Placements - Information for Staff and Tutors
Academic and other staff working in departments are the principal contacts for placement activity. They work with employers to identify placement opportunities and will also maintain lists of vacancies. In many departments they may also play a leading role in the process of the students applying for placement, collecting and submitting applications direct to the employer.
Contact details of all the current industrial training or professional development tutors are available from the Careers and Employability Centre.
Essential information
The University's Code of Practice on Placement Learning sets out the University's endorsement of the QAA's Code of Practice on Placement Learning and outlines the University's expectations regarding the role of the academic department and the information it should provide. It also contains a link to Regulation 11, which was updated in August 2010.
The University’s revised Health and Safety Policy for students contains full information about the resoponsibilities of the placement provider, tutor, health, safety and environment manager and the student as well as procedures and guidance for ensuring that all essential documentation is prepared.
The Student Advice and Support Service is available to provide contractual employment advice as appropriate.
The Careers and Employability Centre recognises the value of the structured year placement in enhancing employability. It provides a central point of contact and advertises placements on its website. Details of placements are available only to Loughborough students and graduates through Careers Online Tutors who need to view this section should contact the Careers and Employability Centre for a password.
The twice yearly Placement Tutors' Forum, which meets to review the placement situation across all departments and discuss any other issues related to placements, is chaired by the director of the Careers and Employability Centre.
The role of placement tutors
Placement tutors often arrange a series of lectures or workshops for students who are taking the placement option. These may cover:
- Presentations from students returning from placement outlining the benefits of the placement year.
- Health, safety and other employment issues.
- A series of talks or workshops on applying for placement, interviews and other selection methods, often run in conjunction with the Careers and Employability Centre.
The role of the Careers and Employability Centre
The Centre can provide interview facilities and help with organising and advertising presentations for visiting employers who wish to see placement students.
It runs sessions in departments across campus helping to prepare students for placement. These sessions are designed in conjunction with the industrial training tutor and typically cover preparing a CV and writing covering letters, completing application forms, preparing for interview and other selection methods.
The Centre operates a Quick Advice Desk where students can book an appointment on the day on which they wish to be seen to discuss their CV, letter or application form answers in a 15 minute slot – full details are in Getting in Touch.
It also offers career consultations to any students who want to discuss their options in more detail. These are 45 minute appointments which should be booked in advance. Details in Getting Advice.
The Centre can offer individual interview support to students who have been referred by their Industrial Training Tutor. Otherwise advice is available through sessions in departments, on the Careers and Employability Centre website and through Quick Advice appointments with a Careers Adviser.
Centre staff are always available to discuss any placement related issues with academic staff including salaries, longer term career opportunities for placement students and employer contacts.
The Centre also provides information on the destinations of graduates indicating those who have undertaken a placement year.