September 18, 2024, by Arts Placements
Looking back at the accredited Arts Placement Module
A backwards glance
Over the last few weeks, the Faculty Placements Team has been busy preparing for the start of term. The accredited Placement Module that the Team supports is running again this year. Whilst planning, we’ve also had time to reflect on last year’s success.
56 students took part in the module. Following teaching input in Semester 1, they began their work placements in Semester 2. They undertook a variety of roles from Podcast and Radio Hosts to Archive and Heritage Assistants, Orchestral Administrator to Communications Assistant and many more besides.
What they did
The students got involved with a diversity of interesting tasks. They undertook planning applications for a bike rack, tour guiding, curation of artefacts, report compilation, sound engineering, event planning and execution, quantitative data gathering, and mastering new software to name just a few. They did real-world, graduate level work which will prove invaluable as they progress through their career journey.
Additionally, students had the chance to network with a wide range of job roles. These included: Church Associate Architect, financial experts, CEOs of SMEs, Senior Health Protection Practitioner, Artists and Illustrators. Subsequently, students got a better understanding of the hierarchy of roles and responsibilities as well as the importance of collaboration both inside and outside of organisations.
What they learned and what they gained
Part of the assessment for the Placement Module is for students to write 3 blogs about their placement. These cover their initial impressions, their progress at the midway point and their final thoughts. It has been so satisfying reading these to understand the (mostly) ups and some downs of students’ experiences. Some excerpts are below.
‘Diving headfirst into the role has definitely fostered in me a resilience, a dedication and an independence, as I’ve often had to take my own initiative when completing tasks.’ – Fay
‘I was quick to come up with a solution. And guess what? The team loved the idea! It was such an incredible feeling to contribute and make a difference.’ – Aleksandra
‘Whenever I encountered challenges that I couldn’t address on my own, I would always seek assistance from my supervisor.’ – Cheuk
‘I felt quite overwhelmed by the task at hand. To overcome this, I made sure to be transparent with my supervisors about my workload, and in our weekly catch up meeting, we set a plan to divide the work to reach our deadline.’ – Emily
‘This placement has been a valuable experience for me…with respects to how it has opened my eyes to future employment prospects and importantly, the people it has put me in touch with.’ – Harvey
‘Tangibly evident from my placement is a developing skillset which I have acquired through practice. This practice: a cycle of challenge, reflection, communication, and solution; has far broader implications than just the sector which I found myself in.’ – Kit
‘In summary, my placement has been an unforgettable journey filled with laughter, great music, and cherished friendships. It has been an invaluable opportunity for personal and professional growth that I will carry with me into the next phase of my career.’ – Anna
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