A new Bournemouth University campaign - #MyPlacementStory - highlights the contribution BU placement students are making in the workplace and the added value this experience brings as part of their course.
Bournemouth University has more students on work placement than any other university in Great Britain* and every BU student is offered the opportunity to undertake a work placement as a part of their degree.
#MyPlacementStory highlights the stories of BU students who are currently conducting a work placement as a part of their degree course at companies such as Microsoft, the NHS, New Forest National Park, Sussex County Cricket Club, Virgin and Warner Bros. Students featured in the campaign are from a wide range of courses across all four faculties of the University.
The students, and their employers, were videoed in their place of work for the campaign, explaining their role and how they are contributing to the organisation they work for. Students spend time, on a year long placement or a shorter term arrangement, working in industry gaining knowledge and experience, while contributing to UK business, in sectors ranging from tourism to media, and archaeology to healthcare.
BU’s placement students are also being recognised for the value they add to the organisation they are working for. Chloe Mulligan is currently doing her Business Studies degree and spent her placement year at Virgin as an Insight Analyst where she received the Intern Superstar of the Year award from Virgin Media for the quality of her work.
BU has a reputation for the added value it gives students as a part of their study, with a recent Guardian University league table showing BU to be fourth in the UK for the value it adds to its degrees**.
Another way that the University is adding value is through its Global Talent Programme, an extracurricular activity that can be completed alongside your degree to prepare you for the world of work.
Dr Sonal Minocha, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Global Engagement) at Bournemouth University said, “Bournemouth University has a long standing reputation for its placement opportunities, and the way that it prepares students to be work ready. This ensures that all our students shape their employment and academic journeys in parallel for a well-rounded personal and professional development experience. Enhancing this further is our extensive menu of extracurricular activities, which are co-designed and delivered with employers through the Global Talent Programme. This Programme enables our students to go on to shape a confident employment or enterprise future upon graduation.”
Linda Ladle, Careers and Employability Manager at Bournemouth University, said, “We hear so many exciting stories from our students about how valuable their placement is, and we are always hearing from employers who have been greatly helped and inspired by the students they have taken.
“Bournemouth University placement opportunities really set you apart and ensure that you leave our university with both a degree and valuable real work experience. This is just one factor that sets us apart in the way we prepare our students for their careers.”
BU students and alumni are also being asked to contribute to the #MyPlacementStory campaign by sharing images and videos of their placement and how they have contributed to where they work.
If you have a placement story, then share using the #MyPlacementStory hashtag or email [email protected]. The #MyPlacementStory case study videos can be found at www.bournemouth.ac.uk/my-placement-story.
*According to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) in the DLHE Survey 2015
