Congratulations on securing a work placement. All of the effort you put into writing applications and attending interviews has paid off and you can now look forward to an exciting year ahead!

Although you remain registered as a student at QM for the duration of the placement year, you are, first and foremost, an employee and subject to the same terms and conditions as any other employee in the organisation. You will have a line manager or immediate work supervisor, to whom you will be responsible and, any work-related support or training required should be provided by the employer. In the event that you have issues you feel you cannot discuss with your manager then please contact the QM Placements Team via maths@qmul.ac.uk or 020 7882 5219.

Remember that you will be a representative of Queen Mary University and of the School of Mathematical Sciences, and that you are expected to behave in a professional way.

You will be expected to:

    • Take full advantage of the learning opportunities which the placement offers;
    • Carry out the assigned tasks allocated by your work supervisor;
    • Follow the instructions and guidance of the workplace supervisor;
    • Follow the official rules and regulations as any other employee of the company;
    • Adhere to the company’s pledge of confidentiality and to commercial sensitivity;
    • Adhere to the organisation’s Health and Safety guidelines;
    • Behave professionally and appropriately at all times;
    • Take responsibility for your own learning and behaviour while in the workplace;
    • Complete the required components of the University assessment by the given deadline.

A professional placement is an excellent opportunity to develop your business skills and gain hands-on experience. As well as helping you to secure graduate employment, this can support your academic achievement by providing additional context to your studies. For many students who are not certain about what career path they want to follow, a professional placement or sandwich year can be an excellent way to help you understand your options and make decisions about your future. Our expected learning outcomes are:

    • Demonstrate an understanding of the industry/business environment in which the employing company or organisation operates;
    • Describe the purpose of student's role within the context of the business and the contribution it makes to the organisation as a whole;
    • Describe the structure of the organisation and the purpose/role of each department and key function within the organisation;
    • Identify the purpose and activities undertaken by key individual roles within the organisation;
    • Demonstrate employability skills by:
      • Applying for and securing a placement;
      • Working effectively within their job role;
      • Communicating effectively both orally and in writing;
    • Identify the primary policies in operation at the employing organisation and evaluate their effectiveness (e.g. Health & Safety, Quality Assurance, and Environmental).


Last modified: Monday, 31 August 2020, 1:04 PM