Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Industrial Placement

rdudley1992

I am studying Accounting and Finance at Plymouth Uni, I was just short of a 2:1 in my first year with 58% I want to do a placement but what is the likeliness of me getting a placement with a 2:2 and not so many UCAS points or even great GCSE's.

Reply 1

Dan1909

It's doable, it won't be as easy as if you had got a 1st or even a 2:1 in your first year, but it's far from impossible. Put together a great CV and cover letter and hope you get through to an interview. Once you're at the interview, it's pretty much based purely on what happens in the interview, so from that point on the grades don't matter.

Reply 2

pheonix254

You can be economical with the truth - if they don't ask your grade, volunteer your "predicted" future grades of a 2:1. Don't lie, but just don't volunteer information that might work against you. Speak to your tutor (particularly if they're refereeing for you) get them to agree you're capable of getting a 2:1 if you try harder in your second year. You probably spent too much time in bars and not enough in the library in your first year- that's the stereotypical 2:2 excuse (nothing personal - I don't know you).

Does your first year even count towards your degree? Mine didn't. anything above 40% allowed you to continue to 2nd year.

Placements with a 2:2 so far shouldn't be much more difficult - they're placements, not final jobs - again, it's down to your cover letter and interview to make a good impression for why you will be good - grades are often just a binary tickbox - yes, meets requirements; or no, throw away. If you're capable of getting a 2:1, then that's what you should be selling.

Best of luck,

Stu Haynes, MEng

Reply 3

bluemax

have you tried talking to your university? Some uni's do have contact with industries and are able to set up placements.

Reply 4

Dan1909

Original post by bluemax

have you tried talking to your university? Some uni's do have contact with industries and are able to set up placements.

Generally those will still require some form of interview. The university typically sends of a handful of what they deem to be the best candidates from their students, and then the company will choose who they want to interview, and choose their placement student from that.

Reply 5

bluemax

Original post by Dan1909

try this link if you havent already. http://www.etrust.org.uk/year_in_industry.cfm

Reply 6

Dan1909

Original post by bluemax

try this link if you havent already. http://www.etrust.org.uk/year_in_industry.cfm

Looks like a decent link for anyone looking for a placement. Would be nice if they had an option to search by role though, rather than just area (although chances are I just didn't look long enough).

Definitely worth a look though if anyone still needs to find a placement.