Placement panic

[Westernstar]

Hoping that I can hear some positivity

My youngest (despite lots of nagging) left it very late to start applying for placements for his sandwich year. He had put all his hopes on one that he was so sure he had but just heard he hasn’t got.

He has till mid august to find something but doesn’t seem like there is much left, I’m trying hard not to panic and he is really down. Skipping the placement year doesn’t seem like a possibility as no accommodation for September - any advice would be so helpful. Still a few irons in the fire but feel like we need a plan b.

I suspect there will be drop outs before September so he could slot into another flat. I am not totally convinced on the benefits of all year long placements. My youngest is just finishing one (civil service). It has not been great. Her 3 month summer internship was more useful. I think she'd have been better graduating a year earlier and getting out to the real job market. I am sure there are good schemes but I wouldn't take anything just for the sake of it.

Thanks Sandyirving - funny enough my eldest did hers at the civil service and loved it. I’m just finding this all so stressful. I also hate uncertainty which is really not helpful.

What subject/industry is it? Don't give up yet. We know of students who secured placements right up to July last year. It was a scramble to sort accommodation for the placement year but it worked out in the end.

Could he contact some of the companies that he didn't apply to and see if the have dropouts. My area competes with finance and we always lost a few despite accepting our early offer. We did have a wait list most had usually signed up to something else. We were keen to fill spots as budget was ring fenced.

He is doing business management and marketing - that has made me feel better thank you. I reckon we can work everything else out if he can just secure a placement - I was awake from 2-5 this morning fretting. I also feel frustrated as told him to get ahead applying in September but he didn’t think I knew anything. Now he’s so anxious I feel for him. Being a mum is so hard sometimes.

We have gone through pretty much every source and applied for anything still live - would I guess he would have to try and work out who was advertising before and contact them. How would you have your wait list? Previous applicants?

How helpful is the uni being? And how much scope is there to just 'work' for a year? There are quite a few internships or placements advertised on places like Indeed, but they might not be appropriate.

I'd probably work on two paths, one going back to uni and doing the final year and finding accommodation for that, while still looking for a suitable placement.

Does he have a specific industry that he's really interested in? It might be worth considering smaller companies in that industry?

Our wait list would have been previous applicants who were near misses (we only have 6 slots because of supervision requirements and budget). But if we had lots of dropouts we'd open up recruitment again.

@grassyknees makes a good point about just working for a year. My DDs uni don't include the placement as part of her degree but allow her to intermit. No need to do any writeups etc during her placement, no need for supervisor admin and no fees to pay (still remains a student so no council tax). He could then rejoin his friends for final year.

We emailed the uni on Wednesday and waiting to hear back.

I really want to plan a fall back option but at the moment he insists he wants a placement - smaller companies would be good. We are finishing it hard, neither of us went to uni and really have no idea how it all works. Really grateful for your reply
though. Helps to understand options

This would be a great option. Think he would find something it is just time. We live near London so presumably lots of options. Thank you.

This would be a great option. Think he would find something it is just time. We live near London so presumably lots of options. Thank you.

At least his subject is good and broad. Does he have any preferences, like property companies, advertising, finance, manufacturing? He should have an idea of which direction he is enthused about?

It will depend on what requirements the uni place on the placement provider? If they are low, he just needs to crack on with research and application. Basically, this is me, this is my degree, I'd like to spend my year with you because of ....., I would be happy to help with ..., my skill set and best modules are ..... and I'd love to progress my skills in that area. My uni will need to talk to you about .... and I will need to evidence I have done x,y and z.

He may have to accept a pretty low salary to get the right placement, but worth throwing the net wide.

Thanks again. Yes - he has been holding out for sport or fashion marketing - I really digital but I think he should have been more broad to start with.

I feel like at 20 I shouldn’t have to oversee as much as I am, but equally know he’s bright and a bloody good worker - think it’s a confidence thing and he’s a procrastinator in some areas.

when we hear back from the uni we will
know more but even that last bit you wrote it super helpful. I’m really grateful as having to navigate this when clueless is hard.

Possibly a last resort, but could he ask if he could do the placement in the uni's own marketing department?

@Westernstar he/you probably have, but just in case not, has he signed up to uk.prosple.com ?

My DS is going into Y2 and is starting to plan for applying for internships for Y3 - he signed up to their daily email and has been surprised at the number of companies still advertising for 2024 internship

Hi, no as far as I know he hasn’t! Thank you that’s super helpful.

Also well done to your ds for forward planning !

That’s another good point. I’m feeling a bit less stressed having a few ideas. We’ll mention that to the uni too. Thanks so much for helping me not go insane 🤣

His first stop should be his university’s career service. They will point him towards information. But he should listened to all the advice I imagine he was given about getting this sorted early. Our careers service comes in to talk to our first years at the end of their first term to give them the heads up about summer placements and internships.

But he should listened to all the advice I imagine he was given about getting this sorted early

Really helpful advice to the OP.
Did that make you feel better @YellowAsteroid ?

Indeed. Really constructive. He should have listened. He didn’t. And we are where we are. Hopefully a lesson learnt.

I’ve had some great help and advice up thread, @YellowAsteroid yours is singularly unhelpful, but hope it makes you feel better, as has absolutely no value otherwise. Have a good weekend.

@lastdayatschool prosple was a great shout - he sat and applied for loads last night. Off to a festival today so the focus is very much on what he’s packing rather than placement applying. I have two children, one is super organised, and has her shit together and my son who continually flies by the seat of his pants. You bring them up the same (or think you do) and end up with two very different!

I think it’s as much as I hate not having a firm plan, uncertainty stresses me out - I’m sure things will work out one way or another but just so frustrated now.

Thanks again to all who have made great suggestions and at least didn’t say the equivalent of I told you so 😂

DS went down the degree apprenticeship route and applied for loads, had quite a number that he didn't get an interview for, quite a number that he had an interview or two for and didn't get and finally got one he was really pleased with after months of applying.

The good thing about applying later is that hopefully the competition will have died down a bit because a lot of people will want to secure places early. DS was told over 2000 people had applied for one of the first apprenticeships he went for!

My advice would be to make sure he has a really good CV, think about the questions he might be asked and practice answering them and not to be put off if he gets lots of rejections after interview as it definitely gets easier the more interviews you do. It's a really useful experience in itself IMO as it gives you an idea of what is involved in applying for a full time job after uni. Good luck to him, I hope it all works out for him!

It’s not unusual to find one at what might seem to be the last minute, eg in July or even August.

If he still has nothing found in a few weeks, one approach (which is what my Ds did) is to secure accommodation in his uni city and then only apply for placements that are commutable from there. That way he is set up whether or not he gets one.

Thank you @Sue152 - I think he was really holding out for one that he really thought he had in the bag so took his eye well off the ball. It’s good to hear that there is perhaps a slim positive!

It is hard for me and his dad - we both left school at 16 and have no experience at all. My daughter was great at helping him with interview prompts and questions and he’s had his CV checked by a few acquaintances.

It is such a cliche but he is such a boy, he is such a hard worker but feel like he needs constant prompts to get going. Feel like I need a cattle prod!