Work placements can be one of the most rewarding experiences – and most daunting – in a student’s life to date. It is likely to be a little of both as bringing new people and insights into a student’s world will stretch them intellectually and emotionally.
To set a student up for success, it is the placement officer’s duty to minimize uncertainty by ensuring that the work placement experience is safe, will deliver the expected educational value, and will broaden the student’s horizons in a nurturing and enriching way.
That confidence must be delivered anew with every placement, carefully balancing the needs and preferences of the student with the requirements of the placement site and academic institution.
To achieve this, every placement officer will have their own methodologies and tricks of the trade, but thorough planning is undoubtedly the foundation of a smooth placement for all parties involved.
To assist with this enormous task, we reached out to experienced placement officers for their insights and best practices. With their assistance, we created the Placement Site Suitability Checklist (link) – a brief but truly comprehensive list of considerations to help make every placement a success. The checklist includes notes on:
- Understanding the placement site’s operations
- Evaluating the placement site’s culture
- Communicating the requirements of the academic institution
- Accounting for the needs of the student
- Documentation and housekeeping
- Health and safety considerations
Whether you’re a new placement officer or a long-time expert, our free placement site suitability checklist has something for everyone and can help take your placement site evaluation to the next level.