Luke Garrity
Futures First Ambassador & Placement Student at Enterprise Rent-a-Car
Completing a placement (a year in industry between your second and third years at University) is a great way to gain employability skills and network. However, much of the benefit gained from a placement year will be realised in your return to University.
Applying Acquired Skills
Time Management and Organisation
The most obvious skill you will acquire from a placement is a greater ability to manage your time and organise your week. For the duration of your placement, you will be given deadlines for various tasks and competing demands from your colleagues. Much of your early placement experience will likely be grappling with these conflicting pressures, finding out which methods make you the most productive throughout your week. Of course, you will have had some experience of this in your first two years at University but generally you will have more tasks with shorter deadlines at work. This does create some pressure however coming back to finish your studies will then feel so much more straightforward!
Perseverance and Motivation
How many times at Uni have you had a piece of work to do and thought “this can wait until tomorrow”? I know that I was very susceptible to that, but thankfully my placement year really snapped me out of this mindset. You will come to find that being relied on by your colleagues will really keep you motivated to complete work on time and to a high standard. We also all have down days where we don’t feel like doing much, being in a work environment will force you to persevere through these days, making it so much easier in your final year. If you’re anything like me and occasionally struggle to keep motivated, a placement might be a great place to change your mindset!
Teamwork, Communication and Confidence
In nearly every job you will have to work with other people in groups. You will likely have some experience working in teams through University, and these skills will be enhanced throughout your time on placement. I also found myself a much more confident person after my placement year, much more willing to try experiences outside of my comfort zone that I certainly wouldn’t have done beforehand.
Less Pressure in Your Final Year
In addition to the skills gained from placement year, many students come back feeling less pressure than those who don’t complete one. On some occasions, your placement employer will offer you a job upon completion of your degree. Even if this is not the case, you will typically be more employable than your peers, meaning less time to spend on increasing your employability. Therefore, by taking a year out to complete a placement, you can get the most out of your final year at Uni.
Conclusion
To conclude, by completing a placement year you will be in a much better place when returning to University for your final year. You will undoubtedly gain a variety of skills throughout your year, many more than listed here, which will help your organisation, motivation and planning throughout the year. You will also likely be able to spend more time focussing on your degree or having fun!
Find out more about the Futures First Ambassadors here.
Discover placement opportunities here.