All types of placement require you to apply your learning while you’re on placement, and upon your return. This page mainly focuses on longer placements, such as sandwich placements and postgraduate work experience placements.
If you’re coming to the end of your short placement (part of a work experience module), talk to your Academic Adviser or your Employability Adviser to find out more about using your experience so far to help you to secure a sandwich placement.
Returning to University (Undergraduates)
As an undergraduate coming to the end of your placement, you will begin your transition to your final year and start your preparations for graduate employment or further study. You should use the learning from your placement and agreed action points to identify and plan how you are going to make the most of your final year.
By now you might have noticed some subtle (and not-so-subtle) changes to your social and professional behaviours, your work ethic and your awareness of how you can link your course content to your placement experience and vice versa, through reflection.
Here are some of our top tips on making the most out of your placement year:
1. Use the synoptic portfolio in final year
As you make the finishing touches to your Synoptic Portfolio and prepare to submit the completed document, think about goals you might want to set for yourself to continue your learning and reflections on your experience. This will be incredibly useful to you when writing future job applications to remember what you did and what you learned.
2. Add your placement learning to your academic assignments
Talk to your course team and your Academic Adviser about the knowledge you gained on placement. You should now be able to apply real-world industry knowledge, skills and insights to your final year assignments. In addition, your overall work ethic is likely to be improved.
91.79% of students who completed a sandwich placement graduated with a good honours degree, compared to 74.52% of students who didn’t – Graduate Outcomes survey for leavers from the 2017/18 academic year.
3. Take up some additional responsibility
You may have learned new skills that enable you to take on an increased level of responsibility in your part-time job, or you might choose to apply your skills by volunteering.
4. Become a Placement Rep
Helping other students to secure a placement is an incredibly impactful and rewarding leadership activity. Find out more about becoming a Placement Rep.
5. Complete the Hallam Award
If you don’t already have the Gold Hallam Award, your final year is your last chance to do so. Activities such a part-time work, volunteering and being a Placement Rep all count toward achieving the Hallam Award.
Beyond Graduation (Undergraduates & Postgraduates)
As a final-year undergraduate or postgraduate student, you should start your preparations for graduate employment or further study.
1. Apply for graduate employment
Access support to help you to secure a graduate job after University and how to apply your learning from placement to help you secure a role in your chosen industry. Find out more about graduate jobs, how to access support from your Employability Adviser, and even explore your career options.
2. Start your own business
If you started a business already during your placement year, or if you had an idea you’re thinking about exploring as a business while you were on placement - find out more about your options and support available from Sheffield Hallam's Enterprise Team.
3. Further study
Your current degree might be the first of several that help you to apply your learning. Find out more about our Postgraduate courses and potential Alumni discounts.
4. Alumni community
As you’re due to become a graduate of Sheffield Hallam University, you will soon become part of our Alumni, meaning you will have the opportunity to stay involved and access lifelong careers support – find out more about our Alumni community.
