KB5048 - Work Placement Year

This module is designed to promote your personal development and a range of interpersonal, intellectual and practical (functional) skills-based around and demonstrated through a significant individually negotiated Work Placement. It seeks to raise your awareness of the workplace as a learning environment and extend your capability and enhance your effectiveness, employability and/or business competitiveness. It seeks to develop professional skills in the chosen subject area within the working environment and an ability to manage your placement development i.e. managing tasks; working with and relating to others, applying knowledge, applying initiative in work problems. You will be expected to reflect on your learning derived from the Work Placement experience.

You are required to keep a record of your activities with reflections and by the end of the placement period; you will have produced a portfolio that can be used when applying for employment upon graduation. The portfolio will contain, company background, initial and final self-assessments, monthly activity reports, quarterly reflective reports and graduate curriculum vitae. They are also a placement poster that will support the placement fayre/showcases etc
This portfolio will assist you in your future career as evidence of achievement enhancing employability and future study options.

This module operates within a partnership between the University, employer and yourself, and provides you with the opportunity to develop core competencies and employability skills relevant to your programme of study in a work-based environment.
A series of placement preparation activities are provided and organised by the Department and the Graduate Futures team, during your second year of study, such as KB5030 Preparing for placement (optional module) placement briefings, CV and Interview preparation sessions, and company presentations.
Before the placement commences, a placement briefing session is provided, during this session the placement experience and assessment is discussed more in-depth. You are informed of how to access ‘on placement’ documentation and advice within the e-learning platform. Guidelines about placements and the assessment are also provided. You will also receive a Health and Safety briefing during this session.

It is the policy of the University that every placement has to be approved as an appropriate work placement before you can start your placement. This ensures that all relevant risk assessments, insurance checks etc. are in place before you commence your work in the workplace.

You will be allocated a Visiting Tutor who can provide academic and pastoral support. This support is backed up by the Placement Tutor(s) and, and the Professional Placement Support team.

The teaching and learning strategies adopted in this module will be unique to individual learners and will be agreed upon with the University when negotiating the work placement. A training agreement will be signed by the placement provider, the University and yourself.

The work-based supervisor will supervise you weekly, in addition, some organisations also offer the opportunity to have a mentor. An academic member of staff will normally visit you two times throughout a one-year placement period if your placement is in the UK. For placements overseas, a strategy for your contact will be drawn up at the beginning of the academic year and could include two visits, or one or both visits substituted with other forms of contact, e.g. online sessions between your visiting tutor, your work based supervisor and yourself. During the visits, your performance will be discussed with the supervisor and your programme reviewed in light of your general progress and performance. A record will be kept to include each visit made by the visiting member of the academic staff.

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

Knowledge & Understanding:

LO1. Draw on, apply and review prior knowledge and new learning to changing situations

LO2. Extend a wide range of specialised technical, creative and/or conceptual skills to make informed judgements

Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:

LO3. Identify, negotiate and manage tasks individually and as a member of a team that address own personal goals and organisational/professional requirements

LO4. Make recommendations for own professional development and propose a strategy for implementation and deployment

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA)

LO5. Communicate clearly and efficiently using appropriate communication strategies

Formative Assessment:

Your work-based supervisor will periodically give you feedback on your performance in the workplace, including during your 1:1 meetings discussing your monthly and quarterly reports.
Your visiting tutor will give you feedback on your progress during the visits to the workplace.

Summative Assessment

Component 1 – Placement report - Pass/Fail
The module assesses both your performance on placement and your reflection on the placement.
Component 1 – Placement report
Comprising of;
• Background to company and your placement role
• Initial and Final self-assessment (LO 3, 4)
Monthly Activity Reports (max. 700 words per month, assessment of LO 1 - 3)
Quarterly Reflective Reports (max. 1000 words per quarterly activity report, assessment of LO 1 - 5);
Curriculum Vitae (assessment of LO 5);

Once you have submitted your report feedback from your visiting tutor on your submission will be made available to you through the Professional Placement ELP grade book facility, following the University guidelines on providing feedback.

Component 2 – Placement poster- Pass/Fail
Using the template supplied create a clear and informative poster to communicate your placement;
? Company
? Your achievements
? Remuneration, benefits opportunities
? Advice – getting, surviving, get most from your placement
(Assessment of LO 5);
The module assesses both your performance on placement and your reflection on the placement.

None

None

This module operates within a partnership between the University, employer and yourself, and provides you with the opportunity to develop core competencies and employability skills relevant to your programme of study in a work-based environment.

You will be able to use the placement experience to develop and enhance appropriate areas of your knowledge and understanding, your intellectual and professional skills, and your value attributes, relevant to your programme of study, as well as accreditation bodies such as IMechE, ICE, Inst of Structural Engineers, Institute of Highway Engineers, CIHT, within the appropriate working environments.

This module is a Pass/Fail module so does not contribute to the classification of your degree. When taken and passed, however, the Placement Year is recognised both in your transcript as a 120 credit Work Placement Module and on your degree certificate.

Due to its overall positive impact on employability, degree classification and graduate starting salaries, the University strongly encourages you to pursue a work placement as part of your degree programme.