Work Placements

INDUSTRY PLACEMENT GUIDE

Your industry placement gives you a great opportunity to put your learning into practice and develop your technical skills and knowledge for the industry your placement is in. It will help you to progress once you have finished your T Level, whether that is directly into employment, an apprenticeship, or more education.

Industry placements can now include training, an employer-led project and remote working as well as time spent at an employer's premises. In total you will undertake 320+ hours on your industry placement. Most placements take place in the 2nd year of the programme, but if you feel ready then you can do your placement in the first year.

We prepare you for your placement via a dedicated work-readiness module in the GoLive Programme. The GoLive Programme is a weekly session equipping you with wider personal and professional development skills.

Your industry placement will help you to:

• Gain the experience of being in a workplace setting.

• Step out of your comfort zone and build confidence through interacting with

professionals and meeting new people.

• Identify what sort of job you would like to do, and what sort of organisation you

would like to work for.

• Build your network in the industry, connecting you with people who can give

you advice and help you to find future jobs.

• Potentially secure a job or apprenticeship with the employer after you have

completed your T Level.

Before your placement starts

You need to be prepared for your industry placement so that you can make the most out of the exciting opportunity. Before you start your placement, ACC will make sure:

• You’ve been taught the technical skills and knowledge you need for the industry.

• You’ve been taught the employability skills you need.

• You understand the professional behaviours and attitudes you need to show.

• You know how to produce a good CV and prepare for an interview.

• You have researched the organisation your placement will be with and understand

the work it does, the products and/or services it provides, its culture and values,

whether it has a local, national or international focus and its size and structure.

• You understand what your role will be and the activities you will do.

• You understand what to do if you have a problem or are anxious and have the

confidence to ask questions if you are unsure about anything.

• You are clear how your progress towards your learning goals will be measured.

Students with Special Educational Needs

and Disabilities or anxiety

If you have a special educational need or disability, or anxiety, you should make sure your tutor knows. This is for any special need you have, and it doesn’t matter whether you have an education, health, and care plan. For example, you might have a medical condition or find it difficult to travel by yourself. ACC will help you to prepare and plan for your placement, make sure you have the support you need and that the employer knows about your needs so that any adjustments can be made, if required.

Employability/wider skills

These are the skills that allow you to do well in the workplace and include skills, such as communication, teamwork, problem solving, using your initiative, time management, agility, creativity, and independence.

Your GoLive sessions will help you to explore what employability skills are and how to use them in the workplace. You may be surprised to learn you have many examples within your education, home life or hobbies where you demonstrate these skills regularly.

CVs, cover letters and interviews

You will need to provide a CV and cover letter to prospective employers as part of the employer’s recruitment process. ACC will help you to write your CV and cover letter. Generally, a CV should be no more than 2 pages long and it should show you in the best possible light.

You will need to attend an interview before being offered your industry placement. ACC will help you to prepare for your interview by offering interview guidance and practice.

Workplace behaviours

Employers will expect you to behave in a professional way on your placement. You should have a positive an  enthusiastic attitude, want to learn and develop your skills, be happy to receive feedback, and want to make the most of the exciting opportunity.

You should have a notebook and pen so you can take notes, for example of the names of people you meet and the tasks you have been asked to do. This will help you to be organised. Also, don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure about the work you are doing, as it is important to speak up and ask for help if you are worried about anything or have any safety concerns.

What is expected of you

During your placement, you are expected to:

• Complete ACC's induction programme and any important training.

• Apply the knowledge and skills that you have learned in the classroom.

• Work towards your learning goals and record your progress against them in your

logbook.

• Attend regular meetings with your manager and tutor to discuss your progress.

• Display professional standards of behaviours and attitudes.

• Follow the organisation’s policies and procedures.

• Complete the agreed number of placement hours, making sure you record your

hours in a timesheet on a weekly basis.

ACC and your employer will support you throughout your placement. You should let them know straight away if you are anxious or have any worries or concerns. ACC will explain how to record your progress against your learning

goals and how to prepare for your review meetings. They will also help you understand the behaviours and attitudes you need to display on your placement.

Employer policy & procedures

When you start your placement, your employer will put you on an induction programme. As part of this you will be told about the organisation’s policies and procedures, which will explain what you can and can’t do in the workplace. It is important you always follow them.

Organisations will have policies and procedures in areas including health and safety, dress code, acceptable behaviour, appropriate IT use, the use of your personal mobile phone, the use of social media, working hours, breaks and lunch practices, equal opportunities, equality and diversity, looking after the organisation’s property, disciplinary

procedures and confidential information handling.

Health & safety

Make sure you understand the health & safety policy and requirements of your employer. High risk working environments will have additional health and safety policies that you must follow to protect you and others from getting hurt. Some organisations will also require you to wear a uniform or personal protective equipment for health and safety reasons, e.g. event production.

Organisations will also have a drugs and alcohol policy, which will prevent you from being under

their influence in the workplace due to their negative impact on your performance and safety. If you are found to be using drugs and alcohol on your placement the employer will most likely remove you from their premises and stop your placement.

You should make sure that you know who to contact at ACC if you have an accident whilst on your placement, or if any issues arise.

Dress code

Some industries and organisations will have dress codes that require you to dress in a certain way on your placement. For example, in an office environment you may have to wear smart clothes to promote a professional atmosphere. Workers who deal with the public often must wear a uniform to promote the organisation's brand or to provide easy recognition for customers. Other industries, such as events, will require you to dress in clothes that are more suitable for physical activity. If you are worried about getting the appropriate clothes for your industry placement speak to your tutor.

Networking

Your industry placement gives you an excellent opportunity to network. Networking is about building relationships with the people you know, and the people that they know, to receive advice and support, to help others and to find out about job opportunities.

The most useful contacts on your placement will normally be the people you work with day to day, and especially your manager or supervisor. However, anyone you meet whilst on your placement could be a useful contact.

Networking can feel intimidating at the start so if you feel nervous or shy, ask the person you’re talking to something about themselves or ask for their advice on something. This takes the pressure off you and shows them that you're interested in them. To make the most out of your contacts whilst on your placement:

Industry Placement Student Guide

Find our more about work placements and preparing for them with this PDF Student Guide.