Work placements and placement years

We offer our students the chance to complete a placement year between their second and third years of study and summer placements. Not only does this give extra experience and learning opportunities, it also gives a taster of the world of work within a chosen field. Over the next few weeks, I hope to be able to put up several pieces from students giving their impressions of what it is like and what they are getting out of it.

Hayley Burston (BSc Exercise, Nutrition and Health) is first up:

"In the summer of my second year studying Exercise, Nutrition and Health, I was given the opportunity to complete a work placement at the University fitness centre. Although my degree taught me a lot about nutrition, exercise and physiology, the work placement allowed these skills to be put into a practical situation, helping to further my understanding of the areas taught in my degree.

Not only did the placement solidify the information from lectures, it established an understanding of the work environment and taught me the basic practices that must be applied within the industry. Any work placement will help someone to consider their future career and this enabled me to see that I was taking the right direction.

From this placement, I have subsequently got a part-time job at the gym which allows me to continually apply my knowledge, not only benefiting my future, but also my third year studies. It has helped me to become organised with University work, a key skill for the present and future. I have already applied topics learnt from the degree by redesigning the Personal Programme Form. The independence has helped to increase my confidence in completing the degree and in situations within the fitness industry." 

Hayley at work in the University Fitness Centre