Will it help with my final year?
I initially selected a placement year at University after reading that those who had undertaken a placement increased their chances of successfully securing a graduate role (Hall, 2009) & that those who undertook placements were more likely to achieve a 2:1 or First than their counterparts (Mandilaras, 2004). However, now I have undertaken it I can see many more benefits:
- Applying what I have learnt in real life situations has helped me to understand elements of my degree and the importance of them.
- Balancing placement assignments with University helped me to manage my time better, which I think will really help with dissertation writing!
- It has definitely increased my confidence which I think will help me when applying for graduate schemes – some placement students have also been offered these by the business they worked for which is a big weight off of their shoulders!
How did the placement shape my career goals?
Personally, I think it allowed me to distinguish between which areas of marketing appealed to me and which did not. It has definitely opened my eyes to the opportunities around me, allowed me to understand what my interests are in terms of role and industry and even provided me with some key contacts in those areas.
References:
Hall, M., Higson, H. & Bullivant, N. (2009) The role of the undergraduate work placement in developing employment competences: Results from a 5 year study of employers. In DECOWE International Conference. Birmingham: Aston Business School, 24-26.
Mandilaras, A., (2004) Industrial placement and degree performance: Evidence from a British higher institution. International Review of Economics Education, 3(1), 39-51.