Your Comments

• i think everyone benefits but surely the student gains the most! a year getting paid for ‘testing’ out the working environment with other students without properly commiting to a company

  Tom Williams – 24th Dec 2007

• You might be right Tom, the student certainly does learn a lot from their placement and it is a great addition to the CV. However, we were amazed how important placements and internships are becoming for employers too.

  The benefits for the companies are numerous; they get a chance to test the suitability of their students for a year, at the end of the year they can decide whether to offer a full time job. This not only means ex-placement students will seamlessly integrate into the graduate scheme, they will not join competitors and the costs of graduate recruitment for the company will be reduced as they have most of their positions filled. It is no surprise that a high proportion of graduate intake at firms like Jagex and 3M have progressed through the placement scheme.

  It seems that with companies attracting talent into the company at earlier and earlier ages (even at A-level) the placement year and internship will become an increasingly important stage in the recruitment process.

  Ali - RateMyPlacement – 24th Dec 2007

• I agree that both parties benefit, but as a recent graduate I used my placement year loads in my last interview and got the job! I used so many examples from my placement year and without it I would have struggled to answer many of the questions asked!

  Glenn Berry – 17th Jan 2008

• Definately! Without my experience from placement all I had to use examples of past work experience was bar work! And that’s not the ‘real’ office experience you need for a Graduate role!

  Lydia Cowell – 17th Jan 2008

• lets hope google and MS dont spoil it for everyone…,

  Ken – 19th Oct 2008

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