Why offer a placement?

Because it can help your students meet your programme’s aims and learning outcomes

Research has shown that work placements enhance students’ attainment/degree classification in their final year in comparison with students who have not undertaken a placement (Gomez, Lush, & Clements, 2004). One study highlighted that placement students enhanced their intellectual development and sharpened their analytical abilities – both of which contributed to their achieving a higher degree classification on completion of their course (Davies, 2003).

More data available at:

http://www.asetonline.org/PDFs/Placements%20and%20Final%20Year%20Performance.pdf

And:

http://www.work-experience.org/assets/assets/documents/The_correlation_between_industrial_placements_and_final_degree_results.pdf

The Edinburgh Napier view

The University’s Academic Strategy 2009-15 reminds us that Edinburgh Napier programmes are characterised by ‘an applied, professional or vocational focus which contribute directly to employability’. At the same time, the University ‘seeks to promote and encourage the development of new approaches to programme delivery — for example, employer-linked and work-based learning programmes’. Existing guidance from the Quality Framework suggests a number of occasions when placement learning ought to be included in a programme, including when:

• The aims and learning outcomes of some programmes are best met through such provision;
• Placements provide a useful conduit for staff and students to the external environment and help reinforce our strong links with industry and commerce;
• It may be required in order for students to gain recognition by a professional body;
• The added value to the development of individuals through such experiences is well documented;
• It enhances student CVs significantly and offers the possibility of permanent positions with their employers after completion of their studies.

Strengthening academic performance is another reason why the University is aiming to increase the number of students engaging with placements and/or wider work-related learning, as stated in the corporate plan (Section 7.2):

http://staff.napier.ac.uk/services/principal/Documents/Corporate%20Plan_20091104%20v1%206.pdf

Because it helps students find better jobs, more quickly

Research by the University of Manchester found that 69% of placement students were offered graduate jobs and 40% of annual graduate-level intake from employers consisted of former placement students (University of Manchester and UMIST, 2004)

Because your school could benefit

Regular placements will give you the opportunity to establish strong future links with employers which can lead to collaborative research and knowledge transfer. This in turn can become a source of income for your department and helpful in developing the curriculum.

Some typical aims of a work placement:

• Implement some academic aspects of the course of study, and lay experiential foundations for further study.
• Develop students’ personal and enterprise skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, decision making, initiative, and creativity.
• Enhance students’ awareness of the work environment in professional, social and behavioural contexts, thus improving students’ employability.
• Assist students in self-awareness and development of their individual career planning.
• Develop and maintain links between the HEI, employers and the community, for many reasons including research and commercial issues as well as taught-course development.