Placement at average uni vs Russell group uni (no placement)
I have gained offers from Nottingham Trent Uni for Electronic Engineering. I have no work experience within the engineering sector.
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
(edited 6 years ago)
Scroll to see replies
I would go for the russel group uni without placement personally, but it depends whether you want a placement as it would be beneficial
Original post by moonlightbae
I have gained offers from Nottingham Trent Uni for Electronic Engineering. I have no work experience within the engineering sector.
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
Hi @moonlightbae
Congrats on both of your offers!
Obviously I am slightly bias towards NTU, but as a Business Management and Marketing student currently on placement I can safely say that the work experience I have gained through going on placement is invaluable.
I have learnt in just the 3 months that I have been working that how different it is to be in a real-world situation rather than just learning theory. To put it in context, when I have applied for jobs they have been more interested in the skills that I have and how I have shown them rather than the companies I have worked for.
This will of course be slightly different when it comes to graduate level jobs but I hope you get what I mean?
NTU offers work-place experience on all of our courses for the reason that we believe this makes our graduates more employable. Have you had a look on Unistats? - On there will be the statistics for graduates who go on to employment 6 months after graduation which might be helpful
If you have any questions give me a shout and I'll do my best to answer!
Chris - NTU Rep
Even if a university does not explicitly offer a year in industry, you can normally still take a year out and go on a placement. The only exception to this rule is if you are an international student. If you are international student you have to be in one those "with a year in industry" courses for visa reasons. When I was an undergrad I knew a handful of people who took a year out even though the university does not offer "with a year in industry" courses. You should also note that even if you are a on a sandwich placement course you will usually still need to look for the placement yourself and if you can't find it you will revert to the normal course.
Perhaps you might want to look at and consider an EEE course with an integrated placement year instead of a sandwich year, such as the course offered at ASTON uni. With an integrated year you get to have a year long placement and whilst still finishing your MEng in 4 years.
Perhaps you might want to look at and consider an EEE course with an integrated placement year instead of a sandwich year, such as the course offered at ASTON uni. With an integrated year you get to have a year long placement and whilst still finishing your MEng in 4 years.
Original post by moonlightbae
I have gained offers from Nottingham Trent Uni for Electronic Engineering. I have no work experience within the engineering sector.
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
Some leading engineering universities offer placement years, including Bath, Loughborough, Oxford Brookes. And some RGs do too, eg QUB (Queen's University Belfast).
But the most important thing is finding the course *you* prefer.
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(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by moonlightbae
I have gained offers from Nottingham Trent Uni for Electronic Engineering. I have no work experience within the engineering sector.
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
A year of experience is of more value. Although you don't necessarily have to take a course with a year in industry to do a year in industry, as you may be able to take a year out of your studies.
Just take a year out to do the placement year. That comes with the added bonus of not paying tuition fees for the year out and not having tacked on assessments from the uni to worry about.
Original post by Student-95
Just take a year out to do the placement year. That comes with the added bonus of not paying tuition fees for the year out and not having tacked on assessments from the uni to worry about.
You still pay tuition fees while on placement (20%).
Welcome to the UK.
Original post by trapking
You still pay tuition fees while on placement (20%).
Welcome to the UK.
Welcome to the UK.
Only if you do it as part of the course... My suggestion was to go to the Russel uni and take a year out to do the placement year.
Original post by Student-95
Only if you do it as part of the course... My suggestion was to go to the Russel uni and take a year out to do the placement year.
No, even if you do it and the uni doesn't award a "....with a year in industry" degree you will still be charged tuition fees because someone has to look after you while you are away from uni to make sure it's actually compatible with the degree, you aren't being taken advantage of etc.
It is for this reason why student finance still charge 20% of tuition fees regardless.
Original post by trapking
No, even if you do it and the uni doesn't award a "....with a year in industry" degree you will still be charged tuition fees because someone has to look after you while you are away from uni to make sure it's actually compatible with the degree, you aren't being taken advantage of etc.
It is for this reason why student finance still charge 20% of tuition fees regardless.
It is for this reason why student finance still charge 20% of tuition fees regardless.
No you don't. You take a year out - the uni has nothing to do with it. It's not a sandwich course.
Original post by Student-95
No you don't. You take a year out - the uni has nothing to do with it. It's not a sandwich course.
The only way it would work without you getting charged tuition fees is if you actually tell your university you're stopping your studies entirely...but this has ramifications (and you're going to need lots of evidence because they will ask why....if you tell them you're going to do a placement SFE will charge you...they actually milk money from people).
Original post by trapking
The only way it would work without you getting charged tuition fees is if you actually tell your university you're stopping your studies entirely...but this has ramifications (and you're going to need lots of evidence because they will ask why....if you tell them you're going to do a placement SFE will charge you).
No... you are allowed to suspend your studies for a year
Original post by Student-95
No... you are allowed to suspend your studies for a year
What...then lie on placement year applications that you're still student at university (even though technically you've completely suspended your studies for 1 year)? lol
I have plenty of friends who have gone on placement years and I literally know none that weren't charged the 20% by SFE.
Original post by trapking
What...then lie on placement year applications that you're still student at university (even though you've completely suspended your studies for 1 year)? lol
I have plenty of friends who have gone on placement years and I literally know none that weren't charged the 20% by SFE.
I have plenty of friends who have gone on placement years and I literally know none that weren't charged the 20% by SFE.
What are you taking about? You wouldn't suspend your studies until you find a placement otherwise you might not get one then you wouldn't need the year off anymore.
So? Lol, just because none of your friends did it this way doesn't mean you can't do it. The standard way is to go through the uni and obviously they will encourage that route because then you have to pay them.
Original post by Student-95
What are you taking about? You wouldn't suspend your studies until you find a placement otherwise you might not get one then you wouldn't need the year off anymore.
So? Lol, just because none of your friends did it this way doesn't mean you can't do it. The standard way is to go through the uni and obviously they will encourage that route because then you have to pay them.
So? Lol, just because none of your friends did it this way doesn't mean you can't do it. The standard way is to go through the uni and obviously they will encourage that route because then you have to pay them.
What horrible advice.
I would not recommend anyone doing what you've just said. Also I wasn't just speaking about people from my university I have friends all over different unis that I kept in contact with (Imperial,Sheffield,Sussex,Loughborough etc.).
Original post by trapking
What horrible advice.
I would not recommend anyone doing what you've just said. Also I wasn't just speaking about people from my university I have friends all over different unis that I kept in contact with (Imperial,Sheffield,Sussex,Loughborough etc.).
I would not recommend anyone doing what you've just said. Also I wasn't just speaking about people from my university I have friends all over different unis that I kept in contact with (Imperial,Sheffield,Sussex,Loughborough etc.).
Lmao, why is it horrible advice? Not paying tuition fees is a bonus and not having to worry about extra assessments is a bonus. Meanwhile you haven't given a single downside. The only downside I can think of is at some unis the placement year counts towards your degree and in some cases counts as one of your years (e.g. a four year masters with the fourth year being a placement). If that's the case you'd miss out on that but at many unis that's not the case.
Again, so what? Just because they chose not to do it this way (they might not have even been aware it was an option) doesn't mean you can't do it.
Original post by Student-95
Lmao, why is it horrible advice? Not paying tuition fees is a bonus and not having to worry about extra assessments is a bonus. Meanwhile you haven't given a single downside. The only downside I can think of is at some unis the placement year counts towards your degree and in some cases counts as one of your years (e.g. a four year masters with the fourth year being a placement). If that's the case you'd miss out on that but at many unis that's not the case.
This is directly from the SFE fact sheet 2017/2018:
Tuition Fee Loan Students at any university or college in England or Wales on ANY TYPE of work placement can apply for a reduced Tuition Fee Loan of £1,850. This will be paid directly to the student’s university or college.
It's certainly not a good idea to actively try and dodge payments everyone (who goes on placement that is) has to make and also as I mentioned before, putting off your studies for a year has certain ramifications depending on the university it's not something that's just done easily.
If people could dodge payments as easily as you're saying then everybody else would be doing the same thing and suspending their studies once they obtained placements..
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by trapking
It's certainly not a good idea to actively try and dodge payments everyone (who goes on placement that is) has to make and also as I mentioned before, putting off your studies for a year has certain ramifications depending on the university it's not something that's just done easily.
If people could dodge payments as easily as you're saying then everybody else would be doing the same thing and suspending their studies once they obtained placements..
If people could dodge payments as easily as you're saying then everybody else would be doing the same thing and suspending their studies once they obtained placements..
Lmao, did you even read that? "CAN APPLY". In this case you wouldn't need to apply because you wouldn't have any fees to pay.
You're not dodging anything. You don't pay tuition because you wouldn't receive any tuition... No visits, no admin, no assessments. The uni wouldn't be involved at all so why would you need to pay them?
Some do. As you're demonstrating some people have no idea it's an option.
Original post by moonlightbae
I have gained offers from Nottingham Trent Uni for Electronic Engineering. I have no work experience within the engineering sector.
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
An advantage of this course is that the NTU offers a placement for a year.
However, the University of Nottingham does not offer a year in industry.
Which Uni would be the best route for me?
An okayish uni with placement? or a Russell group uni without placement?
both courses have modules that I am interested in, which makes the choice more difficult.. Therefore, I'd appreciate your opinions.
What would be more valued to an employer?
If the NTU course is accredited by the IET/IEEE (chances are, it is indeed accredited), then you can't go wrong with it.
Engineering is one of those disciplines where the university you go to doesn't really matter.
However, if you really want to go to UoN, you could always do a summer placement outside of your degree for experience. Also, check out the UKESF scholarship - I believe if you get AAA minimum (including Physics), you'll get a 3-year scholarship (1k) amongst other things (connections w/ EE companies etc.)
Nice to see an EEE on the forum rather than another moneyhungry ChemEng
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