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:sguillem@bournemouth.ac.uk

SueSykes,PlacementCoordinatorTel:+44(0)1202961824Email:ssykes@bournemouth.ac.uk