[barkyface]

Are placements compulsory at your university? Do you think they should be?

Placements are obviously the best way to increase your post-grad employability but do you think motivated students would get them anyway or should your uni push you into gaining them?

When considering a university do compulsory placements play a large role in your choice?

I wrote about it on my blog specifically concentrating on PR degrees (http://bit.ly/yvnfjT) but I'd like to know people's opinions generally on all types of business degrees.

[Ronny7]

I think placements should always be optional to students, as the majority of business degrees are not aiming at a specific job. It's not like a nursing degree when you know that when you graduate you will be trained for a specific job.

Although, I think you would be a fool to not go on and do a placement. It is a great chance to secure a job for when you graduate with a major employer in the industry. Also, you would do well to get a good job afterwards if you hadn't done some sort of work experience beforehand.

[Bud Fox]

They shouldn't, reduce university years to 3, placements are for the summer.

[barkyface]

(Original post by Bud Fox)
They shouldn't, reduce university years to 3, placements are for the summer.

Well you seem assured of this. How about students who need to work over summer to fund university?

[Ronny7]

(Original post by barkyface)
Well you seem assured of this. How about students who need to work over summer to fund university?

Make the placements paid, as they mostly are in the current setup?

Seems like a good idea to me. Start at the end of June finish at the end of August. More students will want to do it as well as it's the same amount of years with or without the placement.

[snufkin_]

I think my university has a good set up. Everyone doing business/computing courses have to apply for placements but if you don't get one you can go straight onto final year. However, they don't let you go for less than minimum wage (around 12.5k), and it's upto you where you go/which one you take so long as you get offers.

It's a fantastic way to apply your knowledge in an industry, and with a lot of the bigger companies if they like you you'll have a guaranteed place on their grad scheme or they'll secure you a job for when you graduate.

Also they give people a bit of an edge for when you graduate. And people are that bit more mature when doing their final year and dissertation.

The only time I don't agree with placements is when they are unpaid or doing a job that isn't particularly useful. If your taking a year out of your life to work then I think it should be for something that's useful and you will enjoy doing and learn a lot out of.

[Bud Fox]

(Original post by barkyface)
Well you seem assured of this. How about students who need to work over summer to fund university?

You've already answered yourself. Placements = Money + Experience = Competitive edge for when you graduate. It would be unwise to lengthen your studies for something you can do over the summer.

[barkyface]

(Original post by Bud Fox)
You've already answered yourself. Placements = Money + Experience = Competitive edge for when you graduate. It would be unwise to lengthen your studies for something you can do over the summer.

Not really, a lot of placements expect you to work unpaid.
However if placements are integrated into the course then students won't struggle to fund themselves in the same way as having to sacrifice a summer of earning money.

[barkyface]

(Original post by snufkin_)
I think my university has a good set up. Everyone doing business/computing courses have to apply for placements but if you don't get one you can go straight onto final year. However, they don't let you go for less than minimum wage (around 12.5k), and it's upto you where you go/which one you take so long as you get offers.

It's a fantastic way to apply your knowledge in an industry, and with a lot of the bigger companies if they like you you'll have a guaranteed place on their grad scheme or they'll secure you a job for when you graduate.

Also they give people a bit of an edge for when you graduate. And people are that bit more mature when doing their final year and dissertation.

The only time I don't agree with placements is when they are unpaid or doing a job that isn't particularly useful. If your taking a year out of your life to work then I think it should be for something that's useful and you will enjoy doing and learn a lot out of.

What university is that? It sounds like it has it sorted!

[barkyface]

(Original post by Ronny7)
Make the placements paid, as they mostly are in the current setup?

Seems like a good idea to me. Start at the end of June finish at the end of August. More students will want to do it as well as it's the same amount of years with or without the placement.

What sort of placements are paid? I study PR so most of our placements are unpaid. Short term that is, year placements are paid unless there are exceptional circumstances.

[Ronny7]

(Original post by barkyface)
What sort of placements are paid? I study PR so most of our placements are unpaid. Short term that is, year placements are paid unless there are exceptional circumstances.

The majority of placements in business degrees are done throughout the whole of the third year of study, most of which give you a salary.

If you are changing from the current set up to one where placements are done in the summer, then why would they stop being paid?

[Bud Fox]

(Original post by barkyface)
Not really, a lot of placements expect you to work unpaid.
However if placements are integrated into the course then students won't struggle to fund themselves in the same way as having to sacrifice a summer of earning money.

Not really, in the financial sector 90% will pay you weekly wages. I interned in Morgan Stanley last summer and received $900 weekly, is this bad according to you?

That's your problem. I see summer placements as an opportunity to learn and network, not as a sacrifice.

[barkyface]

(Original post by Bud Fox)
Not really, in the financial sector 90% will pay you weekly wages. I interned in Morgan Stanley last summer and received $900 weekly, is this bad according to you?

That's your problem. I see summer placements as an opportunity to learn and network, not as a sacrifice.

That's just the financial sector then. There are other areas of business less likely to pay.

My problem? I have no problem. I have completed multiple placements, some paid, some voluntary. However I am in a position where I can afford to do this, other people need to earn money to fund their studies.