1

Careers & Employability

Business Skills and Professional Development Course

No-cost graduate placements with local companies

Company Handbook

ContentsIntroduction to 5-week Postgraduate Placements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Frequently Asked Questions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5-6

Placement Provider’s Role . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

University Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Useful Contacts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

3

Introduction to 5-week Postgraduate PlacementsThe University’s new Postgraduate short course in Business Skills and Professional Development has been established to help both businesses and recent graduates through the current economical diffi culties. It aims to match capable graduates with local organisations that require extra manpower or expertise for a project that will be benefi cial to their business.

The placements run for fi ve weeks and form part of an intensive course in Business Skills and Professional Development. This is delivered by the University to prepare the graduates with the skills that they need to make your project a success.

The placement will be followed by a written refl ective evaluation on how the graduate has developed their skills and the impact they have made upon the organisation.

4

5

Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat are suitable working hours?The idea behind the placement is that the graduates will be working on a full-time basis, for no more than 37.5 hours per week. However, in order to provide the best service to both companies and graduates, there is a degree of fl exibility that can be offered in some circumstances. Your project may not require somebody on a full-time placement for 5 weeks or the graduate may wish to work over 10 weeks on a part-time basis.

Any working pattern other than the full-time basis can be negotiated with the graduate and the Placement Co-ordinator.

Are there any costs involved?All placements are unpaid; therefore there should be no direct costs to the host organisation.

You may wish to make a contribution to the graduate’s travel expenses, we would encourage you to do this if you are able to, but this is by no means a requirement and we leave this decision up to you.

What type of work is suitable for graduates?This programme, including the accompanying placement, is designed to help graduates improve their business and employability skills. Therefore, any project with a developmental focus would be appropriate. Placements involving specifi c projects are encouraged, as both the employer and the graduate have a clear defi nition of what outcome is required during the timescale.

6

Possible projects might be:

• Implementing new marketing ideas. • Designing promotional materials. • Organising events.• Developing new products for your business.• Developing IT systems.• Reviewing and developing offi ce procedures.

Similarly, graduates that can get involved with the daily routine of an offi ce or department gain valuable knowledge. This can help them greatly when it comes to fi tting into other teams when they actually gain employment.

It is important that the placement offers a

challenging learning opportunity, which is

appropriate to the level of education that the

graduate has worked hard to reach.

Placement Co-ordinators are on hand to deal with any queries that you may have about the suitability of your project. Contact details are available at the end of this booklet.

I have a placement that is not suitable for this programme, can I still offer it?Yes. We have the facility to advertise placements, job and research opportunities to students through the Careers & Employability department. For more details on other options for advertising these opportunities, please contact your Placement Co-ordinator.

Placement Provider’s Role

Before the placement: Interviewing the graduate. This gives you the opportunity to meet the graduate before the start of the placement and to assess whether or not he or she is suitable to work in your company. It also helps the graduate to attain a brief on what your requirements are, what the placement will involve and to see how best they can fi t their skills into your company.

Discussing the job description and negotiating the hours of work.

At the beginning of the placement:Agreeing the learning outcomes the graduate has set out.

During the placement: Treating the graduate as a normal employee in terms of health and safety, hours and conditions of work.

Providing supervision, guidance and support as necessary.

Ensuring that the graduate is aware of what is required of them and that they have the appropriate facilities to carry out the agreed work.

Taking part in the assessment process, by carrying out an appraisal of the graduate at the end of their placement.

7

88

University Support

Each graduate is assigned a Placement Co-ordinator from the University who will oversee the placement. The Co-ordinator will make contact with you and welcomes contact from you or the graduate at any time during the placement. Clear communication links with the graduate will be established before the placement.

Placement providers and graduates vary in terms of the contact that they require. It is intended that the graduates work in as independent a way as the project allows, allowing them to show initiative against a background of support from the placement provider and the University. Tutors will not normally visit during the graduate’s placement.

There is a dedicated team set up to oversee the placement process and to work with organisations on future developments. Similarly, if there are any queries about the programme itself, someone is on hand to provide guidance and support.

99

Summary

Graduates are an additional unpaid member of the work force.

The placement type is fl exible and is negotiated between the placement provider and the graduate.

A Placement Co-ordinator will be assigned to oversee the placement.

The programme provides vital experience for graduates’ future careers.

It provided graduates with the opportunity to undertake projects and specifi ed tasks.

10

Useful Contacts

If you would like more information on providing a placement,please contact a member of our team:

Jaime Cox - Placement Co-ordinator

j.cox@chester.ac.uk 01244 511864

Sally Harding - Project Co-ordinator

sally.harding@chester.ac.uk 01244 511293

Christine Peach - Project Administrator

01244 511864

10

12Careers & Employability, University of Chester, Parkgate Road, Chester CH1 4BJ

This

do

cum

ent

is p

rin

ted

on

50%

rec

ycle

d p

aper

Wh

en y

ou

hav

e fi

nis

hed

wit

hth

is d

ocu

men

t p

leas

e re

cycl

e it

50%

www.chester.ac.uk/postgraduate/pdskills