Placements

Gaining Real-world Experience

Work placements provide invaluable experiences which can inform your future career decisions. They can offer a unique chance to apply your academic knowledge in real-world situations and enhance your employability in a competitive job market. We have built a variety of partnerships with local and national organisations to deliver a wealth of quality placement options. Whether you are shadowing someone for a few hours a week, or working within a company for a year, you can develop practical skills that are desirable to employers.

Many of our courses offer placement opportunities and you can find specific information on what may be available to you on our course pages.

Why Choose a Placement

Learn industry best practice

Build professional networks

Experience different careers

Develop interpersonal skills

Gain valuable work experience

Use your new skills in a real-world environment

Two people in conversation across a table

Types of Placement

There are a variety placement options and each one has its own unique benefits designed to enable you to get the most you can from the experience. Below are examples of some of the most common types of placements:

A student sitting at a microphone in a radio station

Module Based Opportunity

These credit-bearing placements are designed to fit in around your other studies and contribute towards your overall grade. As they are usually shorter placements, it's a good idea to choose a placement which targets an area or key skills which you would like to learn more about.

A student nurse looking at an IV Drip

Practice Placement

These are usually an integral part of courses on which they appear and can be essential to you qualifying or even registering with professional bodies after graduation. Practice placements can sometimes come in blocks where you are only on placement and not in teaching sessions in-between.

A student and mentor looking at a screen with stock exchange information behind them

Year in Industry/Sandwich Year

These will often take place between your second and third year and give you the chance to become part of a team within a company for a sustained period of time. You may move around the company across that year to give you as broad a view as possible into what opportunities lie beyond your degree.

Supported at Every Step

You’ll never be without support when embarking on a work placement opportunity. The University’s Careers and Employability Team is available to offer professional advice and assistance to Lincoln students. You can book a one-to-one appointment with a Placement and Work Experience Advisor to help you search for opportunities, craft your application, and prepare for interviews.

Support is also available when considering funding for a placement opportunity. For example, the University’s Student Services Team may be able to provide a course-related travel grant to use during your work experience.

Ellie Paget

Business Solutions Specialist, Nestlé

Ellie Paget studied BA (Hons) Business Studies and undertook a year long placement at Nestlé while at the University of Lincoln

My placement was the foundations of my career and I'd recommend work experience to anyone. During my studies, I was supported with career advice including CV support and mock assessment centres from the Careers and Employability Service. This was the basis of my successful year-long industry placement, at Nestlé. After graduating I returned to Nestlé working as a Business Solutions Analyst. After being in role for two years, I received a promotion to become a Business Solutions Specialist.

Global Opportunities

To broaden your horizons even further, why not take advantage of our overseas partner organisations? Some courses offer opportunities to work or volunteer abroad, allowing you to explore new cultures while gaining new professional and personal skills. From short-term opportunities such as academic field trips to placement years abroad, there is a range of different options if you'd like to travel during your degree.