Calling all employers! The School of International Business at the University of Ulster is seeking work placements for students on the BA Hons Business Studies with Specialisms course. As part of their industrial placement year, students are expected to complete a 48 weeks placement.

According to Dr Sharon Loane, Business Economics lecturer in the School of International Business, says industrial placements can be a ‘win-win’ situation, as both employers and students benefit enormously from successful placements.

"For employers, there are a number of advantages in employing our placement students. Firstly, recruitment is quick and inexpensive and professionally supported by the School of International Business, allowing you to set out the terms and conditions for the placement student works. 

"The commitment is for one year only so there are no long term overheads. Secondly, employing a placement student could help a hard pressed department, or small firm on a day-to-day basis. Students can often undertake specific projects which permanent staff don’t have time for."

She continued: "Industrial placements are an integral part of the course and give students an excellent opportunity gain valuable work experience in a relevant business environment."

The BA Hons Business Studies with Specialisms course provides challenging and stimulating theoretical and practical education in a number of disciplines in the broad Business and Management area including Accounting, Enterprise, Electronic Business, Human Resource Management and Marketing.

Dr Loane said that in the past students had been involved in a variety of projects such as helping to computerise accounts and identifying ways to eliminate waste.

Her experience was that while students could make a significant contribution to their placement company, the students themselves also benefited by being given an insight into some of the problems facing businesses.

"There is no prescribed format for placement projects and students have an excellent opportunity to get involved in a variety of interesting tasks that full time members of staff simply do not have the time to get involved in.

Working closely together, the employer and student decide on a project or series of tasks which will be supervised by a lecturer," says Dr Loane.

Students are available for work placement from June this year. Any companies, large or small, north or south of the border interested in recruiting students can get all the relevant information from the placement office by contacting Ann Brady on (028) 71 375768 or e-mail at a.brady@ulster.ac.uk.

For further information, please contact:

David Young
Telephone: 028 90366074
Email: David Young