Thousands of students graduate from university with a degree. To distinguish ourselves in the competitive graduate crowd, it’s imperative to highlight our employability and individuality. One way to achieve this, especially as a KCL student, is by undertaking a Placement Year.
Part 1: As a 1st year student
To go on Placement, you must undergo the application process similar to that of a graduate role. Typically, Placements occur after you complete the second year of a BSc program – this means applications commence immediately after you complete your 1st year and return to study. With time ticking away, what steps can you take now to excel in the Placement process and enhance your employability?
| Opportunity Type | Provided by | Link/s |
| Online Course | https://www.linkedin.com | |
| Virtual Work Experience | The Forage | https://www.theforage.com |
| Spring week | Employers | |
| Networking/Building your profile | https://www.linkedin.com | |
| Summer Internships | Employers | https://www.gradcracker.com |
| Insight Programmes | Employers | https://kcl.targetconnect.net |
| Volunteering | Kings, External bodies | researchrecruitment@kcl.ac.uk |
| King’s Undergraduate Research Fellow | King’s College London | https://kcl.targetconnect.net |
| External Employer Events | King’s Careers, Employers | https://kcl.targetconnect.net |
| #MyNextSteps Events and Workshops | King’s Careers | https://kcl.targetconnect.net |
| University Societies | KCLSU | https://www.kclsu.org/groups/activities/join/ |
| King’s Subscriptions | King’s | https://libanswers.kcl.ac.uk/faq/229474 |
There are also many opportunities hosted by King’s that you can get involved in during your 2nd year, such as:
- Principal’s Global Leadership Award: Undergraduate
- King’s Work Experience, King’s Edge
- King’s Experience Awards
- Insights Programme
- King’s Undergraduate Research Fellow (KURF)
Part 2: As a 3rd Year student returning to study
Participating in a Placement offers significant advantages not only for enhancing employability but also for academic pursuits such as individual or group assignments. From my own experience, continual engagement in presenting and condensing/visualizing data during my placement proved invaluable when tackling tasks like Literature presentations, Vivas, and Journal reports, where I had to communicate my research findings to professors and peers. Although these assessments can be daunting, the confidence gained from a placement experience fosters a more optimistic outlook. Furthermore, time-management skills are honed throughout the placement period, shaping work habits to become more refined and efficient during subsequent academic years. It’s also crucial to prioritize and not forget to maintain healthy boundaries, take breaks, and acknowlede accomplishments or positive feedback as well.
By Mollie Phillips (NMES)