Taking a year out of your studies for a work or volunteering placement has many benefits, find out how we can support you to do this. Why consider undertaking a year placement? Employers seek a diverse range of skills and experience in the graduates they employ. Placements help you to develop valuable transferable skills that can be applied in numerous job sectors. Transferable skills Future employers look beyond the knowledge gained through the university degree programme and look for graduates who can demonstrate many transferable skills such as: Effective communication Resilience Commercial awareness Planning and research skills Leadership and management Adaptability Teamwork and interpersonal skills A placement offers the opportunity for students to gain demonstratable experience and skills. Finding a placement Careers Service The Careers Service is dedicated to offering advice on looking for work. Looking for work Applying If you see a placement that you would really like to do, draft a CV and anything else the application asks for. Before you submit your application, make an appointment to see Kyla Atkinson from the Careers Service to get some feedback on your application. Kyla can also provide support if you are invited for interview(s). CV 360 Use our interactive CV resource on Careers Service Plus to gain feedback, available 24/7. CV 360 If you are successful at finding a placement, inform your Student Adviser and the Biology Teaching Organisation so that we can advise you on the processes of applying for an interruption of studies. Kyla Atkinson Link Careers Consultant for the School of Biological Sciences, Edinburgh Medical School and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies Kyla joined the Careers Service in 2018, after graduating with a PG Diploma in Career Guidance and Development from Edinburgh Napier University. Kyla has Masters Degrees from the University of Edinburgh in Inclusive and Special Education, as well as in Criminology and Criminal Justice. Her BSc is in Psychology and Education from Bath Spa University. Kyla works Monday-Friday and is based in the Nucleus Building at King’s Buildings. She is also available on Microsoft Teams. Contact details Email: Kyla.Atkinson@ed.ac.uk Year-long opportunities The School of Biological Sciences encourages students to apply for and undertake year-long work experience placements during their academic studies. Industrial Placements Each link below will provide more information on some funding bodies and organisations that may offer industrial placements to students: AstraZeneca Novartis Lilly J.P. Morgan ScotGrad IAESTE UK Earlham Institute Student Ladder There are more resources on the Careers Service Plus School page. Interruption of Studies Those that apply for and successfully secure a placement would take an interruption of studies after their third (Junior Honours) year of their degree for a period of 12 months. The student would return to the University of Edinburgh to complete their fourth (Senior Honours) year after their placement has ended. An important point to note is that any placement year undertaken as part of an interruption of studies, does not contribute towards the final degree classification. Year-long industrial placements are generally advertised by employers for the attention of students who are in their penultimate year at university. It is also possible to self-arrange placements within the conservation sector, which are usually voluntary. The Biological Sciences Academic Placement Coordinator is Dr. Andrew Free (Andrew.Free@ed.ac.uk), who can offer informal advice and answer specific questions about the eligibility of a placement for interruption of studies. Interruption of Studies International Students Students studying with a visa should seek advice on applying for industrial placements from the Student Immigration Service because taking an Interruption of Studies will have implications on your visa. Student Immigration Service This article was published on 2024-06-17
