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Student guide to work experience

Introduction

The Placement team are here to support you during your studies at the University of West London, by helping you to secure your work experience.

Depending on your chosen course subject this may offer an available work experience, that is an integral part of your course or linked to a specific module. The period you are with an employer is assessed and counts towards your degree.

To find out if your course offers a work experience, please email: Placements@uwl.ac.uk.

If you are studying a Nursing, Midwifery, or Healthcare course, please contact your placement team within the College of Nursing, Midwifery and Healthcare: 

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Types of work experience

  • Undergraduate Work Experience

    Approximate duration: 30-200 hours part-time / 1 day - 5 months.

    Three students walk together in the Street at UWL holding coffee and chatting.

  • Undergraduate placement / internship

    Approximate duration: 40-48 weeks full-time / 1 year.

    Students around a table

  • Postgraduate internship

    Approximate duration: 8-30 weeks full-time / 2-7 months.

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  • Undergraduate Work Experience

    Approximate duration: 30-200 hours part-time / 1 day - 5 months.

    Three students walk together in the Street at UWL holding coffee and chatting.

  • Undergraduate placement / internship

    Approximate duration: 40-48 weeks full-time / 1 year.

    Students around a table

  • Postgraduate internship

    Approximate duration: 8-30 weeks full-time / 2-7 months.

    A male student sitting at a table talking to someone

Please check your course handbook and module study guide for information on the length (hours/weeks required), deadlines and learning outcomes for completing your assessments. You are expected to complete your work experience with one employer.

It is your responsibility to secure work experience.

Starting your search and support available

Teacher or industry professional helping a student in front of a computer.

As a student undertaking a work experience module, you will have access to: 

  • A designated Placement Officer and Careers Consultant  
  • Opportunities advertised via the Student Hub. 
  • Industry-specific careers fairs, employer presentations, networking events and external recruitment fairs. 
  • Expert advice on search strategies and application support.

Visit the Student Hub

  • 5 steps to securing work experience

    1. Log into Student Hub 
    2. Start your pathway
    3. Meet your Placement Officer 
    4. Search for opportunities and meet your careers consultant for applicants 
    5. Secure your placement and complete pathway 

    Once your work experience is secured your employer will be required to complete a Health and Safety form and Work Experience Tripartite / Partnership Agreement.  

    If you start your work experience before it is validated by the Placement team, your work experience hours/weeks will not be counted.

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An airliner, photographed from below with a blue-sky background

I am so glad I chose to take a Placement year as my Internship at Heathrow Airport exceeded all my expectations. I would encourage students at UWL and beyond to participate in a placement year. It was an invaluable experience and has enabled my career to ‘take-off’, before I’ve even finished University."

- Megan Young, BA Airline and Aviation Management with Placement, Intern at Heathrow Airport Winter Resilience Programme.

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Businesspeople poring over financial reports

This internship role greatly enhanced my core skills such as leadership, negotiation, problem-solving and communication.

I am grateful to the Placements and Careers teams especially for their dedicated time towards 1:1 meetings, CV building sessions and much more."

- Safwara Jishan Chakawala, Masters in Business Administration, Mayfair Export UK Ltd.

Before I start work experience

If you are unsure at any stage of the work experience process, please contact your designated Placement Officer/Module Tutor.

  • Do I have to go on work experience?

    Yes - if you have enrolled on a course with an integrated work experience element, then you are required to do so in order to achieve your full degree award. 

  • How do I get support in finding work experience?

    There are many strategies that can be used to find work experience.  

    Initially book an appointment to meet with your designated Placement Officer to receive support with finding opportunities and better understand the process of securing a work experience.  

    Your link Careers Consultant can help with preparing your in your search eg, CV, covering letter, application support and mock interview preparations etc.  

    The best way to book a meeting is via Student Hub. 

  • I have been offered work experience. What do I do now?

    Congratulations! You will need to firstly inform your Placement Officer as well as your Module Tutor and complete the online Work Experience Details Form on your Pathways on the Student Hub. 

  • Why does the University need to contact my employer?

    As a student of UWL, we have a duty of care to you whilst you are on work experience. This means we need to contact your employer to ensure all the relevant health and safety checks and required documentation are completed to validate your work experience. We also need to ensure that the role itself meets the learning outcomes of your module.

  • Is there any paperwork which needs to be completed by me or my employer before I start work experience?

    Yes - you will need to have completed the necessary steps on your Pathways, ie, the Work Experience Agreement Form, Work Experience Details Form, and a validated and signed-off Work Experience Tripartite Agreement before you start work experience.

    Your Placement Officer can contact your employer via email: placements@uwl.ac.uk

  • Can I start my work experience before the company has signed the work experience documents?

    No, you must wait until the documentation is signed and returned to the Placement Team. If a company will not sign the documentation, please contact your Placement Officer.

    You cannot start your work experience until all steps have been validated by your Placement Officer. If you start your work experience before it is validated by the Placement Team, your work experience hours/weeks will not be counted.

  • FAQs: What is considered suitable or unsuitable work experience?

    Voluntary Work 

    Yes. You can use voluntary work for your work experience if the role meets the course learning outcomes. Please note that the organisation in question will still need to comply with our procedures in all other contexts such as agreeing and returning our paperwork.

    Work Experience Abroad 

    You can consider this only if you are a Home/UK student*. This will depend on your ability to both obtain the necessary visa/documentation to travel to that specific country and gain permission from the Placement Officer/Module Tutor.

    *Please note that international work experience opportunities are not applicable to international students holding a student visa. If you are a Student Visa student, you can only undertake your work experience in the UK.

    Freelance work and/or self-employment 

    Most freelance and/or self-employment company’s may not be suitable for the purposes of your work experience due to differences in employment rights around pay, working hours, entitlements (i.e., annual leave and sick leave) and general working conditions.

    Can I be based in the owner’s property 

    No. You cannot undertake your work experience in a private residence.

    Can I work with more than one company for my work experience 

    No. You are expected to complete your work experience with one employer.

    • Please speak to your Placement Officer/Module Tutor for further guidance if any of the above apply to your chosen work experience offer. 

During my work experience

Professionals walking down the stairs

Work experience dos and don'ts

Do:

Introduce yourself to people in the team – tell them who you are and why you're there.

  • Be aware of your environment and the company culture.
  • Be enthusiastic and helpful and use your initiative.
  • Manage your time carefully in order to meet set deadlines.
  • Listen carefully to what is being asked of you.
  • Ask questions – especially if you’re unsure.
  • Notify your supervisor of any absences eg sickness, appointments.
  • Make a good and lasting impression.
  • Discuss any issues with your Line Manager or HR before contacting Module Tutor/Course Leader/Placement Office. 

Don't:

  • Be late!
  • Spend time on your phone during work hours.
  • Forget to tell the employer if you are running late, absent or unwell.
  • Take unauthorised breaks.
  • Remove anything from the company premises without permission.

  • What should I do if I have an issue whilst on work experience?

    You are a student of the University and we are here to support you. You should speak with your supervisor/ line manager in the first instance to resolve the issue. You should contact your Placement Officer/ Module Tutor if the issue cannot be resolved with your supervisor. However, please be aware that you are an employee of the company, and will need to adhere to their policies and procedures at all times.

  • What is my status during my work experience, am I an employee or a student?

    You are both.During your work experience, you are firstly an employee of the organisation, but will still retain your student status. As an ambassador of the University, we expect you to adopt a professional approach at all times throughout this period, allowing opportunities to be available to future cohorts.

  • Can I continue working after my work experience has finished?

    Yes.You can work with the same employer after your period of work experience has finished. However, this is a separate arrangement between you and the employer. Any additional hours after the agreed work experience end date will not be counted towards your assignment.

After your work experience - what next?

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Your career journey is our journey

Once you have completed your work experience and module assignment we recommend you take the steps below to continue your career journey:

  • Complete your Work Experience Evaluation Form on the Student Hub.
  • Write to your employer and thank them for providing the work experience opportunity.
  • Ask your employer if they would be willing to give you a reference for future job applications.
  • Identify the employability skills that you have gained.
  • Start researching graduate opportunities via Student Hub and external websites.
  • See your Careers Consultant to update your CV and discuss future career plans.

Advice for non-UK national students

If your employer has any further questions about your eligibility to work in the UK, please ask them to contact the UK Visas & Immigration helpline on: 0300 123 4699.

Disability support, disclosure, and reasonable adjustments

  • Is there support available at the University for disabled students who go on work experience?

    Yes. All students have the same equal access to opportunities, so together the Placements Team and Wellbeing Team will offer you guidance regarding the support that is available to you. Please visit the Student Hub to book your 1-2-1 appointment to discuss your queries.

    Please note that it may be that support or reasonable adjustments offered will be dependent on students disclosing a disability to a work experience provider.

  • Should I disclose my disability to my Placement Officer/Module Tutor?

    Ideally yes however, you are not obliged to disclose to anyone. If you have a disability, you are encouraged to disclose this to the team in a confidential setting so that we can make an assessment and discuss what appropriate support you may require whilst you are on your work experience. We would never disclose to a third party without your explicit consent.

  • Should I disclose my disability to the work experience employer?

    Your Placement Officer/Module Tutor can discuss this during your one-to-one meeting.

    If you have any concerns about disclosing to your work experience employer do let us know so that we can discuss this with you and offer further guidance. We may suggest that you speak to a Careers Consultant who can offer advice as to when and how to talk about disclosing to your employer at both the application and interview stage of the recruitment process.

    In addition, it may also be important to disclose your disability to a work experience employer if your disability is going to impact your work, or if there are any health and safety implications.

  • Can reasonable adjustments be made for my work experience?

    Support or reasonable adjustments are dependent on the nature of your disability and your work experience, but may include:

    • Support with travel arrangements.
    • Support at the interview stage, for example, extra time for answering questions.
    • Additional rest breaks.
    • Access to a workplace mentor.
    • Access to specialist equipment or assistive technology.
    • Provision of support workers (e.g. British Sign Language interpreter).

  • What funding support (if any), is there available for disabled students going on work experience?

    Specific funding required for support provided during work experience could be provided by Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) or if you are a paid employee while on work experience, you may qualify for Access to Work funding. If additional funding for support is required, this will be discussed with you.

    You can access further information about disclosing your disability to your workplace, from the resources below:

Find out more