Sandwich courses

[Technonotice]

Does the years work placement give you an decent advantage when applying for entry level/graduate jobs?

Obviously industry experience is crucial these days but it does make your degree a year longer.

Any one done a work placement as part of their degree and found it worthwhile?

[jamesc_1729]

I did a 4-year sandwich Engineering degree.

It was definitely worth it as I was subsequently offered every graduate job I applied for. The experience of engineering within an actual business environment is a world away from the simple theory you learn at uni. In addition to this I used far more up-to-date tools/processes in the workplace compared to those I was taught on my degree modules.

Think also about how many people state that they have learnt more since leaving uni than whilst being there. Any career is a lifelong learning experience and any employer will be far more impressed with a candidate with a wider breadth of experience post qualification...

Do it!

[jamesc_1729]

Oh and also the injection of funds mid-degree is very convenient and meant that I didn't have to take out a loan for my final year.

[Vron]

Definately do it - you can get paid and its a years proper work experience for your CV.

[UpTheIron]

jamesc_1729 said:

Oh and also the injection of funds mid-degree is very convenient and meant that I didn't have to take out a loan for my final year.

Definitely worth it IMHO, however my sandwich year has turned into 13 years working. I really must finish my degree at some point!

[Engineer1]

Well worth it, as said by others, it's either a year long interview in which to shine, a welcome paycheck, an extra year safely in uni while the economy claws its way towards healthy.

[scirocco265]

I'd say absolutely so, you get a chance to make contacts, and also to add skills to your CV that you wouldn't get from your standard student job. After I finished the placement, the Company offered me a part-time job whilst I did my final year and then back full-time when I get graduated and that was 6 years ago! One of my friend's did a placement year and her Company paid all her fees through her final year. Word of caution though, a couple of other friends also took thsi route because we did (the year out itself was optional) but couldn't find 'proper' placement roles so made their part-time job full-time for a year. Trouble was, as they didn't add anything through choosing this route, when they graduated it was viewed as they has 'dossed' for a year by some...

[T89 Callan]

I did one.

Well worth it, it meant I had better knowledge and experience for the final year, also I had a better work ethic than those who had never worked.

It made the final year of partying all the more sweeter.

Lastly it gave me some real experience to discuss when applying for jobs straight out of uni' which jumps you ahead of most of the other graduates.

[The jiffle king]

I did one in 1995 working for Sainsbury´s. It was great!!! It taught me about the workplace, what working is really like full time and how to cope with the banter and challenges in a real job.

They sponsored me in my final year and I went back to work for them for 18 months before moving on. A great experience and it gave me things to talk about to further employers... and a lot of great man management experience.

Thoroughly recommended and do go for it.

T-J-K

[JJCW]

Learnt more in my placement year then in the 3 at uni.

Practical experience under a good manager > university.

Also, not doing the sandwich would've lost me the honours part of the degree iirc.

[GaryST220]

CV's go into two piles, degree or no degree, and then experience or no experience. However expect to be paid peanuts for the work you do, compared to a graduate. 50% less isn't rare.

[sebo]

I did a Sandwich Degree (finished 3 years ago). Spent my third year working for Intel. Went back to uni with a job offer pending completion of my degree.

Applied for a Graduate scheme in the city in my final year of my degree and ended up getting it almost solely because I had a year's experience in what I was applying to do.

Ended up turning down the job back at Intel.

Allot of interviews are behavioural ones so they tend to ask you to give a time when you have had to face a challenge or deal with a difficult person etc. It's easier to give solid answers if you have worked as opposed to only relating to Academia.

I am massively biased though as I was on the Graduate Scheme with people with First Class honours degrees from red brick uni's where as I have a desmond from an old poly. The firm were more interested in what I had done in industry.