When qualifications are not enough - and experience counts

This article advises you how to apply for a placement required for entry to courses at university or college. You may also want to apply for work experience during your course. Relevant work experience can help you to get a full-time job at the end of your course.

Why look for a work placement?

• If you want to apply for courses in Social Work or Social Care, you need to have relevant work experience for entry.
• For teacher training courses, classroom experience or work with children is preferred.
• If you are applying for courses such as Physiotherapy or Midwifery, admissions tutors will expect you to have visited a hospital or health centre. Work shadowing or visiting will give you a realistic picture of what the job is like. You can then talk from experience in your selection interview for a college or university course.
• You may have to do an unpaid placement to get into some competitive career areas like the media, advertising, broadcasting and nature conservation. 

What do you need to think about before you apply?

Ask yourself what you want out of the placement

• What skills or experience do you need to gain?
• What type of clients do you need to work with?
• How long does the placement have to be? Some Social Work courses specify how much work experience is required.
• Can you afford to do an unpaid work placement?
• If the placement is away from your home area, where will you live?

How do you arrange a placement?

• Research the organisation or company.
• List your existing skills and experience.
• Be clear what you want from the placement.
• Phone the organisation and check who deals with work placements. Get the name, address and e-mail details.
• e-mail or post your CV with a brief covering letter. This should explain what kind of placement you want and what you can offer.
• Phone your contact and ask if they are offering placements. Check the procedure for applying including any closing dates and qualifications or experience required.
• Check the procedures for Disclosure Scotland. Allow plenty of time for this.
• Ask about payment and any expenses the organisation may pay.
• If they cannot offer you a placement, ask about work shadowing for one or two days.

Making your placement work

Before you start:

• Confirm the dates, payment and tax arrangements.
• Confirm the hours you will work.
• Ask about the dress code.
• Check who you have to report to and make sure you have their contact details.
• Take any documents or details asked for such as National Insurance number.

When you arrive on your first day:

• Confirm what your job is.
• Ask how you should report your progress.
• Explain what you hope to gain from the placement.
• Ask about getting feedback on your progress.
• If you have any problems ask your supervisor or someone in the Human Resources or Personnel Department.

After your placement:

• Write a report of what you have learned from the placement. This can also apply to a work shadowing placement, volunteering or work place visit.
• List any training you did.
• Record your contact with clients. If you are applying for Social Work you will have to give examples of this.
• Use the checklist below to record your transferable skills.

• If things went wrong during your placement, record what happened and think how to avoid similar problems in the future.
• Put together a portfolio of reports, including any written feedback or assessments you received. Keep it ready to take to your course interview or when you apply for a job.
• Get feedback from your supervisor or line manager. Ask if they would be a referee for you in the future.
• Always write to say thank you.
• Keep in touch with your contacts. Let them know how you are getting on during your course. Ask them to let you know about any jobs in the future.

See also the separate article: Voluntary work