Work placement: A great idea

It gives students that extra edge when facing job competition, writes Richa Pant in Lucknow.

The term 'work placement' refers to a period of work-related learning or experience, which is usually part of a programme or course of study. Work placements are mostly provided outside the institution in which the student is studying.

They may be part of a sandwich course, a separate short placement stint, or a period of paid employment as part of vocational training. Placements can take place both in one's own country or abroad. Students may try to arrange their own placement, have it set up by the institution, or ask a third party to set it up for them.

"The objective of work placements is to give students an opportunity to utilise their vocational skills in the workplace as well as to get a realistic impression of working life, including shift work where applicable. Having work experience better prepares students to make the transition from high school or college/university to work," said Shilpa Tiwari, a career counsellor based in Lucknow, India.

"Work placements focus on the importance of out-of-classroom, hands-on, career-related experiences for students. It requires schools/colleges to offer not only education, but also work experience and school-to-work transition programmes to all interested students," she added.

For that extra edge

"Work experience has developed into an important part of student life, especially nowadays, when there is no dearth of qualified candidates for a job once you are out of college. You need that extra edge to get selected from the competition, and work placements provide you just that by giving you relevant and precious experience," said Rishi Ahuja, a Lucknow University student who also works part-time at a multi-national fast food chain.

Like him, many students view it as an important complement to their studies, while employers greatly appreciate any practical experience graduates have gained alongside their degree.

Finding work placements can be difficult at times, though. While schemes do exist, it also goes without saying that you should be proactive in your search for work experience. You may need to use your contacts and network too.

"Whichever route you take, making the most of these opportunities requires being highly motivated and showing utmost commitment," said Ahuja.

Giving students the opportunity to gather work experience not only helps promote a variety of career choices, it also increases the pool of qualified workers in those sectors where there are shortages of skilled employees.

"It is very important for all students to make use of work experience opportunities so that they can try out their career choice before deciding upon it - it not only helps develop skills and competencies, but can also provide a good insight into a real work situation. This can help with career choice and make you more marketable on graduation," said Shilpa.

WHAT YOU STAND TO GAIN

Benefits for students

For the student the benefits are many:

Application of learning:
- Placements help students relate theory to practice.

- It is an opportunity to practise their new skills in the workplace.

- It is a means of making contacts within their chosen field.

- It provides a real picture of the work environment.

- It leads to better placements and greater job opportunities.

- It offers industry mentoring for quicker learning.

Career decisions:
- The practical experience helps students make a better informed choice of course options when they come back from their placement stint.

- It gives them a chance to test their career plans - to try out a career choice before they decide and to help them in making future career choices. Thus, it is very useful and effective in the decision-making process.

CV development:
- Having practical experience on one's CV gives a competitive edge to the student when applying for jobs after their course is complete, making them more attractive to future employers.

A useful source of income:
- Students may or may not be paid a stipend for their placement. If they do get paid, then placements can help them financially, too, while still studying.Benefits For Employers

The employer also benefits from work placements:

- Students bring up-to-date knowledge and technical expertise to the projects on which they work.

- It's a cost-effective way of recruiting an intelligent individual who is quick to learn new tasks.

- Students are highly motivated and keen to make the most of a chance to impress a potential employer.

- Students and staff learn equally, contributing significantly to the competitiveness of any company.

Identifying student requirements

"To be successful, work placements must meet the individual needs of students as well as the course requirements," said Anand Kapoor, faculty at a hotel management institute in Lucknow, India.

Placement organisers should sit and discuss with each student what his/her placement requirements are. The following issues should be covered:

- The requirements of the course and what learning outcomes are sought;

- The student's individual skills and capabilities;

- The student's preferences - what kind of work he/she is interested in

- The location where the student will be placed and any travel problems that may arise

- The student's expectations - some students might have unrealistic expectations or expectations may be too low.

Forms of student placements

- Student placements depend on course structure and individual preferences.

- A lot of courses now feature a long-term placement or 'sandwich year', during which you can apply your new academic knowledge to real world problems.

- Alternatively, you can undertake shorter projects as part of your course, either on-site, with an employer, or based on campus itself.

- "You can also look for vacation jobs on your own to gain work experience and earn a little cash on the side," said Anand Kapoor, faculty at a Hotel Management Institute in Lucknow, India. "This will definitely improve your CV as well as offer a chance to impress a future employer.

- "Another option can be part-time work during term time," states Kapoor.

- Finally, you might also like to consider voluntary work experience. It can also give you a competitive edge in the job market while allowing you to learn valuable skills, particularly if you have an inclination towards charities and the public sector.

- The writer is a freelancer in India.