Engineering is all about applying basic engineering principles to solve diverse problems. Reinforcing our teaching, work experience gives a student the opportunity to experience real-life problems and a company an opportunity to sample from the best students.
Here at the Department of Civil Engineering we encourage our students to gain industrial experience during their summer vacations and in year-long placements and we use our extensive connections in Industry to help students find these.
We are unique because we offer two ways to achieve accredited industrial experience. You can go for the integrated 4-year, MEng Civil Engineering with Industrial Experience, where your experience in two summer placements is recognised formally, or you can take a full year’s placement and achieve the 'With Industrial Year' version of your chosen degree. You can select the industrial year within any of our BEng and most of our MEng degrees and your time working can count towards your professional experience as well as your degree. You can also take one or other of the summer placement modules as options in BEng and MEng Civil Engineering. All this gives you extra flexibility for your options whilst still gaining and formalising that all-important experience.
We encourage all of our students to take any opportunities to gain experience, whether taking these modules or just by working or volunteering, e.g. via the university’s thriving Engineers Without Borders group. The RESPECT placements & sponsorship scheme is just one way to find placements: the university’s Careers Network service offers a comprehensive range of help too and can point you in the right direction for the placement you’re looking for.
Benefits of industrial placements
Industrial placement modules help you to consider the experience you gain and encourage you to apply this to your learning. Many students with experience find their academic learning more meaningful and they tend to perform better as a result. Companies are also looking to develop students during placements, with a view to giving them a better chance for graduate employment with them, so a placement gives you a chance to check out a company as well as gaining valuable experience. Graduates already with industrial experience, e.g. through summer or year-long placements, are more likely to gain graduate employment more easily. This is one such opportunity.
Fees
For fee information on taking a year in industry please see our ‘Fees and funding’ page
Contact
Please contact Jenny Steere, Industrial Liaison Officer, School of Engineering, on (+44) (0)121 414 5061 or email at j.steere@bham.ac.uk for further information on placements.