1) The document discusses changing student and employer attitudes towards work placements, including factors that affect student engagement, employer expectations, and student choice of placement field. 2) It highlights data showing that students who complete placements are more likely to obtain graduate-level jobs and less likely to be unemployed after graduation. However, fewer than half of eligible students complete placements. 3) The document seeks to examine key issues around student motivation for placements, skills employers desire in placement students, and trends in common placement fields chosen by different academic disciplines.

1. Changing Student/Employer Attitudes and Requirements at the Placement Interface – An opportunity for discussion Ray Wallace, School of Science & Technology, Nottingham Trent University

2. Source: Learning through work placement and beyond, Little & Harvey, 2006

11. Points to stimulate discussion – student engagement with the placement process Most Important Factors when deciding which Graduate Employers to Apply to Percentage of finalists looking for graduate jobs in 2005 Base – Face-to-face interviews with 16,113 final year students Source: High Fliers Research Limited 2005 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Location of jobs Starting salary Content of work Quality of training & development programme Using degree subject studied Work-life balance Opportunity for overseas experiences Achieving a professional qualification Chance for further studies

12. Points to aid discussion – employer expectations

17. Points to aid discussion – choice of placement field Placements - No Placements - Yes Combined data from the Schools of Applied Science, Art & Design, Computing & Engineering and Business (Source Lisa Ward the Higher Education Academy & the Higher Education Careers Service Unit, Summer Conference, Manchester 2006) Graduate Employment Data (DLHE 2004) Huddersfield University

18. Thank you for your attention today I hope that you have enjoyed the workshop [email_address]