Work & Industry Placements
While studying at Grantham College, the opportunity to complete a work placement can help you stand out from the crowd when you start looking for jobs.
At Grantham College & University Centre we are passionate about supporting students to gain the skills they need to progress in their chosen career. Our objective is that all students will secure jobs and progress in their careers as a result of the skills and knowledge they have developed whilst studying with us.
Spending time in the workplace is a great way to boost your skills and build your industry knowledge. At Grantham college, every student aged 16-18 completes at least 30 hours on a placement with an organisation whose activities are relevant to their course.
If you’re studying for a T Level qualification, you will complete an industry placement, comprising 315 hours or more.
On all placements, you’ll gain an invaluable insight into an industry, be able to enhance your CV and obtain a professional reference, all of which is useful when applying for your first job.
On an industry placement, you could receive a wage, though this depends on the individual company hosting you. Either way, the longer the placement, the more experience you’ll amass and the more time you’ll have to develop your skills and employability. We encourage students to search for their own placements, as this is useful practice for when seeking and applying for full-time jobs. However, work experience and industry placement staff will support you too.
Industry Placements – are part of the new T Level qualifications which will help students to hone their technical skills whilst gaining vital on-the-job training. Industry Placements are 315 hours in length and are to be completed over the two years of the qualification. (315 hours works out at around 45 days, depending on day lengths). Students will attend placement one or two days per week over a specific period to fit in with their course delivery model. Employability skills are built into the T Level, so students will have an idea of what employers are looking for and how to conduct themselves in the workplace.
Work Experience – Your work experience will usually be arranged with a local employer and so will, as far as possible, be within easy travelling distance from your home address. Work experience cannot be paid, but it is nevertheless a real investment in your future.
Each student’s work experience must last for a minimum of 30 hours and usually takes place over the course of one week, Monday – Friday. Some employers might prefer to arrange your hours differently, for instance you may attend for one day a week over a number of weeks instead. You will set targets for your work experience and complete a logbook to note down and reflect on all you achieve.
- Learn from professionals in a ‘real world’ industry setting
- Accelerates technical skills development
- Broadens industry knowledge
- Supports development of essential skills like teamwork, to enhance their employability
- Gather information about routes into the industry and develop a network of contacts
- Boost their self-confidence!
We have a team of dedicated Work Placement Coordinators, who all work with all curriculum areas. Our Work Experience Coordinators will liaise directly with students and employers to assist in setting up the placement. They will be able to answer any questions and go through the details of the work placement with you.
The Work Experience Team work closely with other teams in College, such as curriculum areas, Health, Safety and Welfare and the Apprenticeship team, to name few.
Short testimonials outlining the positive experience employers have had with a student on a work experience placement.
Media work placement at Property Video Solutions.
Grantham College Media student Chae Price has won a ‘five-star review’ and a job offer from local company Property Video Solutions after competing in a challenge to create a short film to showcase Grantham.
Chris England, Managing Director of Property Video Solutions, said “during his work experience with us, Chae quickly displayed all the attributes we look for in an employee: commitment, drive and wanting to do well. He continually looked to support other sta and was willing to help with any job that needed doing. Also, unusually for a young person these days, he was never distracted by his mobile phone! We could instantly see that he would be a great addition to our team.”
Chae says he is very grateful for the opportunities he’s been given by Property Video Solutions, with the chance to develop his skills and knowledge, and, to talk to the sta about the projects they have been involved with. He said, “It has been a real insight into what it’s like to work in the real world and has helped me to create a clearer vision of my future career in the industry.”
Paktronic Engineering Ltd is a local employer who was keen to support the work experience programme at Grantham College and has often welcomed apprentices to its premises.
Erin said: “This experience here has been amazing and I have really been welcomed into the team. I have been given so much support and instruction and the autonomy to do certain tasks unsupervised as I have developed my skills.
“This has really opened my eyes as to how vast the sector is and the scope to do so many great things. I’ve worked on drilling, squaring, levelling and electrical wiring so far, and engraving I am gaining so much knowledge and actual skills.
“This is not your average place of work you get to do so many great things and be a part of building something. I’d definitely recommend both the work and the course.”
Work placements are a great way to support 16-19 year old students to develop their employability and help them to learn the skills that your business requires from its future workforce.
