Student placements

What is it?

Student placements, also known as internships or work placements, are opportunities for students to gain practical work experience from chosen workplaces. Companies, organisations, or educational institutions usually offer them to provide students with hands-on learning and exposure to real-world work environments.

Need to know:

1. Duration: Placements can vary in duration, ranging from a few weeks to several months. Some may be full-time, while others can be part-time or project-based.
2. Learning Objectives: Each placement typically has specific learning objectives or goals. These objectives may include developing technical skills, gaining industry-specific knowledge, improving communication and teamwork abilities, or understanding workplace dynamics.
3. Work Assignments: Students are assigned tasks and projects relevant to their field of study and the organisation’s needs. These can range from research and analysis to practical implementation and problem-solving. The assignments aim to provide students with practical experience and enhance their understanding of the industry.
4. Mentorship and Supervision: Placements often involve mentorship or supervision by professionals in the organisation. Mentors guide and support students, providing feedback, advice, and insights to help them navigate the work environment and achieve their learning objectives.
   

The takeaway

Student placements offer invaluable hands-on learning opportunities for students. It allows them to apply theoretical knowledge in real-world settings, bridging the gap between school – work life. Whether it is on-location shooting, behind-a-desk editing or whatever your job may be able to offer, participants can gain insights into a workplace, acquiring industry-specific skills and expertise that cannot be learned through school.

Secondly, hosting a student could also facilitate networking and professional connections. Engaging with professionals and colleagues allows them to gain diverse perspectives, experiences, and mentorship opportunities. These connections could provide guidance and support throughout their career journey.

Furthermore, it fosters personal and professional growth. Students develop crucial skills such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and adaptability. They also learn to navigate workplace dynamics, understand industry expectations, and build resilience. It also enables individuals to make informed career decisions. Participants gain clarity about their strengths, interests, and aspirations by immersing themselves in different work environments.

What did our latest student placement have to say?

“Soundview Media has allowed me to gain valuable experience in multiple aspects of media and video production, an opportunity for which I am extremely grateful. The team were all amazing and made me feel very welcome, and I look forward to developing the skills I learnt this week in the future. As well as learning about media and video, I also gained valuable experience working within a close team and learnt more about working within this field of work as a whole. ” – Elsie Penry

Previous student placements

Over the past few years we have hosted various placements, from climate impact interns to work experience students. All of which provided Soundview with great advice, feedback and fantastic work. It has been extremely eye opening and insightful to learn about all the different ideas they all had, some of which we still use today! Take our previous climate intern, Kelsey, for example. Kelsey’s advice, feedback and teachings are things we still practice today. Like our Albert certification scheme, and our journey to b-corp. It has also been extremely reassuring and comforting to know creativity and exciting ideas still flow through the younger generation.

The bigger picture

Student placements bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas into the workplace. Students often possess up-to-date knowledge and a willingness to learn. They bring new energy and enthusiasm to the workplace, positively impacting the work environment. Moreover, student placements can be cost-effective for employers. They provide an extra workforce to complete projects or tasks. By investing in the development of the future generation, employers contribute to the growth of the workforce and the overall community.

Invest in the future generation now

Check out the film Elsie created with us on Youtube!

You can read more about previous years’ work experience here.

Interested in video production? Check out our youtube channel for some of our most recent projects.