School of Biological Sciences updated 31/10/2011
Queen’s University
Work placement
ALU2012
Module handbook
2011-12
Module co-ordinator:
Dr Karen King
Room 108 MBC
E-mail:
Careers Advisor:
Mark Gallagher
Careers, Employability and skills,
E-mail: m.gallagher @qub.ac.uk
This module is only available to students registered in the School of Biological Sciences
1. Course content:
1. Pre-placement preparation including, the selection of placement, application forms, CV's and interviews. Evaluation of placement by student, including potential to relate academic theory to the work place and skills development
2. On Placement work including relating academic theory to the workplace, recording activities and reflection in a log book.
3. Post placement reflection of learning and career prospects.
2. Contact hours:
Sessions will be held during the first and second semesters as indicated in the timetable below. All sessions are compulsory sessions, and must be attended by all students.
This programme is preliminary and the programme order may change as speakers are identified and confirm. The programme will be regularly updated as speakers become available and you must check this on QOL.
Agricultural Technology students will have a separate programme.[see below]
Where the same workshop if offered twice in a week, students should attend the workshop as indicated in the timetable below.
Biological Sciences degrees students should attend the workshop session which fits with their timetable.
ALL SESSIONS ARE COMPULSORY
First semester:
Week / Date / Day/time / Location / Topic / Students / Staff3 / 12/10
13/10
14/10 / Wed 2-4
Thurs 10-12
Fri 10-12 / MBC204
WMB/SR7
MBC204 / Workshop 1
Introduction
Introduction
Introduction / Biol Sci
FQSN
LUEM / MG
KK
4 / 19/10
21/10 / Wed 11-1
Fri 10-12 / PFC/03/017
MBC 204 / Workshop 2
Placement/Employment
Placement/Employment / FQSN
LUEM / MG
KK
5 / 25/10
26/10 / Tues 10-12
Wed 2-4 / MBC LT1
MBC204 / Workshop 3
Cv/cover letter
Workshop 2 - Placement/Employment / FQSN/LUEM
Biol Sci only / MG
KK
6 / 31/10 / Mon 9.30-11
Mon 11-30 – 1
Mon 2-3.30 / MBC 105 / Workshop 3
Cv/cover letter
Workshop 4
Seeking placement
Workshop 5
Interview skills / Biol Sci only
Biol Sci only
Biol Sci only / MG
KK
7 / 8/11 / Tues 10 -12 / ELTC 1S1 / Workshop 4
Seeking placement / FQSN/LUEM / MG
KK
9 / 22/11 / Tues 10 -12 / MBC LT1 / Workshop 5
Interview skills / FQSN/LUEM / MG
KK
10 / 29/11 / Tues 9-12
Tues 9-12 / Geog/ OG/O06
MBC 205 / Workshop 6
Employers
Employers / FQSN
LUEM / MG
KK
SEMESTER 2: PROVISIONAL TIMETABLE
Week / Date / Day/time / Location / Topic / Students / Staff2 / 6/2/12
10/2/12 / Mon 12-2
Fri 10-12 / PFC/03/017
ELTC/ LT / Workshop 7
Careers and placement / FQSN mainly
LUEM mainly / MG
KK
3 / 13/2/11
17/2/11 / Mon 12-2
Fri 10-12 / PFC/03/017
ELTC/ LT / Workshop 2
Learning outcomes and assessment / FQSN mainly
LUEM mainly / KK
5 / 27/2/11
2/3/11 / Mon 12-2
Fri 10-12 / PFC/03/017
ELTC/ LT / Workshop 9
Documentation / FQSN mainly
LUEM mainly / KK
6 / 5/3/11
9/3/11 / Mon 12-2
Fri 10-12 / PFC/03/017
ELTC/ LT / Workshop 10
Health and Safety / FQSN mainly
LUEM mainly / QUB safety
FIRST SEMESTER
Workshop 1 Work Placement Scene setting session
· Introduction to the Module – Dr King.
· Explanation of roles of staff involved – Dr King and M Gallagher.
· Audit of Me plc. – M Gallagher.
· Why skills are important ? changing world of employment - M Gallagher.
· Skills self assessment – Exercise called Focus your skills. Students will reflect on achievements to date and draw out skills developed along the way.
Workshop 2 Overview of typical placements and employments areas on placement
· Description of the broad areas that students have gone to on placement -M Gallagher
· Information provided on previous placement details - M Gallagher.
· What the jobs actually entail. What students are doing - M Gallagher and Dr King.
· Exercise: Skills that would typically be used in the Job areas in question – use Skills grid.
Makes link between skills attained at this point from Academia/Work experience to date and ex curricular activities to the skills that employers seek on placement and linked to skills referenced in session 1.
Workshop 3 CV / Cover letter and Application form session
· CV and Cover letter – do’s and don’t - M Gallagher .
· ‘Your Jobs’ online DVD.
· How to go about online applications and answering competency based questions - M Gallagher.
· Student comment on CV/cover letters – Dr King.
Workshop 4 Seeking work placements
· How am I going to secure work placement? – M Gallagher .
· Work Placement Management system – M Gallagher.
· Placement student’s experience – final year students.
· What to expect when dealing with employers - M Gallagher.
· Speculative approaches – M Gallagher.
· Student comment on employer approaches – Dr King.
· Exercise: Following the session students are expected to upload their revised CV and Cover letter to QOL/Placement management system.
Workshop 5 Interview skills
· Interview skills - M Gallagher.
· DVD ‘Why ask me that?’
· Placement approval process : Work opportunity form – Dr King.
· Student comment on interviews – Dr King.
· Exercise: Action Planning: Devise a plan of Action in relation to attaining placement. Students to submit a record of which companies they intend applying to and why to QOL/ Placement Management system.
Workshop 6 Meeting some employers
· 3 to 4 employers will give an overview of their areas and careers/placements.
· Cover the broad company information.
· Expectations of employers when students are approaching them speculatively and formally.
SECOND SEMESTER:
Workshop 7 Career and placement
· Update on placement – Dr King.
· Audit of Me Plc to close the session? – M Gallagher.
· Exercises on Career Values and Career Planning / Rich Pictures / Personality type – M Gallagher.
· Team working exercise : Gas Platform
· Making the most of your placement experience – M Gallagher.
· Student comment – Dr King.
Workshop 8 Assessment and Learning outcomes
· Module Learning outcomes - what do they mean? – Dr King.
· Assessments: Pre placement submission / Placement portfolio/Presentation –Dr King. Learning and Reflection – Dr King.
Workshop 9 Documentation and placement responsibilities
· Documentation to complete and return once placement commences – Dr King.
· On placement documentation and responsibilities – Dr King.
Workshop 10 Health and Safety
· Safety service at Queen’s deliver this session.
Sessions for Agricultural Technology students at Greenmount:
Semester 1:
Week / Date / Day/Time / Location / Topic / Staff3 / 13/10 / Thursday
2-4pm / TR 7
Technology building / Workshop 1: Introduction / KK and MG
4 / 20/10 / Thursday
2-4pm / TR 7
Technology building / Workshop 2:
Work placement planning / MG
7 / 10/11 / Thursday
2-4pm / TR 7
Technology building / Workshop 3:
CV and interviews / MG
11 / 8/12 / Thursday
2-4pm / TR 7
Technology building / Workshop 4:
Employers session / KK and MG
Semester 2 : to be agreed.
YOU MUST ATTEND ALL THE WORKSHOPS DESCRIBED ABOVE.
FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN YOU BEING WITHDRAWN FROM THE MODULE.
ANY STUDENT WHO MISSES A WORKSHOP SESSION MUST COMPLETE AN ‘APPLICATION FOR CREDIT FOR MISSED ATTENDANCE’ FORM AVAILABLE FROM THE SCHOOL OFFICE. THIS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH MEDICAL OR OTHER EVIDENCE AS TO THE REASON FOR YOUR ABSENCE TO THE MODULE CO-ORDINATOR, DR KAREN KING, WHO WILL DECIDE IF CREDIT IS GRANTED.
YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ATTAINING YOUR OWN PLACEMENT AND THESE WORKSHOPS ARE AIMED AT SUPPORTING YOU TO ENABLE YOU TO DO THIS.
Students must complete at least 560 hours ( i.e. 16 weeks x 35hours) of work placement. Students not completing the required hours will have their placement portfolio mark reduced proportionately.
If you complete a shorter placement with longer hours submission of the assessed elements should be after the appropriate number of hours.
Students undertaking the placement module may be eligible to apply for the Queen’s Employability and Skills and hence Degree Plus award.
Placement will take place during the summer at the end of Stage 2. Students who have examinations during the normal second semester period in May, should consider starting their placement on a part time basis during the second semester in order to achieve the required hours by early September.
You are required to submit your final report in early September and should have completed your required hours of placement by this time. There will be no extensions for submission except in extenuating circumstances.
All students are responsible for attaining their work placement.
The work undertaken must be a ’job of work’ not just project work. However, the ‘job of work’ must allow for higher level skills development [problem solving, evaluation, idea creation etc.] as would be appropriate for an Honours degree placement. Examples of such work included project management/ personnel management.
Placement management system.
A placement management system is in place and you must register on this site to gain access to the supporting materials lodged on the site. The university server for this site is outside QOL.
The placement management system contains a range of supporting documentation including placement opportunities, past placement opportunities, tips for CV’s and interviews and all assessment templates. All assignments can be submitted to QOL.
Stages and support during the module
i. Assistance in securing a placement:
Employers are interested in what skills you have to offer them that might be beneficial to their company. The first session aims to consider what type of skills are important to employers and help you to identify if you have the necessary skills.
Sessions on CV’s, covering letters and interview techniques will be held in first semester by staff from Careers, Employability and Skills.
The initial impression you create through your CV, Cover letter and in person at interview are very important to your potential placement employer, and these sessions will help you create a positive impact.
There are also sessions on examining previous placement job descriptions to help you understand what is involved in the placement work.
The Careers Advisor, Mark Gallagher, will assist students seeking placements and will seek placement opportunities. Opportunities for placements will be posted on QOL/placement management system.
A list of work placement sources and additional information will also be made available through QOL/ placement management system .
Students will also be able to avail of individual interviews with Mark Gallagher to discuss their placement. These are planned for late in first semester and during second semester as required.
ii. Application stage:
During the application stage, students should keep a record of their applications using the placement management system. This enables the placement team to monitor regularly throughout the year the types of placement students are seeking and their progress towards securing a placement. Students who are not seen to be actively seeking placement will be required to meet with Mark Gallagher to discuss their position.
Students are encouraged to seek their own placements. These must be approved by Dr King before you start the placement.
It is advised that students commence the application stage as early as possible in the academic year to help secure employment. Many of the larger employers will close their programmes early in the year and the process is a competitive one.
The procedure for approval of placements is described in Appendix 1.
It is a requirement that students engage fully in the placement process, make an appropriate number of applications and of an appropriate quality.
You will be asked to submit an assignment indicating 6 organisations you have or will be applying to before the end of semester 1.
iii. Pre-placement submission:
Once a placement is secured and approved, students should complete their pre- placement submission, described in Appendix 2, and submit it via QOL/placement management system.
The pre-placement submission is worth 20% of the module mark.
iv. Prior to departure pack:
Prior to departure on placement, students should collect a pack of forms/information from the School Office in the MBC. Some of the forms in the pack should be completed and returned ASAP to the office. Other forms need to be completed by the student whilst on placement. This pack is described in Appendix 3.
Students must make sure they complete and return these forms – if they are not the placement will not count and the university will not accept any liability for you whilst on placement.
v. During placement:
a. Weekly log book:
During the placement students must complete a weekly log book and submit it at the end of each week to QOL/placement management system. A template for the log book and completed example log books are given in Appendix 4. The template is also available from QOL/placement management system. The placement team will use the log book submissions to ascertain how students are doing, whether they need any help and also to ensure students are doing appropriate work on which they can reflect on their learning.
b. Work based learning elements [WBL elements]:
Additionally during the placement students will be required to submit 2 work based learning elements of max 1000 words on aspects of the organisation they are working for which are not directly related to their daily activities. More detail and acceptable topics are given in Appendix 5. If you opt to do one of the listed titles, you can complete the assignment and submit to QOL/placement management system. If you wish to do something which is not listed – you must obtain the agreement of Dr King.
These must be submitted to QOL/placement management system by the end of weeks 8 and 12 of the placement or after 280 and 420 hours of work where a shorter, more intensive placement is undertaken.
c. Visits by staff and assessment:
During the placement you will be visited by a member of staff who will ask your placement provider to give an assessment of your work and your employability skills.