Preparation

Preparation

Securing your placement year is a competitive process but If you start your preparations early, and make use of the support on offer, you are much more likely to succeed with your applications.

UG Timeline PG Timeline

Preparing for your Year In Industry

Our placements team has put together a preparation journey which shows you what you should be doing and when. Your preparations will begin in Stage 1 and continue right through until the end of Stage 2. 

If you are interested in doing a placement year please do reach out to one of the advisers and we can keep you up to date with support and opportunities on offer. You can reach out to the placements team by emailing placements@kent.ac.uk. 

Your Preparation Journey 

The timelines below are a guide to help you prepare for your placement. Your journey will consist of a mixture of timetabled (where subjects permit this) and extra-curricular activities. There is an undergraduate version which highlights the support throughout Stages 1 and 2 and there is a postgraduate version as the preparations and applications will need to be completed within Stage 1. support and guidance for students can begin before you arrive at Kent just email placements@kent.ac.uk to get started. 

UG placement preparation journey

Stage 1

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Autumn Term

Placements - an introduction

Introduction from the placements team, find our how placements work in your school.

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Spring Term

Placements - who, what and where?

A workshop to inspire. Hear from fellow students about their experiences and learn what opportunities are out there and where to find them. 

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Spring Term

Active Placement Planning

Attend this session for useful hints and tips on being active, how to be organised and ensure you are on top of all your applications. 

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Spring Term

CV and cover letters

Attend these workshops to get you started on your CVs and cover letters. 

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Summer Term

One-to-one appointments

Book an appointment with our Placement Advisers for one-to-one support and advice with preparations for your placement search. 

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Summer Term

Bootcamps

Keep an eye for our placement year boot camps and make sure you sign up so you are full prepared for your placement applications. You can find a list of events here.

Stage 2

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Summer Term

Applications

Attend the applications workshop, understand the different application types and how to navigate your way through your application journey. 

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Autumn Term

Interview Skills

Come along to an interviews workshop, be informed and prepared for what to expect once you have sent your applications. 

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Autumn Term

Employer Talks

Look out for employer talks, attend sessions in EmpFest and make yourself known to companies you have applied to or are interested in. 

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Autumn/Spring Term

One-to-one appointments

Book an appointment with our Placement Advisers for one-to-one support and advice with your placement search. 

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Spring term

Refresh your skills

Stay refreshed with your interview skills, how to succeed in assessment centres, keep up to date with your CV and applications by attending our CES central workshops. 

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Summer Term

Pre-placement session

Face to face session with your school placement team, go through what will be expected, assessments and more. 

PG placement preparation journey

If you are on a postgraduate placement journey you will still need to complete certain steps in within Stage 1 of your degree. 

Stage 1

leaf
Autumn Term

Placements - an introduction

Introduction from the placements team, find our how placements work within your school. 

leaf
Autumn Term

Placements - who, what and where?

A workshop to inspire. Hear from fellow students about their experiences, learn what opportunities are out there and where to find them. 

leaf
Autumn Term

Active Placement Planning

Attend this session for useful hints and tips on being active, how to be organised and ensure you are on top of your applications. 

leaf
Autumn Term

CVs and cover letters

Attend these workshops to get you started on your CVs and cover letters. You can find out when workshops are running on the Year In Industry Events Page. 

leaf
Autumn Term

One-to-one appointments

Book an appointment with our Placement Advisers for one-to-one support and advice with preparations for your placement search. 

leaf
Autumn Term

Applications

Attend an applications workshop, understand the different application types and how to navigate your way through your application journey. 

leaf
Spring Term

Bootcamps

Keep an eye out for our placement year boot camps and make sure you sign up for that extra support with your placements search. 

tree
Spring Term

Employer Talks

Look out for our employer talks, attend sessions for the opportunity to connect to employers.  

tree
Spring Term

One-to-one appointments

Book an appointment with our Placement Advisers for one to one support and advice with preparations for your placement search. 

sun
Summer Term

Pre-placement session

Face to face session with your school placement team, go through what will be expected, assessments and more. 

Stage Two

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From late summer term

Enjoy your Placement Experience


"My advise to my peers is to stay persistent, have faith, stay true to your strengths, and leverage each experience as a steeping stone toward personal and professional development. I am sincerely looking forward to new opportunities that will lead to my personal and professional growth." 

Divyam Acharya 

Artificial Intelligence with a Year In Industry. 

"Apply as early as you can, getting an early start - as early as the end of August can be so fruitful. Making a big board to keep track of roles I had applied to and were waiting to open and using a spreadsheet really helped me to keep organised. 

Most importantly as much as it is cliché, don't give up! I personally went through at least 25 applications, consecutive rejections, countless assessments, disappointments and some bad interviews before I was offered a placement"

Eleri Eaton-Brown 

Bsc (Hons) Forensic Science with a Professional Placement