Placement Process

1

• Placement Process
• 2008/2009
• Aiden McCaugheySchool of Computing and
  Intelligent Systems
• Faculty of EngineeringUniversity of Ulster
• (Email address a.mccaughey_at_ulster.ac.uk)

2
The People

• Placement Tutor Thats me.
• I am your first point of contact regarding
  placement issues.
• Placement Visitor
• to be allocated at start of placement year
• Placement Administrator
• Paula McKinney (Jordanstown)
• Faculty Coordinator
• Edwin Curran

3
Sandwich Placement Leaflet

• Read the leaflet titled Computing Schools
  Sandwich Placement which is available in
  resources section of myPlacement.
• The Tear-Off Slip must be completed, signed by
  the student and returned to your placement tutor
  (me).
• You will NOT be permitted to take part in the
  placement process until this slip is returned!

4
Placement COP Guide

• The Faculty Computing Schools code of practice
  handbook titled Computing Schools Placement
  Procedures and Guidelines is available in the
  resources section of PDSystem / myPlacement.
• Read this guide carefully

5
Health and Safety Documents

• Read the University Health and Safety Booklet
  which is available on the work experience website
  at
• http//workexperience.ulst.ac.uk/pdf/HealthSafety
  _text.pdf

6
Getting Started

• Read documents outlined in previous slides
• Sandwich Placement Leaflet
• Placement Procedures Guidelines
• Health and Safety Guide
• Sign tear off slip at end of Sandwich placement
  leaflet and return to me.
• Now you are permitted to participate in process
• Complete CV using myCV in PDSystem
• Apply for jobs via myPlacement in PDSystem

7
Placement Resources 1

• School Placement website
• http//scis.ulster.ac.uk/
• Click the Placement link
• Careers and work experience websites
• http//workexperience.ulster.ac.uk/
• http//careers.ulster.ac.uk

8
Placement Resources 2

• PDSystem (Personal Development System)
• http//pds.ulster.ac.uk
• myCV Prepare your CV using a number of
  templates the CV builder.
• myPlacement provides ability to search and
  apply for posts using CV prepared above.

9
Preparing a CV

• Careers advisor will help with CV preparation.
• CV prepared electronically by Student using
  PDSystem CV tool.
• CV Available online to Tutor
• Ask studies advisor to review CV.

10
CV Checklist

• Verify contact details.
• Include year one and two module marks
• Include Summer Work Experience
• Check for spelling mistakes and bad grammar.
• Mark CV as either
• Not completed, Completed or In Progress
• ONLY mark as Completed when CV is finished and
  has been reviewed.

11
Email Communications

• ONLY use University email address.
• Check email for any communications from Placement
  Tutor or Administrator.
• Provide student ID when sending emails to
  placement tutor or administrator.
• READ emails carefully.
• Employers may email you directly regarding job
  interviews.

12
Sources for Jobs

• PD System myPlacement.
• Careers and work experience web sites
• Newspapers / Personal Contacts etc
• Direct applications to companies
• Study Abroad Programmes
• BEI (USA)
• Erasmus (Europe)
• ISEP (USA)
• Leonardo Da Vinci (Europe)

13
PDSystem myPlacement

• The myPlacement section of the PDsytem system
  should be your primary source for searching for
  jobs.
• All jobs on this system have been prior approved.
• You can apply and attach your CV electronically
  to employer adverts IF requested. Alternatively
  you can post/email CV/covering letter to employer
  if requested in advert.
• System is monitored to review student effort in
  obtaining a placement.

14
myPlacement Process

• Student finds job on myPlacement
• Read application instructions CAREFULLY
• Employer may require CV to be attached
  electronically OR CV/Application form to be
  completed and submitted via email or post.
• Ensure you meet the minimum job criteria and that
  your CV/Application is of a high quality.

15
myPlacement Process

• Student Offered an Interview
• Employer or sometimes administrator will send
  interview details to each student short listed by
  email.
• Student MUST confirm by reply email to sender
  their attendance at interview
• If you cannot attend an interview you MUST notify
  the employer before hand
• Failure to attend interview can result in removal
  from placement system.

16
myPlacement Process

• Job Offer
• If an employer contacts you directly with a job
  offer you MUST inform administrator BEFORE
  accepting
• Normally you have to accept the FIRST job offer
  received by the administrator
• Employer will inform administrator who
  attends/doesnt attend
• If you dont attend you can be removed from
  placement system

17
myPlacement Process

• Communication of Results
• Employer will communicate result to students and
  administrator
• Administrator will display result on web system
• Sometimes employers dont communicate results.
  You may want to contact employer directly to
  confirm if you are no longer being considered for
  post.

18
Study Abroad Programmes

• Provided via careers service
• USA - BEI (Business Education Initiative)
• Europe - Erasmus Scheme
• USA - ISEP (International Student Exchange
  Programme)
• Europe - Leonardo Da Vinci Scheme
• See Work Experience website http//workexperienc
  e.ulster.ac.uk/students/studyabroad.phtml

19
Study Abroad Programmes

• These study abroad programs are pre-approved so
  if you obtain one of these placements you simply
  need to inform your placement tutor (me).
• You may obtain a separate qualification for
  example DAS (diploma in area studies) as opposed
  to DIS (diploma in industrial studies).

20
Obtaining a Job Directly

• If you obtain a job outside the placement system
  e.g. careers website, direct application,
  newspaper advert etc
• You MUST have employer send your placement tutor
  (me) a job specification for approval before you
  can accept the job.
• If the post is approved I will inform you and ask
  you to confirm you are accepting the post.

21
Job Specification

• Your employer should include the following
  minimum information in job spec
• Company name and contact details
• Title and detailed duties of post
• Start and end dates
• Salary (if appropriate)
• The employer may email or post this information
  (email is simpler).

22
Careers Service

• Provides placement information primarily via its
  work experience web site
• http//workexperience.ulster.ac.uk/students
• Check the events section for presentations from
  employers or on study abroad programmes.
• If applying for jobs advertised on this site make
  sure you have the job approved by the placement
  tutor (me) before accepting a post.

23
Placement Exemption

• Students who have
• Already completed a computing placement as part
  of another course e.g. HND
• Mature students with prior relevant work
  experience
• May apply for exemption from placement
• Send CV with supporting letter to course director
  applying for exemption.

24
What if I Dont Get Placed?

• You may be unable to complete Year 3 and possibly
  not proceed to Year 4!
• You MUST be able to show evidence of having
  searched for multiple placements during the year
• Keep chronological record of all applications
  including application forms, letters emails from
  companies, copies of applications on
  myPlacement.
• You will be asked to provide this information

25
Why Might I Not Get Placed?

• Primary reasons include
• Non engagement in placement process
• Poor quality CV/ applications
• Poor interview technique
• Applying for unsuitable jobs
• Not searching for jobs outside myPlacement
• Concentrating search on specific jobs or
  locations e.g. I want to work in Omagh or want to
  work for IBM as a software tester

26
When I Start My Placement

• ENSURE your placement tutor knows you have
  obtained a placement
• Check your placement status in myPlacement
• If status is not recorded as Placed then I do
  not know you have obtained a placement.
• It is your duty to keep me informed.

27
When I Start My Placement

• Login to myPlacement in PDSystem
• Complete on-line health and safety checklist.
• From the resources section
• Download the document titled COM_PLA_13
  Employer Statement have your employer complete
  and return the form
• Download and complete the document titled
  Computing Schools Student Snapshotand return
  the form as directed

28
During Placement

• Keep a weekly log book of work you have carried
  out new skills you have learnt training you
  may have received etc.
• You will summarise this down to a monthly log
  when completing your final placement report due
  May/June of your placement year.

29
During Placement

• You will have two placement visits by an academic
  tutor
• Visit 1 typically Nov/Dec
• Visit 2 typically Feb/March.
• Tutor name available in myPlacement under
  Academic Tutor
• You may contact tutor to ensure visits take place
  at suitable times.

30
During Placement

• For each visit
• Ensure your work supervisor is available
• Visit will last no more than 1 hour
• Prepare a short work summary report outlining
  work carried out to date.
• Your visitor will discuss your placement with you
  and your employer (separately)
• You will be graded on your performance to date.

31
During Placement

• Technical Report
• You will submit a technical report to your
  academic tutor (visitor) by end of January
• Final Placement Report
• You will submit a final placement report and log
  book by end May/early June to placement tutor
  (me). Submission instructions will be posted to
  you around April/May 08

32
Placement Assessment

• Your overall placement mark is calculated from
  the following
• Two placement visits
• Technical Report
• Final Report
• Employers Assessment
• You will receive a grade 75 (pass DIS with
  distinction), 65 or 55 (pass with DIS), 45 (pass
  no DIS), 35 (fail repeat year)