Abstract
The purpose of this study is to identify the benefits work placements have on student outcomes and encourage more students to make the most of the opportunities available. Graduate outcomes are still a very topical discussions within Higher Education, and the concept of value for money for students and the wider community, under the scrutiny of The Office for Students, is a key factor related to future funding.
The theoretical debates about self-selection identified that some students progressed onto a graduate role without completing a Professional Placement Year, but the literature appears to support the notion that work placements are beneficial to all students in developing their employability skills and enhancing their career development.
A number of studies (Smith et al, 2018; Atfield, 2021; BIS, 2016; Brookes & Youngson, 2016) highlight the benefits of doing a work placement, and how some students have the cultural, social and psychological capital to help them make an informed decision related to doing a Professional Placement Year, or not. For others who don’t see the benefits and have lower levels of capital, a conceptual framework has been produced, with a view to working with all stakeholders, internal and external, to provide students with the required level of skills and attributes that will make them employable.
Employability has become an important aspect of higher education and this report aims to address the question related to their being limited knowledge and understanding of the impact student backgrounds have on their decision-making process. The research highlights the importance of embedding employability within the provision, as a module and not as an extra-curricular activity, with a view to encouraging all students to progress, irrespective of their starting points.