Work experience & industry placements give young people who are studying a technical qualification practical experience which is directly related to their course, helping prepare them for the world of work.
The longer placement duration of 350 hours ensures students are given sufficient time to master the essentials and that employers have the opportunity to mould and foster the student’s technical abilities so they are more likely to add value and make a lasting impact on the business. Employers are playing a key role in creating opportunities for young people in our local community who are at the start of their careers and enabling them to develop their technical skills and build confidence.
What Are Industry Placements?
An industry placement is part of a T Level course – a new qualification for 16-19-year olds that have been designed by employers. T Level students spend 80% of the course in the classroom, learning the skills that employers need. Industry placements are a shift from traditional work experience to a longer, more structured placement in the workplace for young people to develop real work skills and make a meaningful contribution to your organisation. Placements will last at least 315 hours (approx. 45 days).
Why Offer Industry Placements?
Industry placements give you:
- fresh ideas and input from the next generation
- a talent pipeline for the future
- a way for you to fill skills gaps
- a chance for staff to develop supervisory and mentoring skills
- an opportunity to build a more diverse workforce
- an enhanced reputation in your community
Over the next few years, T Levels will scale up to include 23 courses, covering 11 skill areas.
Kidney Research UK has benefitted from work placement students since October 2014, hosting 5 students to date. Each student has worked well and supported our Finance Team. This work has included banking reconciliations coding bank statements and scanning of invoices. All this work is important and shows that we trust students with essential work, not work staff do not want to do themselves. Bringing in students to support the team has seen staff develop their own management skills and mentoring skills whilst the student learns, making the whole process a win win for all concerned.
Christian Comforth – Volunteer Programme Manager
Kidney Research UK
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a few things which you will need to commit to, which include:
- Providing at least 45 days’ work placement.
- Agreeing a work plan with Inspire Education Group and the student. These will include relevant learning objectives that are linked to the sector and the student’s area of study.
- Making sure the working environment is safe and allow the student to develop their practical skills in a safe way.
- Having a dedicated member of staff to mentor and supervise the student, and provide feedback on their progress.
Providing feedback at the end of the placement.
Students on industry placements bring with them enthusiasm, good subject knowledge and skills to support your business.
- Flexibility: take placement students to fit your business needs. Placements can be one or two days a week through the year; one or two weeks at a time; a month at a time, or longer.
- Develop staff management and supervisory skills: supervising or managing placement students can help to develop your employees’ leadership skills, boosting job satisfaction and retention.
- Foster future talent: get to know students and identify talented individuals who you may wish to offer employment to in the future.
- Extra help at no cost: industrial placement students carry out real work while developing their skills and knowledge.
- Boost your company’s reputation: people completing placements with you talk to their friends and family, and mention their experiences on social media.
We are looking for employers to provide industrial placements in the following sectors and roles:
- Nursing
- Health & Social Care
- Child development and well being
- Animal Care & veterinary science
- Engineering
- Manufacturing technologies
- Building & construction
- ICT practitioners
- Hospitality & catering
- Hairdressing & beauty
- Crafts, creative arts & design
- Media & communication
- Publishing and information services
- Business administration
- Accounting
We will support you at every stage of the process, from making sure that students are ready to go on a placement, to checking in with you to see how students are progressing, and making sure you have everything necessary in place for the student.
The placement is part of a young person’s Study Programme, so there is no requirement to pay them. However, employers can optionally pay students or support with costs if you wish.
If there are other costs that you incur for a student on an industry placement, such as providing personal protective equipment, specialist equipment, training or DBS checks we can help cover the cost of these. Please contact us for more information.
It’s simple to become an industrial placement employer. All you need to do is contact us:
Peterborough – work.experience@peterborough.ac.uk or call 01733 863080
Stamford – work.experience@stamford.ac.uk or call 01780 484362
Work with us (Employers)
If you would like more information on how your business could work with Peterborough College, Part of Inspire Education Group, fill in the form.