Work placements
Work placements are a fantastic opportunity for employers to reap the many rewards from recruiting a University of Exeter student. They can be offered on a full- or part-time basis as part of short-term or year-long placement programmes. Students are looking for employers across a diverse range of sectors and are interested in a variety of different roles.
Placements are part of credit-bearing modules that students undertake as part of their degree programme. These are different to internships which are taken as extra-curricular, i.e. outside of the degree.
University of Exeter students are available to undertake a range of placement options, depending on their placement module requirements (see drop-down menu below) and your business needs.
Our placement team are dedicated to providing excellent employability support to both students and employers to help make the placement experience both positive and impactful for all.
Why employ our students?
- Support on a particular project or business initiative
- A pipeline for future talent into your organisation from a prestigious University
- Inject fresh ideas and up to date knowledge into your business
- A great way to raise awareness of your company and brand
- Enables you to give something back by providing our students with a valuable opportunity to build and develop their experience and skills
- Fill a skills gap or vacancy
- Benefit from a low-cost staffing solution
- Develop current staff through opportunities to mentor
- Create international networks and raise your company profile
Over 4300 of our students are multi-lingual and are thus well-placed to research and analyse country-specific market intelligence and help establish business networks. An Exeter student will typically be able to:
- Make a valuable contribution to team projects
- Use effective communication skills across a range of digital and traditional media
- Devise innovative and creative solutions to meet a range of business needs
- Analyse, collate and synthesise a wide range of complex data
- Deploy diverse research techniques and skills
- Self-manage and use their time effectively
These will vary depending on the particular placement programme/module a student is undertaking, however some examples can be found below;
Industrial or Professional Placement Year
- Typically last for between 6 to 12 months
- Some students may be able to undertake two or more shorter placements as part of their overall placement requirements
- Opportunities usually start in June to August
- Undergraduate students take the placement in their third year
- Work must be of an appropriate graduate level and aid career development
- Advertised at least 3 months in advance of start date to allow for recruitment process and University placement paperwork process
- We would recommend that all placements are paid on a minimum of National Living Wage
- Students may need to complete an academic piece of work e.g. a report as part of their placement module and you may be asked to provide feedback as part of this
- Here is a list of our current year long placement modules with recommended advertising timelines
- Placement students may need to complete an academic piece of work e.g. report, based on their placement
- Here is our current Year in Industry Placement Module List
Short-term placement modules
- The minimum placement length ranges from 1 week up to 3 months and may be worked on a full time or part time basis both during term time and holidays
- Placements are undertaken by both undergraduates and postgraduates
- Short-term placements may be unpaid although we would recommend all placements are paid
- Advertised at least 2-3 months in advance of start date to allow for recruitment process and University placement paperwork process
- Placement students may need to complete an academic piece of work e.g. report, based on their placement
- Here is our current Short Placement Module List
International placements
- Often follow the same recruitment pattern as short-term placements
- Work placements/Internships (from 1 to 12 months)
- Turing scheme work abroad placements
- Graduate placements/Internships (2 months +)
We have hired a number of Exeter students into our industrial placement roles this year and the quality has been outstanding. With a reputation for being one the best Universities in the UK for Business students, this is also reflected in the services offered by the Business School Careers Team.
Harriette Gwilt, University Recruitment Graduate, Johnson & Johnson
For a comprehensive, step-by-step guide to developing and delivering work placement opportunities, please click here.
For further information on how to advertise a placement opportunity, please click here.
For contact details at our Exeter-based and Penryn campuses, please click here.