Year in Employment Placements are an opportunity for organisations to attract our high-calibre students for a placement of up to 12 months as part of their degree.
We seek placements from all business sectors and sizes. Whether you’re a small start-up looking to hire your first placement student or an experienced recruiter looking to fill numerous roles, we have the expertise to support you throughout the placement process.
You can also read our Placement Provider Handbook for further information on hosting a placement student.
Appointing a placement student from the University of Southampton will provide your organisation with benefits such as:
If you are interested in hosting a Year in Employment student, please contact the Employer Engagement Team at employ@southampton.ac.uk or book a meeting.
Placements should provide students with meaningful projects that reflect the employer's business needs, with a range of responsibilities.
We also ask that during the placement you consider the following:
It was a learning experience for both the student and us, as placement programmes should be - a win win situation for all. Our student was brilliant, proactive and full of positive drive.
For a placement to be eligible for the Year in Employment, it must:
We can support you before, during and after the placement in numerous ways including:
The placement timeline will vary depending on your organisation. We highly recommend advertising Year in Employment opportunities as early as possible during the Autumn term (September to December) to ensure your advert reaches as many prospective candidates as possible. It is, however, still possible to advertise later in the academic year.
Employers can choose how they shortlist and select their placement student, and this process will vary per organisation. The recruitment process could include application forms, online tests, video interviews, assessment centres and final interviews. We would recommend securing a placement student by March to avoid running your recruitment during revision periods and the Easter break.
Placements start during Summer, typically between June and September and last for up to 12 months. For example, if a placement student started with you in July, they could work until the following July and return to their full-time studies in September/October.
| August - September | September - March | March - June | June - September |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preparing your job description and getting in contact with us | Advertising, interviewing and shortlisting | Keeping in touch with your successful candidate(s) | Placement commences |
If you would like to discuss Year in Employment Placements in more detail, then please contact us: