Guidelines For Placement Providers

Guidelines for Placement Providers

Politics, Languages & International Studies

www.bath.ac.uk/polis

“IBT Partners has been recruiting interns from the University of Bath for several years. We have always found them to be hard working, reliable and eager to learn more about what we do. Bath has always facilitated the recruitment process where possible, and been supportive throughout the placement period. We have developed a good working relationship with the University of Bath and will consequently look to continue recruiting their students as interns in the future.”

John Worthington, PartnerIBT Partners

Paris, France


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INTRODUCTION The Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies is renowned for its excellence in teaching and learning, and for producing internationally mobile students that are highly employable and equipped to face the challenges of a placement year. In addition, University of Bath is The Sunday Times University of the Year for 2011/12.

All students spend the third year of their degree abroad; either on a work placement, as an Erasmus student or as a language assistant. Typical placements include: marketing, HR, translation, teaching and administration.

These guidelines are not intended to be definitive, but incorporate ideas and feedback gained from placement providers and students as to what constitutes a successful placement. We hope this information will be useful, especially if you have not employed a placement student before.

In some cases the placement may be the first ‘proper’ job a student has undertaken, having previously only undertaken part-time, casual or vacation work. He or she may not have been part of a formal organisation before. The guidelines laid out below represent good employment practices and as such will probably be followed anyway.

THE DEGREE PROGRAMME BA (Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies(French, Spanish, German, Italian and Russian) Students study two equally weighted languages, taught in the context of the countries in which they are spoken. In addition they take a range of units related to history,

culture and politics with a contemporary focus. There is a strong focus on transferrable skills such as team work, presentation, research and communication throughout the degree. This has led to our department achieving consistently high scores in alumni employment rankings.

BA (Hons) Language and Politics(French, Spanish, German, Italian and Russian)The degree enables students to master one European language and acquire the knowledge and analytical skills to understand the social, political and economic changes affecting the world. The course has an interdisciplinary approach, including perspectives from political science, international relations, political economy and cultural studies.

SKILLS THAT A STUDENT CAN OFFER

• All students will have completed two years of their degree, during which time they will have gained a solid grounding in their chosen languages as well as the politics and culture of the countries where the languages are spoken.

• All students are confident in working as a team in order to prepare oral presentations.

• They are able to demonstrate initiative to assimilate information quickly and to take on an increasing degree of responsibility.

• They are effective communicators with good analytical skills, and are well accustomed to working in teams.

• They have excellent research skills and communicate in written form at a high level in both English and their chosen foreign language(s).

• Many students undertake a unit on Teaching English as a Foreign Language or achieve the CELTA qualification during the 2nd year of their degree.

• They are prepared in depth before departure for the challenges of living abroad.

BA (Hons) Modern Languages and European Studies(French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian)

BA (Hons) Language and Politics(French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian)

The Department of Politics, Languages & International Studies is part of the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences


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STUDENT PLACEMENT OBJECTIVES

1. Near total immersion in the target language.

2. To develop personal and transferable skills such as:

• Communication – speaking/writing/listening

• Planning and time management

• Problem solving and analytical skills

• Decision making

• Working as part of a team or responding to leadership

• Initiative and creativity

3. To develop business skills such as:

• Presentation skills

• Computer packages and database knowledge

• Business correspondence

• Project management skills

4. The chance to learn from direct observation and experience how other communities live and function.

5. The special study (dissertation) is a compulsory part of the year abroad. Some students may wish to base their study on an aspect of their placement. It is much appreciated if they can be assisted with this where possible.

RECENT PLACEMENT PROVIDERS

Our placement providers range from large multinationals to small companies of five people. These companies operate in a variety of fields such as marketing and PR, recruitment, political lobbying, finance, tourism, advertising, translation and education.

France/Belgium:CapifranceIBTTBWANDSMadame VacancesAlcatel-LucentAlstomCBISimmons and SimmonsLycée Saint-MarieiKONE

Spain/Latin America: Encarna School of EnglishMadrid and BeyondFreshfieldsAmerican AirlinesRimontgoOpen HouseGlobal Insurance GroupPWC

Germany:Ernst and YoungComet ComputersContinental TeevesLearnship NetworksCMS Hasche SigleSiemensZanker und Kollegen

Italy:Nel-Blu Language SchoolPrevinetUnilever

Russia:Levada CentreThe British School

“The CBI has offered placements to University of Bath students for several years and our experience has been overwhelmingly positive. As the voice of British business, the CBI seeks the best talent to work in its fast-paced and driven Brussels office. Bright, enthusiastic and determined, the students become real assets to the team.”

Naomi Harris, Senior Policy AdviserCBI

Brussels, Belgium


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WORK CONTENT OF PLACEMENT

The work programme devised for students should give them the opportunity to learn and develop, and to assume an appropriate degree of responsibility, so that they can maximise their contribution to the organisation. It is accepted that most placements will also involve some more routine work. As much as possible students should be working in the target language.

In past placements, students have conducted research, organised recruitment, taught English, organised events and meetings, undertaken translations, set up and administered databases, liaised with customers or clients and generally alleviated the workload where needed.

TIMING OF PLACEMENT

The majority of our students study two languages and will therefore look to complete two separate placements of six months each. There are some students who are able to work for nine or twelve months. Students start to apply for placements in October or November, with a view to starting work during the following summer (between July and October). Those looking for a placement starting January to March start their applications about a year in advance.

FINANCE IN THE PLACEMENT YEAR

Students are currently required to pay a tuition fee of £693 for the placement year. This will change to £2,500 for students starting degrees in 2012. They are eligible to receive a proportion of the student loan. They are also eligible to apply for an Erasmus grant of around 200 Euros a month although they may not receive this until the end of their placement.

REMUNERATION

Most employers offer the student remuneration commensurate with age and experience. This remuneration varies depending on country and ranges from unpaid to 1,500 Euros a month. Some companies find it easier to compensate students by providing food and accommodation and a lower salary. Please be aware only a limited number of students will apply for an unpaid placement.

THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS

Students start to seek their placement at the beginning of their second year. The Placements Officer has an initial briefing meeting with the whole group and individual meetings with each student. The student discusses the type of placement for which he/she would like to be considered and any general location choices/requirements.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Placement providers are required to supply a brief (single page) job description and web links. It should list the main duties and also the skills or attributes required. It might also describe the company/organisation and its function. It will be emailed to the relevant students and displayed on the University placements website – the student’s first point of call when seeking placement opportunities.

Students apply for those placements in which they are interested under the guidance of the Placements Officer.

MAKING APPLICATIONS

There are two main methods of application:

• Sending a CV and covering letter to the employer by email. The Placement Officer can collect and email all applications in one batch, if preferred. Please state which language(s) you would like the students to apply in.

• Applying online through the employer’s website.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews are usually conducted via Skype or telephone or at the company premises as this gives the students a chance to see the workplace. Interviews can be arranged on campus if the employer prefers this.

Interview travel costs, if agreed, should be reimbursed to the student(s) on production of travel receipts.


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OFFERS OF EMPLOYMENT

Students selected by the employer can be contacted by mobile phone initially. A written offer should follow. Normally, the supervisor and student agree starting and finishing dates, holidays and a job description. A placement agreement is then drawn up by the Placement Officer who can also liaise with the employer to set up a suitable work programme.

Placement AgreementsA formal placement agreement, a three way contract between student, employer and the University will be in place before the student commences their placement. The agreement will outline start and finish dates, remuneration, hours of employment and any other relevant information. It must be signed by all three parties.

Should you wish to use your own placement agreement or contract then please send a copy to the Placement Officer, as well as the student.

The job that a student does should match that in the job description and should be a ‘real’ job or project of value to you both.

PRE-PLACEMENT BRIEFING

Before going on placement the students are briefed on their responsibilities to the employer, work etiquette, ethical issues, the correct use of internet and email at work and areas such as confidentiality at work. The briefing also informs students about the reports we require from them, and how to keep in touch with the University over the placement year.

TRAINING

It is particularly useful if students can be helped to attend training courses in IT and other areas relevant to the work they are doing. Visits to other departments, if time permits, are also very useful, enabling students to see the wider context of the work.

We appreciate your patience and time in communicating with our students where possible in the target language. We find that if they are immersed in this language their confidence, fluency and productivity at work increases extremely quickly.

ROLE OF THE SUPERVISOR & INDUCTION

It is important that the student has an induction to the organisation in whatever form is appropriate. Aspects which have proved most useful in the past have been:

• A handover period between the existing placement student and the new one, if possible.

• An overview of the entire host organisation, explanation of departmental structure, an introduction to members of staff and an explanation of their roles and the communication channels.

• An introduction to the use of equipment, e.g. computers, copiers, scanners, books, resources, telephone system.

• Expectations about punctuality, attendance and a clarification of working hours.

• Sickness and absence reporting, how to book any leave, appropriate dress and other practical issues. Disciplinary and grievance procedures should be explained. Most problems on placement arise because expectations about such ordinary aspects of day-to-day behaviour are not made explicit.

• Supervisors should, very early on, discuss with students their expectations about the work programme, set aims and objectives with the students and allow time for regular reviews.

• Supervisors should integrate the student into project or teamwork, and facilitate contacts with colleagues in related fields, providing a level of social contact.

• Often it is valuable for the supervisor (who may be the director of the project or unit) to delegate the day-to-day supervision of the student to another member of the staff, with whom they may more readily relate and who may be more available.

• It is good practice if the student and the supervisor can meet on a regular basis to discuss progress of the placement, any future plans, how the work is developing and to monitor progress.

• We do brief the students in detail on any cultural differences between the UK and their chosen country. Any further assistance you can give them on cultural expectations (form of dress, modes of speech etc) is always much appreciated.

Students are expected to develop their own initiative and find out what is going on in the place of work, but they may need help initially in their new environment.


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ROLE OF THE UNIVERSITY WHILE STUDENTS ARE ON PLACEMENT

All students should keep in regular contact with the Placements Officer and Personal Tutor at University whilst on placement. Should any issues arise please do not hesitate to contact the Placements Officer at the University.

VISIT BY PLACEMENT OFFICER

The Placement Officer may visit the student during their placement however this is only possible for a limited number of students. Often in place of a visit, students are contacted by telephone.

The Placement Officer will arrange the visit in advance with both the student and his/her supervisor to ensure sufficient time is set aside for it, normally not more than one hour.

During the visit, the officer will usually ask to speak to the student separately first and will then, if appropriate, also speak to the supervisor separately.

The visit is designed to help the student and placement provider to identify opportunities for learning, and for doing useful work for the host institution. The visit is an important means of keeping students in touch with the University and generally to offer advice and support.

The main purposes of the visit are can be summarised as:

For the Student

• To enable the Placement Officer to see how the student has settled with the host institution.

• To check that a work pattern has been established, mutually agreed by the student and supervisor.

• To discuss the development of the work programme over the remaining months.

For the Placement Provider

• To establish closer links with the University’s Politics, Languages and International Studies department.

• To discuss whether the arrangement is progressing satisfactorily and is one that maximises the student’s contribution to the organisation.

• To identify any problems and discuss possible action.

ASSESSMENT OF PLACEMENT

Special StudyThe placement year is assessed by an academic essay written in the target language. The student may choose to base their essay on a topic related to their placement in which case any support you can give them is much appreciated.

Employer’s Placement AppraisalA few weeks before the student finishes the placement, the Supervisor will be sent an Appraisal form. The Supervisor is asked to set aside some time to go through the appraisal form with the student. The student will benefit from this process and can also add comments at the end in the student section. The employer’s appraisal will not form part of any quantitative assessment or marking system at the University but it does provide evidence that a placement has been satisfactorily completed. It will also be extremely useful to the student’s Personal Tutor who may be required to write references to support graduate job applications or entry into a post graduate course.

ACCOMMODATION

It is the student’s responsibility to find suitable accommodation. However, any help employers can provide is appreciated. If you can put the in-coming placement student in touch with the out-going placement student this is always very helpful.

INSURANCE

For the purposes of Employment Law, students, whether paid or unpaid, should be deemed ‘employees’ and be included on the Employer’s Liability Insurance Schedule. The University of Bath carries indemnity insurance which covers injury or damage to a third party caused by any negligence of placement students. A copy of the schedule is available on request. The University provides no cover in relation to the legal liability or negligence of the placement company. Should you not be able to insure the student please inform the Placements Officer who will advise the student on how to purchase their own insurance.


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HEALTH & SAFETY

The University has a duty of care to ensure that students are placed in environments that are suitable and that conform to local health and safety standards. Students must be informed about health and safety regulations that apply to your premises; fire exits and emergency procedures, first aid facilities, accident reporting procedures etc.

Any accident must be reported in accordance with your organisation’s procedures.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES/ ANTI-HARASSMENT

The University of Bath has an Equal Opportunities policy which states that ‘It is the University’s aim that students are treated fairly on the basis of merit regardless of age, disability, family responsibilities, gender, HIV status, marital status, mental health problems, nationality, race, religious or political views or affiliations, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or transsexualism’.

Further details are available at: www.bath.ac.uk/vc/policy/

The University also has an Anti-Harassment code of practice. We ask that employers uphold these policies with regard to placement students.

‘’For many years, students from the University of Bath have joined the Comet team for several months. The intelligent and motivated students come equipped with specific skills as well as an up-to-date overview of the industry’s developments and become fully productive at an early stage.

We have always benefited from their valuable skills, knowledge and fresh ideas and appreciate their help in the challenging projects of daily work or projects which otherwise would not be done due to a shortage of resources.”

Karin Bracher, Comet ComputersMunich, Germany

www.bath.ac.uk/polis 7

THE PLACEMENTS TEAM

If you would like further clarification or any additional information, please contact:

Vicky HillFaculty Placements OfficerEmail: [email protected]: 00 44 1225 383056

Department of Politics, Languages and International StudiesUniversity of BathBathBA2 7AY

www.bath.ac.uk/hss/placements

Department ofPolitics, Languages & International Studies

www.bath.ac.uk/polis

Guidelines For Placement Providers

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