Preparation

Preparation

Securing your Year in Industry or Year in Professional Practice 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.

Preparing for your Year In Industry

Our 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 Year in Industry or Year in Professional Practice, 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 team by emailing placements@kent.ac.uk. 

Your Preparation Journey 

The timelines below are a guide to help you prepare for your Year in Industry or Year in Professional Practice. 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 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. 

Undergraduate preparation journey

Stage 1

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Autumn Term

Welcome Talks

Look out for the Employability and Placements team during welcome week and throughout the 1st term. Come and say hello and to find out more about how we can support you with your year in industry preparation.

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Autumn Term

Year in Industry - An Introduction

This session will provide you with all of the information required to help you prepare for and hopefully secure, a fantastic placement opportunity.

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Spring Term

Spring Careers Fair

Attend the spring careers fair and network with employers. You never know, you may secure yourself some work experience over the summer or discover placement year opportunities.

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Spring Term

Find work experience

Help to make yourself stand out from the crowd, attend our finding work experience session or attend an interactive workshop to begin tailoring your CV.

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Summer Term

One-to-one appointments and year in industry group advice appointments

Book an appointment with an adviser for one-to-one or small group support and advice with preparations for your search. 

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Summer Term

Bootcamps

Keep an eye for our Year in Industry bootcamps and make sure you sign up so you are full prepared for your applications. You can find a list of events here.

Stage 2

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Summer Term

Applications

Attend the acing 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 off 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 Advisers for one-to-one or small group support and advice with your 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 workshops. 

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Summer Term

Pre-Year in Industry session

Face to face session with your school 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

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Autumn Term

Welcome Talks

Look out for the Employability and Placements team during welcome week and throughout the 1st term. Come and say hello and to find out more about how we can support you with your year in industry preparation.  

leaf
Autumn Term

Year in Industry - an introduction

This session will provide you with all of the information required to help you prepare for and hopefully secure, a fantastic placement opportunity.  

leaf
Autumn Term

One-to-one appointments and year in industry group advice appointments

Book an appointment with an adviser for one-to-one or small group support and advice with preparations for your search.   

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Autumn Term

CVs and cover letters

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

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Autumn Term

Autumn Careers Fair

Attend the Autumn careers fair and network with employers. You never know, you may secure yourself some work experience over the summer or discover placement year opportunities.  

leaf
Autumn Term

Applications

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

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Spring Term

Employer Talks

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

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Spring Term

One-to-one appointments and year in industry group advice 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

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

All postgraduate students are unable to begin their year in industry before first week of July and no later than 1st week of September

"My advice to peers is to stay persistent, have faith, stay true to your strengths, and leverage each experience as a stepping stone toward personal and professional development." 

Divyam Acharya, Artificial Intelligence with a Year In Industry. 

"Apply as early as you can, getting an early start. Making a big board to keep track of roles I had applied to and was 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, Forensic Science with a Professional Placement