What is a Placement Year? In the economic and academic climate of today, the question of whether or not to go to University is a big enough decision in itself. After making the leap another quandary hits, should you take a placement year/internship? Sadly, as found by The Wilson Review, fewer and fewer University programs are offering a Placement Year as part of their degree programs. This is where the student will take a year out of study (usually having to pay the University some sort of fee for the privilege) and work out in the real world in a job related to their desired vocation the drive for going to university in the first place. There are many reasons to seriously consider interning as a possible course of action, but also many which should lead you to be wary. Which is where I come in, do not worry Scriptoeris goddesses- I have been fully informed (as well as having been through the process myself) to be able to share with you the positives and negatives when it comes to interning.
Firstly,it is imperative you consult those already a part of the industry you strive to be a part of. Throughout college and your former years of University, you will have been informed of the great benefits that networking can bring. This is where you can utilise those contacts. All Universities have some kind of careers service, and a team who are tasked with marrying students up with their ideal placement opportunity. My advice however, would be to lay the groundwork with these facilities, but do the leg work alone. The staff at the University will be working with a limited number of businesses across degree specific sectors. It is often the case however that the degree you have chosen to study is not directly related to your career aspirations. For instance, you may want to be a writer but have an aptitude for Science. Or you may wish to get into law but chose to study math due to your natural talent with numbers. Limited choice is not the only reason to go it alone. Your chance of success with university advertised positions is greatly decreased. Due to the fact that several of your class mates will also be applying, and the firm offering the position is more than likely pitching at multiple other universities too. The gems are the hidden jobs, those that are not available for all to see. Here you are more likely to have a real life experience as opposed to something fabricated to meet placement guidelines. Make the placement year fit your desired job, don’t choose an employer who has molded a fake position to hook you in. The biggest breaking point for many in making this decision is pay. Although you still get your government loan and grant (where applicable) other help is severed. Bursaries and Scholarships are often greatly reduced or worse stopped all together for this year. This is ironic as they are designed to help those in the lower quartiles of society get a foot up. Placement year is when this help is needed most, as you are likely to have to move, rent in an expensive city, or commute. The safety net of student accommodation is whipped from under your feet and when you are working full time you are unlikely to be able to schedule in bar work to boost your earnings. If placement year is about living in the real world; why is it many placement providers are not providing real wage packets? The legislation surrounding the pay of interns is still rather loose, although there are on-going campaigns to tie up the loose strings. Currently work experience is classed as a period of weeks whereby the candidate is more likely to be watching others work than carrying out their own. Interns however, are entry level employees who very much carry out work that is integral to the company or organisation providing the internship; so it is basically a job. Where the loophole lies is that companies are allowed to advertise unpaid internships, at the same time as not being paid at least minimum wage for work is illegal. So the advertisements and offering of such positions is not illegal, it is once the work has been carried out and no payment is received; said company finds itself in hot water. Many cases have been successful where students have taken their employer to court to get paid the legal amount for the hours worked after their time is up. Herein lays the problem that a good reference/future job offer may be hard to come by after an industrial tribunal back to square one. Fairly paid placements are specifically hard to come by in the creative industries or in public sector work. Politics and journalism are the two particular trades which to one day earn a living you’re first expected to go through years of unpaid slog. It is so often a fear cited by potential employers that graduates are great on paper but a little useless in practice. Therefore I think interning is the cornerstone of the university experience, and the only possible way for you to really test the water of your desired industry as well as allowing that industry to get a taste of you so they will want to come back for seconds post-graduation. If your desired University does not offer a placement year, simply make use of the long holidays and take on a three month internship. It all adds up.