1

CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITYWITHPLYMOUTHUNIVERSITY

PLYMOUTH BUSINESS SCHOOLSCHOOL OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY

PLACEMENTS WITHTHE FACULTY OF BUSINESS

2 3

THE PLACEMENT YEAR

The Faculty of Business, here at Plymouth University, provides the managers andbusiness leaders of the future with the vital skills necessary to prepare for a demanding career. We foster a spirt of enterprise and entrepreneurship in all our students, and our graduate employment statistics prove that this is a winning formula.

Within the faculty, we specialise inteaching on an extensive range of degree programmes, including:

• Business

• Business Management

• Marketing

• International Business

• Accounting and Finance

• Economics

• Hospitality

• Tourism

• Events Management

• Cruise Management

How long is the placement?

• Students are normally required to complete 48 weeks of full-time work in the UK or 44 weeks of full-time work overseas. This tends to mean they are employed for a calendar year, once holiday entitlement is included.

When can the students starttheir placement?

• Placements can begin at any point from the end of May (once their second year exams are finished) up until mid-September.

Are there conditions we haveto comply with?

• Before students can accept a position, we require a copy of the job description and have to agree the placement.

• At all stages in the process, we have a Placement Code of Practice which outlines the responsibilities of the university, the employer and the students. Health and Safety requirements must also be met.

What is the usual salary range?

• In recent years, students have been paid between £12,000 and £18,000 per annum. This is dependent on a company’s normal reward package and the region in which they are employed.

HOW IT WORKS: FAQs

�

What type of jobs do placementstudents take on?

• Placement students should take on a role that allows them to contribute effectively to the organisation as well as developing their own potential. We would also hope that the student is placed in a department that is relevant to their programme of study.

• The range of placement jobs is considerable and reflects the wide range of employers who take on our students. These include; marketing, sales, buying, administration, finance, project management, human resources, trainee management, customer service, press related, events, food and beverage, a range of roles in hotel management, and roles that combine a variety of functions.

How can I advertise aplacement opportunity?

• Please email us a job description including location and salary, which also indicates how you would like the students to apply and your application deadline. We will be happy to promote your opportunity to our students via email, our online job board and social media channels. For SME’s, we can even arrange for you to hold interviews on our campus, although it is more common for students to travel to the organisation for an interview.

4 5

HOW IS THE PLACEMENT YEAR MONITORED AND ASSSSED?

The placement year is a crucial part of a student’s degree programme; therefore students are expected to meet a number of requirements to ensure the year provides maximum benefit to all parties, and also to ensure they pass the year.

Placement Tutor and Work Place VisitEach student is allocated a Placement Tutor who will usually visit the student at least once at their place of work during the course of the placement. The Placement Tutor will contact the student to arrange a visit, preferably within the first six months of them starting. It is the student’s responsibility to liaise with their line manager to arrange a date and time which is mutually convenient.

The tutor will have a meeting with the line manager and student to discuss their performance; however some managers may wish to meet with the tutor separately from the student. During the visit, the Placement Tutor will complete an interim evaluation of the student’s progress.

Along with the Placement Team, the Placement Tutor will also be the students’ initial first contact should any issues arise.

Progress Reports and Employer AssessmentTo track progress and to evaluate developing skills, the students are required to complete three progress reports during the course of their placement. These will be available for download via their university digital learning environment webpage and will need to be completed at the beginning, middle and endof their placement.

These reports also require input from the student’s line manager who will be asked to score and assess the student on each developing skill.

Company Appraisal/Performance Development ReviewWe are more than happy for an organisation to monitor the students’ progression through its own ‘in house’ appraisal / probationary / PDR systems. Whilst this will be in addition to the progress reports required by the university, this will further support them with evidence when writing their placement project.

Placement ProjectStudents are required to produce a project relating to their placement as part of the assessment of their placement year, and they are advised to discuss this with their line manager. The project can be classed as confidential if the organisation prefers and it is much appreciated if the employer can allow the student some time to work on this project during their placement.

6 7

Every year we run a series of Recruitment Fairsfor students looking for the chance to:

• Find placement and graduate opportunities

• Meet a wide range of employers

• Explore a variety of career paths

MORE WAYS TO ENGAGE

Placements aren’t the only way you can engage with our students! Find out more below:

RECRUITMENT FAIRS

FLUX CompetitionFLUX is a business competition judged by employer experts. This fast paced simulation game takes place over a full day and enable students to develop their employability skills and commercial awareness using a business scenario.

COMPETITIONS

Our networking events are a great way for you to meet with our students in a semi-structured environment. You can connect to students, promote opportunities within your organisation and help our students to develop their networking techniques – a vital skill they will need for employment!

For more information and how to get involved please email employers.careers@plymouth.ac.uk or call 01752 587729.

HotSeat CompetitionHotSeat is our interview competition where students submit a covering letter and CV for a fictitious graduate position before being shortlisted for interview.On the day students rotate between interview rooms, sitting short competency based interviews with different employers.

The Recruitment Fairs are the perfect opportunity for employers to identify talent at an early stage and to support your recruitment needs if you have:

• Placement, internship of graduate opportunities

• Multiple vacancies that recruit froma range of courses

NETWORKING EVENTS

8

CONTACT US

THE FACULTY OF BUSINESS PLACEMENTS TEAMINCORPORATING THE PLYMOUTH BUSINESS SCHOOL AND PLYMOUTH SCHOOL OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY.

Room 2093 Endsleigh PlacePlymouth UniversityDrakes CircusPlymouthPL4 8AA

fobplacements@plymouth.ac.uk

+44 (0)1752 585651

CAREERS & EMPLOYABILITY SERVICEFor further details of how employers canget involved with Plymouth University

www.plymouth.ac.uk/employability

+44 (0)1752 587729

employability@plymouth.ac.uk