The Faculty of ManagementPlacement Students:An Employer’s Guide
Benefits for your organisation
• Placementstudentsconstituteaveryadaptableandconscientioushumanresourcewhoseemploymentwillbecost-effectiveintermsoftheamountandqualityofworkproduced.
• Studentsbringaninnovativeapproach.Placementsoftenconfirmtheabilityoffreshmindstosolveoldproblems.
• Thestudentshaveagoodunderstandingofthebusinessapplicationsofinformationtechnologyandcanmakeeffectiveandinnovativeuseofcomputersystems.
• Foranyemployerinterestedingraduaterecruitment,havingaplacementstudentcanbeseenasofferingarealisticprobationperiodduringwhichtoassessperformancewithaviewtolaterpermanentemployment.
• AnumberofstudentswillbasetheirMaster’sdissertationontheexperiencegainedattheplacement.Thesehavesignificantlycontributedtothecompanyplanningprocessinsomeinstances.
• ManyMaster’sstudentsareinternational,offeringanadvantagetocompanieswithaculturallydiverseclientele.
MSc Events Management
MSc Events Marketing
MSc Hotel & Food Services Management
MSc International Hospitality & Tourism
Management
MSc Retail Management & Marketing
MSc Sport Management
MSc Sustainable Tourism Planning
MSc Tourism Management
MSc Tourism Management & Marketing
The Faculty of Management is recognised internationally as a leading provider of undergraduate courses in Tourism, Hospitality, Events, Business Studies, Accounting, Finance & Economics, Sport and Retail.
BournemouthUniversityisone of the few institutions that offer a placement to Master’s students.Thefactthattheplacementisapopularchoiceamongstudentsreflectstheimportancethatstudentsattachtoworkexperience.StudentscommentonthereturnfromtheirtimeonplacementthattheworkexperienceisavitaladditiontotheirCV.
About the placement year
Aims of the placement • Toenablestudentstouseanddevelopthe
knowledgeandskillsacquiredduringthetaughtpartofthecourse.
• Toenhancethestudents’practicalexperienceofworkinglifeatfirsthand,itscustomersanditsstaff,itsrewardsandfrustrations.
• Toprovidethestudentswithinsightstounderpinthedissertationstageofthecourse.
• Toassistthestudentsintheireventualcareerchoices.
Placement work rolesExperiencesuggeststhatourstudentsarecapableoftakingonaverywiderangeofwork;fromoperationaltomanagerialinavarietyofenvironments(hotels,touroperators,eventcompanies,recruitmentsector,financeandmarketingdepartments).Largecompaniesmayoftenhavewell-structuredplacementopportunitiesthatareseenasausefulcomplementtotheirgraduaterecruitmentprogrammes,whilstsmallercompaniescanusetheproblem-solvingversatilityofstudentsasanadditionalmanagementresource.Studentshavesufficientskilllevelsandabasiclevelofknowledgeandunderstandingtobeemployedinanyofthemainbusinessfunctions.Withinareasonabletimeframemoststudentsareabletotakeonasupervisoryorjuniormanagementroleinoperationaldepartments.Studentsalsohavesufficientknowledgeandunderstandingtoenablethemtoworkinsupportingdepartmentssuchasaccounts,marketingandhumanresources.Insomecasesthestudentswillremaininonedepartmentthroughouttheplacement,inotherstheemployer’sprogrammemayallowforperiodsofworktobespentinseveraldepartments.
Criteria for placements• Giventhevarietyofworkrolesstudentscan
undertake,thefollowingsuggestedcriteriamaybehelpful:
• Sometrainingshouldbeinvolvedasappropriateforpotentialmanagementtrainees.
• Thereshouldbethepossibilityofdevelopmentinthelevelofresponsibilityexercisedbythestudentduringtheplacement.
• Theprogrammeshouldbeflexibleenoughtoallowforamixofroutinewithnon-routinetasks.
• Aboveallthereshouldbeanawarenessofthestudent’sabilitytolearnduringtheplacementexperience.
OrganisationStudentsarefreetostarttheirplacementsassoonasallassignmentsforthetaughtpartofthecoursehavebeensubmitted(usuallybeginningofJulyforSeptemberstudentsorendofAugustforFebruarystudents).The30workingweeks(minimum),excludingholidaysandperiodsofsick-leavemustbecompletedbeforestudentsresumetheirstudies.Studentsmustreturntotheuniversityasfull-timestudentsbytheendofMarchforSeptemberstudentsandendofJulyforFebruarystudents.Conditions of employmentWhilstonplacementstudentsaretreatedinthesamewayasothertemporaryemployees.Studentsreceiveasalaryfortheirwork.Salarylevelsarelefttotheemployer’sdiscretionbutshouldrepresenta‘living’wage.
InterviewsItisexpectedthatstudentswillattendinterviewsintheUKtodiscussexactdutiesandconditions.Interviewsmaytakeplacewithinthebusinessorcanbearrangedattheuniversitybyrequest.Oftenatwo-stageinterviewprocessisemployedbycompanies,withthefirststagebeingcompletedoncampus,andasmallershortlisttheninvitedtotheplacementorganisationforthefinalinterview.
Supervision and progress monitoringSupervisionisseenasatripartiteresponsibility–betweenstudent,employerandtheuniversity.Daytodaycontrolofthestudent’sworkandperformanceisinthehandsoftheemployer.Theuniversity,throughateamofPlacementDevelopmentAdvisors,willliaisewiththementor/supervisortoensurethestudentismakingsatisfactoryprogressandisbeingtreatedappropriately.
Assessment of placement yearAreflectionwillbeproducedbythestudentwhentheyreturntotheuniversityfull-time.Thiswillinvolveastudentreflectingonhowtheplacementimpactedonthempersonallyandprofessionally,aswellasontheirfuturecareerchoice.
Code of practiceHospitalityPlacements:theemployerisrequestedtofollowtheCodeofPracticeasagreedbyCHMEandtheHotelEmployersGroupforworkexperience.
“Weunderstandthattheseplacementstudentsareourfutureandofcoursearelookingforsomereturnonourinvestmentduringtheplacementyear.Sowhenthestudentsreturntouniversitytocarryouttheirfinalyearwekeeptherelationshipstrongandaimtoemploythemfulltimeoncetheygraduate.Thisissupereffectiveforusbecausetheyalreadyunderstandthewayweworkandourculture.Sorightnowwehavefourpreviousplacementstudentswhohavenowreturnedpost-graduationandholdprestigiousmanagementroleswithinourbusiness.”HR Manager, CH&Co
“ErnaLowhaveemployedplacementstudentsfromBournemouthUniversityformanyyearsandwehavealwaysbeenreallyimpressedwiththestandardofcandidateputforward.Ithinkit’sfantasticthatstudentshavetheopportunitytogainfirst-handexperienceintravelandeveryyeareachstudentbringswiththemtheirownknowledgeofthetourismindustrywhichmeanswe’relearningtoo!ThisyearwehaveemployedtwoBournemouthstudentsandbothhavefittedintoourteamperfectly,we’llbeverysorrytoseethemgoattheendoftheirplacementsbutwillbepleasedtowelcomeournewandno-doubtsuperbreplacementssoon.”Sales and Contract Manager, Erna Low
“MCIBrusselshasbeenworkingwithBournemouthUniversitysince2009.WehavefoundthatthecorrelationbetweenthetheoriesofthecurriculumtaughtatBournemouthisaveryclosematchtothepracticalaspectsofeventmanagementthatweteachtoourtrainees.ThecalibreoftheBournemouthstudentsthatapplytoMCIisveryhighandtodateIhavenotbeendisappointedwithanyofthesuccessfulapplicantsthatjoinourteam.
MCIsincerelybelievesinplayingaroleinthedevelopmentofthefutureleadersoftheMICEindustryanditisrewardingtobeafundamentalelementoftheirgrowthandcareerpath.Channelingtheirhungertolearnintodevelopingwell-roundedcompetenciesisourpassion.Observingthedramaticchangeofskills’acquisitionandenhancedconfidenceachievedbythetimetheyleaveusandreturntotheUKtofinalisetheirstudies,isthegreatestachievementthatwecanhopefor.
ItisourintentiontocontinuetostrengthentherelationshipwiththeBournemouthplacementofficeandtheirundergraduatesinthecomingyears.”Director of Operations, MCI Brussels
What employers say about our students: Organisations which have employed our students on placement include:
• Buckingham Palace• CH & Co• Chewton Glen• Compass• De Vere Hotels• Four Seasons Hotels• Goodwood Estate• Youth Hostels Association• MCI Group• Hilton Hotels• Hotel Du Vin• Hyatt Hotels• Intercontinental Hotels Group• Jumeirah• Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons• Marriott Hotels• Salisbury Cathedral• Royal Signals Museum• Mosimann’s• Park Plaza• Sheraton• Sodexo• St Pancras Renaissance • The Cavendish• The Ritz• Oriental Culture Education Society
What our students say:
“IworkedattheHarbourHeightsHotel.Istartedworkinginthebar(F&Bdepartment),lateronImovedtotheBistro(F&Bdepartment).AftertheBistroImovedtoreception,andIfinishedasaTraineeAssistantManager.Ireallyenjoyedmyplacement,asIhavegainedvaluableexperience.Ihavemoreresponsibilities,moreconfidenceindealingwithcustomers-complaintsandresolvingthemwithgreatsuccess.Iammoreawareofthewholehotelmanagementsystem.”AliakseiKichuck,TourismandHospitalityManagement
“Theplacementexperiencehasbeenagreatoneforme.IthashelpedmedevelopmyskillsinaworkplaceenvironmentandtherelaxednatureoftheteamatErnaLowreallyhelpedfacilitatethis.OvertheyearIhadsomegreatopportunitiesincludingorganizingthecompanies’80thAnniversaryEvent.Ican’tspeakofthecompanyhighlyenoughanddefinitelyfeelthattheplacementherehasbeenagreatexperienceandoneIwouldrecommendtoanyone.”MarkBlake,TourismManagement
“DuringmyplacementIwasthetopup-sellerofthemonth,8timeswhichin8monthsoftheyearwasaverychallengingandinterestingtaskforme.IwouldsaythatIhavelearntalotduringmyplacementperiod,bothpersonallyandprofessionally.PersonallyIhavegotalotofconfidenceandmycommunicationskillshavegreatlyimproved.Moreover,Ihavelearnedhowtointeractwithmulti-culturalteamsandhowtogetalongwitheveryone.”AyushMittal,TourismandHospitalityManagement
For further information onthebenefitsofemployingaplacementstudent,pleasecontact:
StéphanieGuillemet,PlacementCoordinator Tel:+44(0)1202961823 Email:[email protected]
SueSykes,PlacementCoordinatorTel:+44(0)1202961824Email:[email protected]
