Find out about the Micro-Placements programme

Published Thursday, 3^rd October, 2019 in University news

The Micro-Placements Programme provides an opportunity for you to complete an exciting project and gain real life work experience for up to five weeks at an employer’s office in the summer. Micro-Placements can enhance your core employability skills and enable you to explore different career options.

The Expression of Interest form to express interest in this year’s Micro-Placements Programme is currently open. Complete the Expression of Interest form.

The closing date is Sunday 6^th October, do not miss out!

We caught up with two former Micro-Placements students, India-Marie (LLB Law) and Jessica Rotheram (BSc Mathematics) to hear about their experiences on the Programme last year:

India-Marie Lindsay (LLB Law student), said: "While unsure at first, joining the Micro-Placement Programme was one of my best decisions at City. The application process was long and can seem a bit daunting at first but it is worth it. I was able to get a perfect placement which, while still having important links to my current course, showed me a different career path that I could take. The time I spent at my placement was a great experience, I learnt many skills which I have already used in another internship I was able to get, partly due to the work I did during my Micro-Placement.

My placement was great, I felt comfortable with the people I worked with, and the work was interesting, challenging and helped me improve important skills for my future career. I got to learn and practice different tasks and topics that I would not have normally come by, which helped build my commercial awareness. They also made sure the work I did not only benefited them and their company, but also helped me, my studies and my learning experience.

My favourite part of the Micro-Placement process was going for the interview for my Micro-Placement. The workshops I had completed prior to the interview taught me everything I needed to do before it took place, so I was well prepared with my knowledge of the company, current issues facing the sector and relevant news that I could discuss in the interview.

My key takeaways are that there are more career pathways to do with my degree than I first realised. A lot of the employees at my Micro- Placement started out where I currently am, so it was great to learn their journey from university to their current position. Second would be time management and the importance of focusing on tasks. When you’re not the only one relying on the work you are doing and you know paying clients will be expecting it complete within a time limited it helps when you really focus and put your all into your tasks that you are given.

My advice to those thinking of applying would be to listen to everything that they are saying in the workshops, because it will become relevant at one or more stages throughout the Micro-Placement Programme. Also, if you are fortunate enough to get a placement keep a diary of everything you are asked to do and learn while you’re there, it will be very helpful when adding it to your CV and for other future references."

Jessica Rotheram (BSc Mathematics student), said: " I did my work placement at TATA consultancy services. TCS is an IT consulting and outsourcing firm. I was placed in their strategic solutions and outsourcing unit focused on large deals. I undertook a variety of tasks over three weeks ranging from data analysis to presentations.

I enjoyed gaining experience in an office environment and developing my IT skills. I also found that as I was in a company that took multiple students from City, I made friends with new people I’d never have otherwise met.

My favourite part was finding out after all the stages of the application process that I had been successful in getting a placement. To see the hard work during the process, pay off was very rewarding.

The whole process simulates what it would be like to apply for a real graduate job, to get more experience in this has given me more confidence that in the future I will perform well in these situations.

My advice to those thinking of applying is to use the resources given to you on Moodle throughout the entire process, they will be helpful."

To check if you are eligible and for further information, please visit the website for more details.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Micro-Placements Team on micro-placements@city.ac.uk