Employability and Placement Preparation for Computer Scientists - 2019 entry

This module provides you with key employability skills that will prepare you to apply and secure a placement or internship. You will be shown the skills required to get through the application process as well as those soft and business skills employers will be expecting. The onus is on you to secure a placement or internship but there is plenty of support from the Student Experience and Employability Team, and Career Zone to assist you. The module is timetabled predominantly for the Autumn Term when most employers are recruiting for placements and internships, with some sessions in the Spring term for support if you are making speculative approaches to SME’s or haven’t secured work experience via the standard recruitment timeline.

This module is a pre-requisite for those students looking to secure a placement on the Industrial Placement Programme. If undertaking the ECM3419 or EMP3001 modules then please note that all paperwork must be submitted and approved by the module leader in advance of placement start date.

You can undertake your work placement in the UK, any of the European Union countries that participate in the Erasmus+ programme or other approved international setting.

In order to progress or transfer onto the Year in Industry programme, students are normally expected to have attended all timetabled sessions with the exception of the Speculative applications, and intense support sessions (these are only required if the student is still in the process of securing a placement) .

The aim of this module is to provide you with skills to progress through the rigorous application processes that some placement and internship providers have, and the ability to market yourself effectively if undertaking speculative approaches to companies to secure work experience. There will also be sessions on soft skills which recruiters are demanding, and aren’t currently covered within the curriculum. Space is also available within the module to attend the careers fairs on campus to speak to recruiters offering practical work experience, relevant to your degree, in a business, commercial or public sector setting.

The placement application process can be competitive and challenging. It is a time consuming activity and you may well encounter setbacks during the process, particularly considering the fact that you will be in competition with other high calibre students. We will provide you with as much help and guidance as we can, but much will depend on your willingness and commitment. Leaving your search till the last minute could mean that you fail to secure a placement and, in the case of Year in Industry, have to switch programmes; or in the case of CandI, fail to complete the module.

Students undertaking the Year in Industry or Commercial and Industrial Experience options must find a placement that is directly aligned to their subject of study.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge.

This module is compulsory for all Computer Science students and for those enrolled on the Computer Science with Industrial Placement Programme, Computer Science and Mathematics with Industrial Placement programme and those considering transferring onto these programmes there is a minimum attendance requirement to be met in order to progress.

The module will cover the following key areas:

• The Placement search & finding your ideal role.
• CVs, Covering Letters & Application Forms
• Assessment Centre and Interview Skills
• Networking skills
• Attendance at Careers Fairs
• Psychometric Testing (online)
• Commercial awareness (this may be going online)
• Linked in Lab
• Professionalism
• Making the most of your placement and the transition from student to employee.

Re-assessment is not available for this module. If you fail to attend the prerequisite number of sessions or secure a placement you are unable to progress onto the Year in Industry as your third year and will be transferred to another programme.

Basic reading:

Communication for Engineering Students, Davies, John W. Harlow : Longman, 1996.

Cottrell, S. (2003), Skills for Success: The Personal Development Handbook

ELE: http://vle.exeter.ac.uk

Web based and Electronic Resources:

My Career Zone - https://mycareerzone.exeter.ac.uk/students/

Career Mentor Scheme - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/research/mentor/

eXepert - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/research/exepert/

Career Sectors - http://www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/research/sector/

Gradcracker - https://www.gradcracker.com/

The Student Engineer - https://www.theengineer.co.uk/the-student-engineer/

Other Resources:

Reading list for this module: