BMEc boosts links with employers as student demand for work experience soars
The School of Business Management and Economics (BMEc) is strengthening ties with employers, as student demand for employability skills and real workplace experience soars.
From a small-scale pilot in 2012, there are now more than 100 students seeking placements through the Professional Placements Programme. This is expected to grow further as over 160 first year undergraduates have already enrolled onto a placements degree for 2016.
Through the programme, employers are able to gain a direct route into a pool of bright and enthusiastic students. Placements have also been used as an opportunity to ‘road test’ potential graduate recruits, offering cost-benefits to the recruitment process. Feedback has been extremely positive:
‘Anna Kalnaja is still amazing and we’re looking forward to her joining us once her degree is complete in the summer. She is an absolute ray of light to our team, and has delivered results within the marketing, buying, operations and sales departments’ - French Bedroom Company
The Placements Team are rated 6th in the UK for RateMyPlacement’s ‘Student Happiness Index’, and have also been shortlisted for a 2015 National Undergraduate Award for increasing employability. They offer practical support including advertising, providing facilities and support for assessment at interviews, and feedback at the end of the placement year.
Placements last a minimum of 40 weeks and students must be paid at least the upper national minimum wage and be given graduate level work to do. Placements are currently offered to students across Britain, Continental Europe, North and Latin America, parts of Africa and Asia.
Ian Pierson, the Placements Co-ordinator at BMEc, added that demand for work experience is also soaring due to the University's support for First Generation Scholars. As a result, BMEc aims to develop its work with employers and plans to build up a portfolio of businesses who are able to offer support through guest lectures, short work-place projects and part-time work for students.
If you are interested in offering work placements, or are keen to discuss other collaborative ways to engage with BMEc, please contact a member of the Alumni Relations Team for further information.