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Frequently Asked Questions

What companies can I complete a placement with?

Our students have completed placements at organisations ranging from small and medium-sized enterprises to major multinationals (including those found in the 23-24 Times Top 100 Graduate Employers.) Examples include:
Adobe | ALDI | Amazon | Apple | Airbus | ASDA | Bank of England | British Airways | BMW | Bupa | Burberry | Civil Service | Cummins | Deloitte | Department for Transport | ERAC | EY | First Direct | GES | Grant Thornton | GSK | HM Treasury | Hewlett Packard Enterprises | Hilton | HSBC | IBM | Jacobs Douwe Egberts | John Lewis | Johnson and Johnson | Kenvue | KPMG | Lloyds Banking Group | L’Oreal | Mazars | Microsoft | Morgan Stanley | NBC Universal | NHS and NHS Digital | Nike | O2 | Oracle | PwC | Randstad | Rolls Royce | Samsung | SAP | Siemens | Sony | Toyota | THG | UBS | Unilever | University of Leeds | Vodafone | VW Financial Services | Walt Disney Company

What supports are in place to help secure a Year in Industry placement?

An optional second-year module, From Study to Work provides students with the knowledge, skills and experience needed to obtain and prepare for work placements. Workshops by top graduate employers and the Module Leader, Sumayyah Qudah, will cover key stages in the recruitment process, including making applications, being successful at interviews and dealing with assessment centres.

Placement Hunt Club is a regular employability session during term time led by Dr Joanne Dickinson, the Business School’s Senior Employability and Placements Officer. Placement Hunt Club offers expert advice on where to find industrial placements and offers support and guidance through the application process.

MyCareer offers links to Resources and Pathways that can help you with different stages of the application process. Including advice on speculative applications, a CV (and Cover Letter) Checker, Psychometric testing support from Graduates First, and an online Practice Interviewer. The For Students page also has useful information about applications and interviews.

There is the option to book a Work Placement (LUBS) appointment through MyCareer to speak to a member of our team about where to look for roles, and any other questions you may have about the placement year. You can also book Application Support and Mock Interview appointments with the central Careers Service.

Will I still have access to university services whilst on placement?

Yes, you will remain enrolled at the University of Leeds during your placement year and will be entitled to access all student services. Students will also be assigned a Placement Tutor who will be your main point of contact, they are there to ensure that everything is going well throughout the year.

Can I do a placement overseas?

Yes. However, in addition to the standard work placement approval requirements and processes, you must have or be able to secure relevant visas and work permits in the related host country.

Use this guide to learn more about working abroad.

Can I do both a Year in Industry and a Study Abroad year?

Unfortunately not.

We also advise against applying for both a Stud Abroad year and a Year in Industry, as if you secure a Year Abroad place and later withdraw that place cannot be re-allocated to anyone.

However, our summer school programmes are a great way for students to have a short-term experience abroad either before or after their placement year. You can also consider applying for Year in Industry placements overseas.

Will I be offered a job at the end of my placement?

Some students are offered the opportunity to return in a full-time role upon graduation, but this is dependent on your placement provider. Even if you do not get offered a permanent role, you will have automatically increased your chances of securing a graduate job by completing industry-level work experience.

Contact us

You can contact the LUBS Work Placements Team by email at lubsplacements@leeds.ac.uk. Our online open hours are Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm (except for bank holidays and closure days).