managing placements

Student industrial placements can be organised in various ways as is shown in the next (Chapter "typology of industrial placements in engineering studies in Europe" and through the different case studies presented in the Appendix.

The organization and management of student placements corresponds to various steps which involve making choices about orientation. Hereafter we give some guidelines, examples of practices and points of views resulting from the experience of case studies analysed by the MESIPA partnership.

A first important step for Higher Education institutions is to define, according to educational, organizational and strategic choices

· the duration and level of the placement, and the period of the curriculum in which it should take place

· the optional or compulsory status of the placement, and whether or not it is integrated and validated in the student's education curriculum

General objectives of the placements at the Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas de Madrid (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid):

· To apply the knowledge acquired in the University

· To acquire new skills relevant to the student’s area of study

· To confront the student with situations and problems of a professional nature

· To develop an attitude and behaviour appropriate for the professional environment

· To analyze the conditions of the work environment

· To analyze their own experience of immersion into the work environment

Practices of academic institutions searching for placements

Point of view

1) Finding a company for a placement is left to the student and considered part of his training for professional life ( and also for practical reasons as it requires a weaker investment from the higher academic institution).

The placement has then to be submitted to the academic institution for approval on defined criteria (subject, duration, environment, etc.)

This practice involves the responsibility and initiative of the student from the beginning of the process and trains in job-search skills.

Some guidance for establishing contacts with companies (methods and addresses) should however be given to the student .

2) All relations with companies for student industrial placements are oriented, supported and controlled by universities, through a department dedicated to this task.

This option fosters the development and strengthening of university-industry links in view of long-term cooperation and ensures the quality of the placement.

Of course, it is time consuming.

· Training students to find placements abroad : an example at Ecole des Mines d’Albi (France)

At Ecole des Mines d’Albi, where placements abroad are compulsory, a one-month module under the supervision of the language teachers is devoted to the implementation of tools focused on the search for placements abroad. Students are trained to write and present a Curriculum Vitae, interviews with foreign employers are simulated. This type of training motivates the students and makes them more efficient in their search for placements abroad.

Finding suitable placements abroad is a difficult task for academic institutions and a considerable brake on the development of international placements. Various methods and relationship opportunities are implemented

· student’s personal contacts or student’s own search (e.g. through Internet)

· former university graduates working in companies abroad (alumni associations)

· a network of industrial contacts compiled by the university industrial placement office

Students applying for an industrial placement will undergo a selection procedure by the Company. In the case where placements form an integral part of studies, and particularly regarding placements abroad, an additional selection process or control may be carried out by the academic institution. Below are some examples of different attitudes and practices on this question :

Attitudes and practices of academic institutions regarding student selection for placements abroad	Point of view
1) No selection nor control of linguistic and technical level. The opportunity for placements abroad is open to all the students.	Attitude of trust in the student's motivation as a key factor in the success of the placement. Idea that the students are mature and able to take their responsibilities. Eventual problems may also be part of the experience.
2) No strict selection, but preparation and guidance of the student (language courses, cultural information, personal guidance) before the placement.	Accompanying the student to ensure the placement is a fruitful experience for him and the company. Integration of the placement experience in the educational process.
3) Selection of the students on according to language skills, technical abilities, motivation, human qualities for a placement in foreign companies with which the academic institution has a cooperative agreement.	Desire to guarantee the placement the best chances of success for the student, the company and the academic institution. The student is considered as an ambassador of the academic institution abroad. Concern to preserve the quality of relationships with the foreign companies in order to further develop the cooperative programme for other students.

1.4 - Formalizing placement rules and objectives (placement contracts and adherence to Quality Charters)

Legal requirements governing the placement and the status of the trainee vary in different countries and a placement contract is not always mandatory.

The most current type of document used for this purpose is the tripartite placement contract, signed by the student, the academic institution and the company ((see models in the Appendix)

- in France : Convention de stage (for course-integrated placements, allowing the trainee to keep the status of a student)

- in Spain : Convenio de Cooperación Educativa Universidad-Empresa (University-Enterprise training cooperation agreement) laying down the training (and non- professional) framework and objectives of the placement .

- in the United Kingdom : It is a normal practice for Universities to provide a set of guidelines for Companies and students; some of them may use formal learning agreements.

Additional documents, such as Placement Quality Charters are used by Universities or Engineering Schools, for example :

· A Placement Quality Charter of the group of French Schools of Mines, through which they make the commitment - and expect partner companies to do the same - to develop placements according to certain quality criteria ((see page 16)

· A Student Placement Charter establishing a moral contract between the student and the University and committing the student to respect certain rules of good behaviour, e.g.

- if prospecting placement offers in different companies, the student should keep the companies informed of his situation

- he should keep his University tutor informed of any absence or problem during the placement

· Example of steps taken by the Ecole des Mines d'Albi (France), which develops mandatory placements abroad

.(Before signing the placement agreement, the School services control that students have not only a health insurance, but also a personal liability insurance and a repatriation insurance. In the case of placements abroad, the School takes in charge the student additional insurance costs

EQUIPE publication "Making industrial placements work for you" (Briefing paper 4) refers to the work of the ASET (Association for Sandwich Education and Training) on this issue which gave rise to the following CVCP publications :

- Manual para la realización de programas de movilidad implemented by Universidad de Valencia in cooperation with other Ibero-American Universities in the framework of the ALFA programme of the European Commission.

- "El primer paso en el mundo laboral"^[2] by GARCIA DELGADO Javier (2001) in GuÌa de las empresas que ofrecen empleo 2001 (pages 357-365) published by Fundación Universidad-Empresa, Madrid

- "Las prácticas de los estudiantes universitarios en empresas : pautas para una buena práctica" by GARCIA DELGADO Javier (1998) in AEDIPE-Revista de la Asociación Española de Dirección de Personal, Madrid Nr 7 (December 1998), pages 30-40

(Reference document on this issue : EQUIPE publication "Making industrial placements work for you" , Briefing paper 3 : Preparing students for placement

Preparing students for CV writing and interview techniques, eventually in a foreign language (at least English), will be of great value to the student, not only in view of a placement, but also to assist entry into his future profession. This preparation could be done through a short seminar with the assistance of industrial recruitment specialists.

(Guidance information provided by Loughborough University Career’s Service and Flexible Learning Initiative for graduating and placement students tackles a wide range of questions such as : What to expect from an interview; What to prepare before an interview; How to behave during the interview . Students are trained to answer “typical questions”

- Seeking information : tell me about your course; which subjects did you enjoy most?

- Probing interest/motivation: why did you choose your course? Where do you see yourself in five year time?

- Problem solving : what would you do if power failure closed down the assembly line?

- Challenging : Wouldn’t you have bee wiser to have taken a different course ?

- Open : Tell me about your trip to Nepal (looking for clues to attitudes and priorities)

· Developing specific skills oriented towards industrial experience within the course programme

If one dimension of the industrial placement experience is to apply in a professional situation the acquisition of scientific and technical knowledge, another dimension of growing importance is to develop a wide range of personal skills.

It is recommended that within the organisation of the course programme a certain degree of preparation should be devoted to

- foreign languages (teaching of the language and/or the teaching of a scientific course in a foreign language).

One good way to achieve this preparation is to try to benefit from the experience of

· Meetings to exchange ideas with these students may be organised at the University.

· One part of the student placement abroad final report could be devoted to the analysis of the cultural experience, including advice and useful contacts.

The follow-up of the placement involves a combination of academic and industrial tutoring and is linked to the process of evaluation and assessment (see later chapters ) aiming at placement quality.

A certain investment in the follow-up of the placement by Universities represents

- moral and educational support providing motivation for the student

- a source of information on the student's progress which will contribute to the final assessment

- a way to learn more about the professional world and to improve the educational benefit of placements

- a way to further develop links with the company and to foster a serious,high-quality image for the academic institution.

There are various forms of student placement follow-up by Higher Education Institutions :

- informal follow-up through telephone, or e-mail exchanges with the student and his tutor to check that the student is getting on well and is not encountering nor creating any problem in the company

- formalised and very structured follow-up through forms and reports to be filled in by the student and the industrial mentor at different stages of the placement

(A model of highly formalised follow-up is presented in the Appendix through the case study of Université de Technologie de Troyes (France).

Placements are an interesting opportunity for Higher Education Institutions to develop links and wider co-operation with companies. Follow-up through academic tutors visiting the company, allowing direct exchanges, is of course the most appropriate way. It has a cost, particularly for placements abroad, but the return on investment for the university in terms of international and industrial relations may be rewarding.

(A model of an Engineering School strategy of building a network of industrial relations at the international level around student industrial placements is presented in the Appendix through the case study of Ecole Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Metz (France).

(See also EQUIPE Briefing paper 1 "Linking with industry and identifying undergraduate placement opportunities" and ( Briefing paper 5 "Tutoring and Mentoring students on placement"

Assessment and validation of student placements play a crucial role and are a complex phase in the whole process A whole chapter, “ General Guidelines for Assessment”, is devoted to this issue.

Assessment of student industrial placements involves evaluating three key areas :

· Academic assessment of the student’s progress and results with a view to academic validation and appraisal of personal development

· Quality assessment of the process and impact of industrial placements on the different participants (students, companies, academic institutions)

· Impact assessment of the process on university-industry cooperation, employability, international cooperation and educational systems.

( Equipe Briefing paper 6 on the various forms of accreditation and assessment of industrial placements

( follow-up surveys of Universidad Politecnica de Valencia and the association 2APIE Amiens (impact assessment of placements abroad in the Picardie Region)

2) A first set of general guidelines
(good practices in managing student placements)

· The crucial value of networks for transnational university-industry cooperation

§ academic networks of foreign partner universities, to whom one may delegate the search for placements in local companies and the follow-up of the students

§ students and alumni networks (links with foreign students in the university and former trainees), whose experience and contacts may be of precious help

§ foreign company networks based on relationships of trust (which involves perpetuating links with companies through visits and follow-up of students)

§ tripartite placement agreements to be signed by the Company, the University and the student, defining the involvement of each partner, as well as confidentiality rules

§ a Charter fixing quality criteria and/or a code of good behaviour to be recommended or respected

§ linguistic and cultural preparation, along with information about the company will be most important in guaranteeing the success of the placement for the student and the company as well as the further development of university-industry cooperation

§ the feedback of former students having experienced placements abroad will be useful

o By telephone and e-mail, or, if possible, by visiting the student and his mentor in the Company.

Quality criteria for industrial placements

expressed through the Placement Charter of the French Schools of Mines

· Integration within the curriculum : the placement content is compatible with the study programme

· Tutorship : the placement is followed both by a university tutor and a mentor in the company of appropriate competence

· Evaluation : the placement work and final report is subject to an evaluation by the company and the university. The university assists the company in the evaluation of the student.

· Contract : administrative rules and duties of each partner are defined in a tripartite placement agreement

· Financial reward : some finance is given by the company to the student covering at least the student’s costs.

· Confidentiality rules of the company are respected

3) Companies’ views on industrial placements

§ 6 months is considered more appropriate (current practice in Germany, and a developing trend in other countries)

· Companies tend to prefer students at an advanced level of study, often near to graduation

Students are more mature, are better trained, can be entrusted with greater responsibilities and start making plans for their future professional life.

- the last but one year of studies appears as an appropriate period for placements, particularly for placements abroad, not only from the point of view of firms, but also for academic institutions and for the students themselves

- the development of project work in the last semester of studies is also highly appreciated

The practice of paying trainees varies in European countries according to different factors: the size of the firm, the level of the student and of the tasks entrusted to him, the quality of his work, the duration and field of the placement, and the general state of the employment market.

Some elements of information on current practices are given in the following table :

	Practice of paying placement students
France	Placement allowances under 1/3 of the minimum salary (SMIC= 1000 Euros) are free of social charges. However, for final-year study placements, French firms do pay the trainee at a much higher level (around 1300 Euros per month).
Germany	Allowances paid by companies may vary between 500 and 1500 DM
Hungary	?
Spain	In most cases students on placement are granted financial support by the companies; The amount of these grants varies a lot according to the placement circumstances (place, duration, time devoted, level of tasks, level of studies followed by the student, etc), although the reference amount is often near to the minimum inter-professional salary (around 75000 Ptas/month, i.e. 450 euros).
Sweden	Normally Swedish industry pays the student a salary during the placement (about 12,000 SEK/ month). This salary is much lower than the starting salary of an engineer beginning his career. Many of the trainees also get free housing. For blue collar placements, students are better paid for a summer job than for a practical training place.
United Kingdom	Usually a salary is paid to the trainees (£..............?). Some students (20%?) may be sponsored by a firm for the duration of their course which includes placements to be fulfilled in the firm (sandwich programmes)

The following is an example of companies’ recommendations to higher education institutions regarding the organisation of student industrial placements.

Companies' requests to academic institutions

to improve the quality of placements

In a survey made in 1995 by the French Federation of Electrical and Electronics Industries (FIEE), firms expressed the following wishes and recommendations to academic institutions (which may be relevant in countries other than France) :

· to spread placement periods over the whole year to improve the opportunities and conditions of receiving students

· to prepare the placement more thoroughly (preparation often being considered insufficient) by

- correctly defining and formalizing the objectives and the subject of the placement in a written document

- informing the student about the placement company and more generally the industrial world. The following suggestions were made : a pre-placement period of 1-2 days in the firm; a preliminary study to get the student acquainted with the firm's products and technologies; an initiation course on the professional world within academic studies; an "academic staff placement" to get to know the firm has also been suggested.

· to follow-up the student more closely during the placement (criticism of academic institutions' of lack of rigour in the follow-up of students)

· to evaluate the benefits of the placement

- for the student

- for the company

Managing student industrial placements

1) The various steps in the placement process

2) A first set of general guidelines
(good practices in managing student placements)

3) Companies’ views on industrial placements

Managing student industrial placements

1) The various steps in the placement process

2) A first set of general guidelines (good practices in managing student placements)

3) Companies’ views on industrial placements

2) A first set of general guidelines
(good practices in managing student placements)