Aerospace Engineering BSc(Hons): Work placements

You can apply to do a one-year industrial placement as part of this degree, meaning the course takes four years instead of three. This is known as a 'sandwich year'. You undertake the placement in your third year (between years two and three of your degree studies).

A placement year bears no resemblance to the kind of work experience you might have done at school. For a start, it lasts for about a year, and it certainly won't revolve around photocopying and tea making!

You'll be doing a proper job with a proper company – and earning a salary. It doesn't even necessarily have to be in the Kingston area. Many of our students work in or around central London, and some have even been sent to represent their companies at conferences around the world.

Why take a placement?

A placement provides relevant work experience so that you can:

• improve your chances of graduating with a higher grade degree;
• enhance your CV with relevant work experience to help you get a good graduate job – many employers even have a graduate programme to fast track their placement students to a graduate job; and
• earn a year's salary whilst studying (most placements are paid) – in 2011/12 salaries were typically between £13,000 and £20,000.

Where might I take my placement?

You might choose a placement in an area that complements your course, or in a general working environment which will add to your all-round career development. Placements can be with large multinational companies, international companies, local companies or small start-ups.

Recent examples include aircraft operability officer at Airbus and trainee engineer at BAM Nuttall.

How will you help me find a placement?

Getting a placement and passing the placement year are ultimately your responsibility. However, we offer lots of support for students looking to secure a placement, such as help with writing CVs.