A guide for companies
Since joining our team, E has been fantastic. He is very focused and enthusiastic, understands the requirement and the goal, asks right questions and works very hard and efficiently. I also believe he likes what he is doing here, so I am very pleased for him too. "
Imagination Technologies
The sixth month industrial placement takes place from March - September in the student's penultimate year (third year of a four year degree).
During this time, the student is employed to work on an industrial project which is directly relevant to their degree of study.
It gives the student the opportunity to build on a rigorous academic and technical education by providing hands-on experience and insight into the industrial and commercial challenges of business today.
For the employer, the Industrial Placement Scheme offers:
- an effective vehicle for recruiting our top graduates
- a cost-effective way of getting a project done at the highest technical standards
- the opportunity to encourage and invest in engineers of the future
The role of the Company: A summary of the process for participating companies is outlined in the Guide for Participating Companies section below. You can also read more details about employment conditions, confidentiality and the role of the industrial supervisor.
The role of Imperial College: We will guide you through the process, including advertising your placements to students and arranging interviews at Imperial if necessary. We will keep in close contact with the students and designated industrial supervisors/mentors during the placement, including a site visit in June/July to assess the student’s progress.
"Employer Bytes"
S is a very quick learner and always ready to take on new challenges. She has been proactive in picking up new skills and contribute towards the team deliverables. She has shown exceptional skills in Python programming where she is currently developing a data profiling application. Overall really impressive. "
Barclays
Regarding M, I met with his supervisor yesterday. He is doing very well indeed. He is both smart and ambitious - I suspect we will all end up working for him!"
Oliver Whyman
We already had high expectations of A and I’m happy to say he has exceeded them. He worked quickly through a structured training program and is now embedded in a live project and making a real contribution. This afternoon he is holding an architecture review to present his ideas to the design team, and later in the week he is due to be in the lab making device measurements. "
Semtech
A guide for participating companies
Confidentiality
As part of the Industrial Placement module, students submit an interim report in June / July and a final report in August. The purpose of these reports is to get a high-level view of the organisation, the team, and the projects the student is involved in. There is no requirement on our part for detailed or confidential information to be disclosed as part of the reports.
In any case, we encourage the company to resolve any confidentiality concerns regarding confidentiality and the placement reports before the placement begins. One possibility if for the reports to be reviewed by a company supervisor ahead of submission in order to remove any commercially sensitive information. However, this should not prevent the student from discussing the technologies they used or what they have learned from their work experience.
Please note that these reports will be read and assessed (pass / fail) by the academic supervisor and, occasionally, as second marker.
Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs)
If none of the above arrangements are appropriate, an NDA could be put in place. Please contact us on eee_industrialplacements@imperial.ac.uk for additional information.
Employment terms and conditions
The student is expected to sign an employment contract with the placement provider, and to be remunerated for their work accordingly. Even though Imperial College does not stipulate a rate of pay, we expect the student to be paid above the minimum wage.
The minimum duration of the placement is 22 weeks, excluding holiday leave. It is expected that students will be allocated 15 working days’ leave, making the minimum duration of the placement 25 weeks.
Other statutory terms and conditions will also apply. Please read the Imperial College Placement Learning Policy for full details.
These conditions will be part of the contract of employment or appointment letter agreed between the company and their employee, i.e. the student.
Work Permits
As the Industrial Placement is a component of the degree programme, overseas students do not require a work permit to undertake the placement in the UK.
Students undertaking placements outside the UK must ensure they have the right to work in the host country.
Health and safety
We will require a signed Placement Provider Form to be returned giving details of insurance and health and safety arrangements. It is expected that students will be covered in the same manner as permanent employees under health and safety legislation. Students must also be provided with a thorough health and safety induction and details of the individual in charge of health and safety.
Role of the industrial supervisor / mentor
The role of the industrial supervisor is to provide ongoing guidance and support for the student, training, reviews and appraisals as appropriate.
Ongoing support, training, reviews and appraisals will also be given by the employer.
Calendar of activities
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ADVERTISE Oct - Feb |
RECRUIT Oct - Feb |
PLACEMENT Apr - Sept |
REVIEW Oct |
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Review applications. Companies will follow their usual recruitment practices and policies to select suitable candidates. |
Visit from Imperial tutor (June/July) |
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Advertise vacancies using online submission |
Interview students |
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Advertise next year's placements |
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Make offers |
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Complete details including any contractual / confidentiality arrangements |
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What our students say
What our students say about industrial experience:
The successes and challenges of my work placement - Katarzyna Zukowska
“Having just finished my placement, I have a lot of thoughts on what met my expectations and where I could do better during that time. As part of my Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree, I had an opportunity to do a six-month internship over the last term of my third year and the summer. Now that I’m going into my fourth and final year of study, I can fully recognise just how much it has shaped my career goals.” Read more at: https://blogs.imperial.ac.uk/student-blogs/author/katarzyna/
Real life problems - Olivia
“From attempting real projects to managing cultural differences; my internship was full of incredible and memorable experiences. Many of the real life problems turned out to be much more complicated than those faced in lectures. There were many more factors to consider and so much more than a project grade riding on the outcome! The internship gave me an insight into working life and how large business works. I came back to College with a clearer view of my future and consequently could make smarter choices about classes and career options”
Commercial knowledge - Ashley
“Overall this internship has shown me how to work in a much more commercial way and how to work closely with other engineers to ensure that a project runs smoothly and will work as expected with other aspects of the product”
Professionalism and new-found confidence - Chris
“I faced deadlines, presentations and experienced real life pressure which would have made the old Chris wilt and hide. But the desire to impress and succeed pushed me to be more creative, energetic and malleable than I’ve ever been. I now approach everything with a higher level of professionalism and a new-found burst of confidence, which is really making itself useful at a time when I’m juggling coursework and more”