Taking a placement year is a fantastic opportunity for you to gain real-world work experience and meet interesting people within your industry - but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy. There’s always support available for you here at BU. We want to make sure you know where to look and who to talk to if you need advice and guidance.
As a BU student, you have free access to the Big White Wall, an online mental health service available 24/7. There are self-help resources, an online community and clinically qualified ‘Wall Guides’ to talk to.
Our Student Wellbeing team and SUBU Advice are still available, even when you’re not here. Get in touch, and they’ll work with you to arrange the best way to support you or help you find support in local to where you’re working.
Kerry Rolls, BU's Student Wellbeing Coordinator and Brad Powell, SUBU’s VP Welfare & Equal Opportunities and BU graduate, have some practical advice to help you make the most of your placement!
Enjoy yourself
Enjoying your placement means enjoying working with the people around you too, so chat to your line manager if you’re not connecting with an individual.
Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible!
You’ll build skills to apply to your studies when you return, as well as become a valued staff member and really help contribute to the organisation – you may even be offered a job after you graduate!
Strike a balance
There’s more to life than work! Scheduling time for yourself and social activities in the evenings or weekends is vital to ensuring you don’t become overwhelmed with work. This could be the beginning of your career and it’s important to learn about boundaries and looking after yourself while at work.
Ask for help if you’re stuck
Communicating and letting your team know if you’re unsure about a task, idea or principle will stop you worrying, help you learn... and meet deadlines!
Set small goals each month
Think about what you want to achieve and learn while on placement - you can then reflect back on the year and see your development and progress.
Check our health and wellbeing webpages for a wide range of support information, including opening hours and contact details for a number of BU and external services.
