Undergraduate Work Placements
Original Thinking Applied in action – put theory into practice with a paid work placement in your third year of study.
Graduate employers look for candidates with work experience, practical skills and professionalism. Stand out from the crowd with a work placement that applies your academic skills and knowledge to live business situations.
Benefits of a work placement
If you opt to complete a work placement as part of your degree programme, the aim of this placement is to complement and develop your skills and knowledge gained in the first two years of your course.
- Gain practical and relevant work experience
- Build your confidence and develop a real-world attitude to business
- Earn a salary, gain increased responsibility and independence
- Create a network of industry contacts and subsequent job opportunities
- Gain insight into roles and employers enabling more informed career choices
- Choose a placement overseas to gain international experience
Key facts and figures
- 96% of placement students achieved a 1st or 2:1 degree (2022 graduates)
- Current placement students earn £16,987 (average salary, 2023-24) with some earning up to £51,770
Taking a year out for an industrial placement at EY has allowed me to put my existing knowledge and skills into practice. I have acquired multiple new skills and learned the ‘secrets of the trade’. This has given me a greater level of clarity and confidence regarding the type of job I’d like to do in longer term. Most importantly, doing a placement has greatly enhanced my employment prospects in a competitive job market.
Finding a placement
Our placement and careers teams offer the following support when it comes to researching and applying for work placements:
- Weekly e-bulletins advertising placement opportunities
- Sessions on interview skills, CV clinics, mock assessment centres and psychometric tests
- Employer drop-in sessions and careers fairs
We do allow our students to complete international work placements and to source their own placements - you do not necessarily have to find your placement via the weekly e-bulletins provided by the Careers Service. If you do source your own placement, please note that it must be approved by the School to ensure that the job role is in line with your programme of study and learning outcomes.
Informed Solutions provides placement students with the opportunity to be immersed in the world of work, gain invaluable experience and become truly valued members of the team. We take pride in developing and upskilling our students and regularly reward top talent with a graduate job offer.
Frequently asked questions
Are there any requirements to qualify for a placement year?
Yes, each programme has a different set of requirements which can be found in our Undergraduate Online Handbook
Will I earn a salary?
Yes, all the opportunities we advertise are paid and many companies offer competitive salaries. Current placement students earn £16,987 (average salary, 2023-24) with some earning up to £51,770.
Can I do a placement abroad?
Absolutely – our students have successfully applied for placements in Bulgaria, Germany, Hong Kong, Romania, South Africa and Spain. Any international placement must meet the School’s requirements and you must hold the correct visa and/or work permit as required. All placements will require formal approval.
Is help available in finding a placement?
Yes, one of our core first-year course units, Academic and Career Development, will help you prepare for a placement year. In your second year, you will attend a series of meetings to provide you with information about the placement year/process. You will also receive weekly e-bulletins advertising the latest opportunities. Our careers service will also be on hand to help you with your CV and support you throughout the application process.
We also run a series of workshops for international students, to familiarise these students with UK corporate culture and recruitment etiquette, to support their search for a suitable placement.
What are the tuition fees for a work placement?
You will receive a significant tuition fee discount for your placement year. Additional support is available to UK students from low-income households.
N.B. The above information is subject to confirmation each academic year.
Does work experience really matter to employers?
Yes – in today’s competitive graduate market, a placement could make a real difference:
“Our placement students are immersed in the world of work, gain invaluable experience and become truly valued members of the team. We take pride in developing and upskilling these students and regularly reward top talent with a graduate job offer.”
- Julia Woodcock, Head of Talent Management, Informed Solutions
“The Co-op’s strongest graduate job applications tend to be those that combine academic achievement with real-world experience. Work placements provide you with invaluable experience that helps to develop crucial skills and behaviours like teamwork and collaboration, commercial acumen and change management.”
- Matt Eyre, Candidate Marketer, Co-op Digital