The following is a Code to help eliminate misunderstandings, to add professionalism to the whole Placement process and to disseminate best practice.
The parties involved in the process of recruitment and supervision of Work Experience Placements are the Professional Practice Year Manager, the Placement Tutors, the Students and the Employers.
The University hopes that Employers will be able to follow the guidelines and inform the Placements Manager if compliance is impractical or impossible.
PLACEMENT RECRUITMENT
The Lincoln International Business School (via the Professional Practice Year Manager) will:
- Make students aware of the course requirements as far as the placement is concerned.
- Organise and arrange delivery of a pre-placement training programme on job search and interview skills.
- Make placement opportunities information available to students. This should, if possible, include job descriptions of vacancies, salary, deadline dates, method of application, to whom the application should be submitted and background information about the potential employer.
- Liaise with potential placement employers to obtain the requisite information and monitor the quality of the placements offered.
Students will:
- Recognise that the finding of placements is a co-operative activity.
- Make sufficient number and variety of applications to ensure they achieve a placement by the required date.
- When making applications ensure that they have properly researched the vacancies and are complying with employer’s and Lincoln Business School’s requirements.
- Notify employers and the Lincoln Business School if they decide to withdraw their applications at any stage or are unable to keep an appointment.
- Avoid delay in replying to communications from potential employers and the Lincoln Business School, eg offers of interview or employment.
- Conduct themselves professionally in all their dealings with employers.
- Ensure that they are well prepared for interviews and dress appropriately.
- Recognise that both the offer of a placement and its acceptance (unless conditions are attached to either) form a contract.
- Decline all other offers and cancel other applications immediately an unconditional offer has been accepted (orally or in writing).
- Inform the Lincoln Business School of the acceptance and submit any details required.
Employers will:
- Provide sufficient material about placement vacancies and their organisation to enable the students to make an informed decision whether to apply.
- For example:
- Job description, principal responsibilities or key areas.
- Person specification, desired personal characteristics or criteria for selection.
- Location.
- Salary.
- Application method and deadline for application.
- Expected interview procedure.
- Expected start date and length of placement.
- Information about the organisation and its products or services.
- Adhere to equal opportunities legislation.
- Notify students promptly of the result of their application and avoid delay in informing unsuccessful candidates.
- Clearly explain the terms and conditions of service in an offer letter and make it clear whether or not an offer is conditional upon satisfactory references, medical examination or other requirements.
BEFORE COMMENCEMENT OF PLACEMENT
The Lincoln International Business School (via the Professional Practice Year Manager) will:
- Brief students on the requirements of the placement and how it will be assessed.
- Notify students of the support they can expect to receive. For example:
- from the Professional Practice Year Manager, the Placement Tutor and the Workplace Placement Supervisor.
- Let employers know what is required by the academic institution from both employer and student.
- Brief Placement Tutors on their role and responsibilities.
Students will:
- Determine their learning objectives for the placement.
- Keep the Lincoln International Business School informed of any changes relating to the placement, eg terms and conditions, start date, job description, address etc.
- Comply with all reasonable requests from the employer.
Employers will:
- Agree the actual starting date with the student. Be aware that academic year ends may affect earliest start dates. Clearly explain to whom and where the student should report on first day of employment and outline any induction procedures.
- Keep the Lincoln International Business School informed of any changes to (for example) terms and conditions, start date, job description, location.
DURING PLACEMENT
The Lincoln International Business School (via the Professional Practice Year Manager) will:
- Ensure that both the employer and the student are satisfied with the placement and the support provided.
- Ensure that students are contacted/visited by the allocated Placement Tutor and that progress is monitored by the Professional Practice Year Manager, the student, the Placement Tutor, and workplace supervisor.
- Regulate any assessment process in accordance with the course and University requirements
Students will:
- Act within the Terms and Conditions of Employment laid down by their employer.
- Keep the Lincoln Business School informed of any problems relating to the quality of the placement, which cannot be resolved at local level.
- Consult with the Professional Practice Year Manager and Placement Tutor before giving notice to the Employer.
- Be good ambassadors for the University.
- Comply with any assessment requirements.
Employers will:
- Provide suitable induction training in the first few weeks, to enable students to gain an awareness of their role in the organisation.
- Recognise that, although primarily an employee with first responsibility to the organisation, the student is still registered with the Academic Institution, and as such is likely to have certain obligations as part of the course.
- Give students adequate learning opportunities to enable them to achieve their own objectives or any objectives required by their course, provided there is no conflict with the Employer’s objectives.
- Provide support and resources to students who are required to undertake tasks or write reports/projects as an element of their course.
- Where appropriate, allow students who have to re-sit examinations, time for revision and for sitting the exam. It is recognised that in some circumstances the time may have to be taken from holiday entitlement.
- Identify a workplace supervisor or Mentor who will take responsibility for the student’s progress towards achievement of objectives set by the organisation, the course and the student.
- Allow access to the Placement Tutors from the University to discuss progress with the student and the workplace supervisor/mentor.
- Keep the Professional Practice Year Manager and Placement Tutor informed of any potential problems encountered by the student.
- Assist in any assessment or appraisal process, which is a course requirement, and give the student regular feedback about progress.
- Ensure that students receive a Health and Safety briefing at the start of the Placement and have access to a written Health and Safety Policy.
- Ensure that students are covered by Employer’s Liability and Public Liability insurance Policies and that insurers are notified of placements in accordance with the requirements of the policies.
AFTER PLACEMENT
The Lincoln International Business School (via the Professional Practice Year Manager) will:
- Collect and record reports from visiting tutors and employers.
- Co-ordinate any placement assessment process.
Employers will:
- Give feedback to the Placements Tutor, if requested, about the success or otherwise of the Placement.
- Assist with an overall assessment of the achievement of student’s objectives. Where relevant, use Employer’s Appraisal/Assessment Scheme.
- Give feedback to the Professional Practice Year Manager to assess how well the Placement process has been managed.
- Give feedback on the suitability of the course to meet changing market needs.