 1st floor Bannerman Building and sign up or email your Placement and Internship Adviser.

What is the advantage of meeting with a Placement and Internship Adviser?

Making applications does require determination, resilience and preparation, just like applying for a graduate job. Placement positions are extremely sought-after and competition can be fierce. Meeting with a Placement and Internship Adviser can increase your chances of getting through the process successfully to secure a position.

You will learn how to:

• Complete applications

• Improve your CV

• Write a targeted cover letter

• Prepare for interviews and assessment centres

• Prepare for psychometric testing

If you don’t get the first placement you apply for, don’t worry or give up. Getting feedback and advice from your Placement and Internship Adviser can help you reflect on your skills and build experience for the next interview.

What can I do to make my CV stand out?

• Start constructing your CV in Level 1 with the help of a Careers Consultant.

• Get work experience- the PCC Jobshop gives you access to hundreds of part-time and temporary vacancies both on campus and in the local area through their vacancy listings. There are roles in business, IT, finance, media, creative industries, and many more. Roles on campus often offer flexible working hours or are event-based, enabling you to find working solutions that enhance your experience at Brunel and fit around your studies.

• Do a summer internship- vacancies are advertised on the PCC jobs board, accessible through the Brunel intranet.

• Get involved in activities at Brunel- join societies, do the Ready Programme, become a student volunteer or participate in the student ambassadors programme. The experience will look great on your CV and you will gain valuable employability skills as a result.

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Ashleigh Morris is a Politics with Professional Development student who completed a sandwich placement at the House of Commons

“My placement was an incredible opportunity to develop the skills I obtained throughout my degree and apply them practically. Working directly in the political sphere and experiencing parliamentary activity has enabled me to understand the way politics works first hand. As I have a real interest in issues of international development attending meetings for the Sustainable Development committee was an incredible opportunity. By the end of my placement my biggest achievement was the work I helped complete, to be published on the Committee’s website. My advice to anyone looking for a placement is to be assured of your abilities and apply. Utilise the great placement services that we have at Brunel to make sure your cover letter and CV are a representation of yourself. Practice interview questions in front of a mirror and record yourself speaking to make sure you look and sound confident. This will give you the best chance to get the placement that you really want!”

Rohet Singh is a Business Computing (e-Commerce) student who completed a sandwich placement at the Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust

“The most enjoyable part of my placement was to go out on site visits with my manager as I got to learn a lot from an experienced professional that has worked for the NHS for 12 years. Another aspect of the work that I really liked was to build laptops using different images as it was quite challenging to remember different platforms for different makes. The greatest achievement of my placement was to be given a place in the IT team as a part-time IT technician, after my placement contract ended. My advice to students thinking about doing a placement is to make the most of the opportunity. A placement really helps you with your future career and gives you an idea of what you want to do after graduating. It was difficult at the beginning to find a placement but I didn’t give up and finally got one with the help of the Placement and Careers Centre. If you really want to succeed in life do a placement!”

Brunel Student Experiences

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Accenture Guy’s and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust

Airbus UK Hasbro

AXA Group HM Treasury

Bentley Motors IBM UK Ltd

Blackberry Lego

BMW Group L’Oreal

British Airways Microsoft

Cisco NHS

Coca Cola Enterprises Robert Bosch Limited

Ford Motor Company Rolls-Royce Group plc

Formula One Management Ltd

Royal Free & University College Medical School

GE Aircraft Engine Services Limited The Walt Disney Company

GlaxoSmithKline plc Unilever

Goldman Sachs Xerox Corporation

The Placement and Careers Centre (PCC) at Brunel facilitates placements with a wide range of top recruiters

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Your plan to a successful placement

What you need to do How to do it

Fin

al Y

ear

Prepare for life as a graduate

• Reflect on the skills & experience gained during your placement

• Book an appointment with a Careers Consultant• Attend the Autumn and Summer Career Fairs• Apply to graduate schemes

advertised by the PCC• Continue to network & build contacts• Apply for postgraduate courses

Thi

rd Y

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Complete a successful placement

• Say ‘yes’ to every opportunity to gain experience, develop skills, and network

• Study for a professional qualification if given the chance

• Continue developing your LinkedIn profile• Apply for the company’s fast-

track graduate scheme

Sec

ond

Yea

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Secure a placement

• Register for the pre-placement module and attend lectures

• Book a 1:1 appointment with your Placement and Internship Adviser

• Attend workshops & events run by the PCC• Gain further work experience• Develop your LinkedIn profile

Fir

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Gather information and gain experience

• Attend fairs, workshops & events run by the PCC• Attend the thin-sandwich work

placement course sessions to find out more about this option.

• See the Job Shop for part-time or temporary work positions

• Apply for summer internships• Participate in the Ready Programme• Join Brunel volunteers or UBS societies• Become a student ambassador

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More about the PCC…

The Placement and Careers Centre is your one - stop shop for advice, guidance and support when looking for work and planning your career. You can use our service from your first day at Brunel and for up to two years after you graduate.

Jobs: part-time, vacation, placement and graduate opportunities.

Events: recruitment, employability skills and careers uncovered.

Advice and feedback: CVs, applications, interviews and assessment centres.

Guidance: career options and postgraduate study.

Information: online and in our careers library.

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In person 1st Floor Bannerman Centre

www.brunel.ac.uk/pcc

0 careers@brunel.ac.uk

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