91ÇÑ×Ó

Thank you for your interest in becoming a placement provider.  91ÇÑ×Ó Adams University places great importance on the industrial placement period which is regarded as an essential part of each course as it greatly improves the career prospects of graduates.   

The aim 

The aim of the work placement is to integrate theory of teaching and learning at the university with real-world experience. This allows the student to put learning into practice and develop essential skills for career development.  

Specific aims are: 

• To provide an opportunity to apply knowledge, understanding and skills acquired on the course, in an industrial, commercial or professional environment.
• To provide opportunities to evaluate own employability skills and develop in a real working environment.
• To develop an appreciation of management skills and sensitivity towards the interpersonal relationships involved.
• To inculcate a mature, professional and flexible attitude in readiness for final year study and career development.
• To provide experience on which to base career plans.
• To acquire further knowledge and experience upon which the student group can draw in the later stages of the course. 

Students are required to complete an assignment that supports them to reflect and develop key skills such as resilience, communication and self-reflection. They must pass the assignment to progress into their final year of the degree. 

Placement benefits

Placement opportunities offer benefits to the placement provider and student: 

Benefits to the placement provider

New ideas 

Placement students can bring a new perspective to the business, bringing new ideas and suggestions 

Links with universities 

Universities can support with a variety of projects such as knowledge exchange, research projects and learning opportunities for existing staff. For further information about how universities can support business, visit the Business section of our website.  

Cost effective staffing 

Placement students can be with you for 44 to 52 weeks, providing you with an extra pair of hands to work on projects that have been put on the back burner, help at peak times for the business or bring new ideas and enthusiasm to the team. 

Create a talent pipeline 

Placements can be an opportunity for you to evaluate future graduates, reducing time spent in recruitment and selection 

Staff development opportunities for existing staff 

Managing a placement student can provide an opportunity for your existing staff to develop their management, coaching and mentoring skills.  

Brand reputation 

Companies offering placements are looked upon favourably by graduates – showing you are supportive of staff development and providing opportunities for young people will attract more applicants. 

Benefits to the student

Preparation for work after graduation 

Students on placement develop their employability skills, including communication, team working, resilience and an opportunity to explore different career pathways. 

Practical experience 

Students will gain practical experience and put learning into context 

Building contacts and networking 

Students will start to develop their professional networks, helping them in their future careers. 

Enhance their CV 

Students can demonstrate work experience within their chosen career or show they have transferable skills. 

What to consider 

Employing a placement student can be a positive experience if planned well and you are prepared to offer the support and guidance the student will need; all students are different and will come to you with different levels of work experience, knowledge of your sector and confidence. There some are key considerations to make sure you and the student have the best experience of placements: 

The job role 

How do you make the job role sound interesting and attractive to potential placement students? A variety of placement providers advertise roles for students each year; consider how you will attract the best applicants and offer the best experience.

The employment contract 

Students will be your member of staff for the duration of a placement, so will require a contract that outlines roles and responsibilities, terms and conditions of employment. 

Opportunities 

What opportunities can you offer a placement student? Consider a plan for the placement year and how you will get the most out of your employee, and how your employee will get the most out of their placement year 

Consider the student perspective 

Consider the age and maturity of the student: this may be their first experience of work and therefore needs additional guidance and structure. What are the student’s career goals; how can you support them in their aspirations? Consider who will manage the student – they will be required to take part in 2 placement reviews and offer guidance to the student throughout the placement year 

Health and Safety 

We will ask you to provide evidence of Employers Liability Insurance, health and safety policies as part of our approval process; we have a duty of care to our students to make sure they are in a safe environment, but the responsibility for their health and safety in the workplace lies with the employer.  

Impartiality 

We encourage our students to apply for placements that are not known to them or connections within their family or networks of businesses. This allows the student to be impartial and learn about an unfamiliar setting and offer new experiences. We also encourage students to look outside of their local area. Students may be unfamiliar with the local area and not have social networks locally.  

If you would like to discuss this opportunity further, please contact the Placement Office.

Advertising your vacancy 

University policy is based on government and industry guidance, which requires us to hold electronic records of all placements offered to students at 91ÇÑ×Ó Adams University.  New placement providers are approved by the placement managers, so please provide the details by following the instructions below:  

• Request an employer account on the 91ÇÑ×Ó Adams website.
• Complete Company name, contact name and email address then click the Send Request button. 
• Once your request has been approved we will send a registration email from webmaster@harper-adams.ac.uk to the email address provided.
• Once you have received this, complete your account setup by clicking the Create Account link in the email.
• In the employers’ log in area, enter your email address and account password and click Sign in. 
• Choose Offer a placement.
• Complete the form with as much information as possible. 
• You will be asked to confirm that you have adequate Employers’ Liability insurance before you can continue. (If the placement is outside of the UK, you will need to have the equivalent insurance). 
• Once you have completed your details, click Submit Placement. You will have the option to print the summary page. 
• You will receive an email confirming receipt of your vacancy; this will include your reference number.  Please keep this for future reference.
• If you wish to edit your job once it has been submitted, log in to the Employers Dashboard and your current vacancy will be listed on the Current placements page. 

Note: if you edit your vacancy details, the placement team will need to re-approve before it is re-advertised to our students. 

Opportunities to meet students 

The university facilitate opportunities for employers to meet students through the career and placement fairs, held in October/November each year, along with the scholarship fair. You can also engage with students through attending tutorials to offer information about opportunities within the sector. For further information, please contact the Placement Office. 

The placement year 

Guidelines for each course area will vary, dependent on the nature of the placement and type of work. Below are expectations, policies and requirements that apply to all placement providers. Please see specific course guidance for information relevant to the course area.

Responsibilities 

The university, student and placement provider have a responsibility to ensure the safety and welfare of the student, alongside offering the best possible experience for all involved.  It is a joint arrangement between the university, student and placement provider. Below outlines general responsibilities:

Responsibilities of the University

• Ensuring as far as possible that students work in a situation where the placement is efficiently and safely run and complies with current Health and Safety Legislation and HSE Codes of Practice, by requiring placement providers to make a signed declaration, that they fulfil statutory health and safety and insurance obligations.
• Placing the student with a provider who is sympathetic to the student’s needs for support, training and experience.
• Complying with data protection laws including the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (as amended or superseded from time to time) and guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
• Allocating a placement tutor who will maintain contact with the student (whether in person, by telephone, email, through online calls using MS Teams or other means), during the placement period.  Also conducting two reviews of the placement to discuss the student’s progress and other work and personal related issues. The first review takes place around three months after the placement commences, and the second review towards the end of the placement before the placement ends.
• Working to ensure that placement providers are aware of, and fulfil their responsibilities as outlined below.
• The University is also keen to advise on other matters, for example, pay rates and student wellbeing.

Responsibilities of the employer

The University encourages placement providers to recognise the purpose of the industrial period in the education and training of the student.  We are therefore grateful for all help placement providers offer by:

• Providing an induction at the start of the placement that outlines health and safety procedures and other organisational requirements.
• Providing as many opportunities for acquiring new skills as possible commensurate with the level of learning expected of an undergraduate student, including technical and professional development
• Providing regular feedback on the student’s performance and helping them to improve their employability skills and attributes.
• Allowing the student to acquire an understanding of the organisation and management of the business, and where appropriate, to make records available.
• Providing support for the identification and implementation of a Company Project, the aims and objectives of which should be negotiated between the employer, the student and the placement tutor.
• Attending the tripartite reviews to provide feedback, including the provision of an employability score at the 2^nd review. 

The responsibilities of the placement provider are those normally required in any working situation and therefore include: 

• Holding current Employers’ and Public Liability insurance and notifying their insurers of the student’s name for their records where required to do so.
• Complying with employers’ legal responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and operating an Equal Opportunities Policy.
• Complying with data protection laws including the Data Protection Act 2018 and the General Data Protection Regulation (as amended or superseded from time to time) and guidance issued by the Information Commissioner’s Office.
• Ensuring that accommodation for the student, where provided by the placement provider, meets basic hygiene and environmental standards.
• Paying the student according to the current rates, where appropriate.
• Negotiating the terms of employment in advance and issuing the student with a contract of employment. As appropriate to any employee on a fixed term contract, this would include details of disciplinary procedures. Suggested sources of information for placement providers regarding management of performance, employment law, statements of employment, working hours, breaks, holidays, wages, equality, disability, health and safety at work, insurance, etc.: , ,  
• Having a high regard for the Health and Safety of the student and comply with current Health and Safety Legislation and HSE Codes of Practice; in particular not request them carry out tasks which are outside of the law and carry out employee training on the same.
• Having relevant Health and Safety policy in place and carry out risk assessments as relevant.
• Reporting to the University any recorded accidents involving the student. 

Further details are included in a Placement Provider Agreement to which placement providers are asked to commit before advertising a vacancy. 

Responsibilities of the student

Students are expected not only to learn from their placements, but also to be full members of the workforce. They are therefore expected to: 

• Become functional members of the workforce.
• Advise the placement of any disabilities, illnesses or medical requirements that may have an impact on their placement .
• Always display a keenness to learn and acquire new skills, respond to feedback and maintain a positive attitude.
• Carry out duties as requested.
• Maintain the highest standards of health and safety and general tidiness.
• Complete course assignments within the timescales set.
• Always respect employer/client confidentiality.
• Always act as ambassadors of the University.
• Students are also expected to co-operate with and support their tutor, maintaining good communication with the University.
• Complete two assignments, which will be marked by the placement tutor.

Placement reviews 

The placement tutor will conduct a formal review on two occasions during the placement year; the first will typically be within three months of the placement start date, then the second will be towards the end of the placement year.  

Students on the UK mainland will usually be visited in person by the placement tutor. This meeting will be agreed with the placement provider, student and placement tutor at a mutually convenient time. 

For students outside of the UK mainland, meetings will typically be remote, however students and placement providers can expect the same level of support through email, telephone or Teams meetings. 

For students on placement overseas, this review may be using an agent or discussion with the placement provider, student and assigned placement tutor using telephone, email, MS Teams or equivalent means to communicate.

Contact

Please address any questions to the Placement Office Manager via the Placement Office at 91ÇÑ×Ó Adams University: 

Email: placement@harper-adams.ac.uk