Placements

A short-term placement may help you gain practical experience and find out what it’s really like to work in the field you are interested in. The type of work you’ll be expected to do will vary depending on the placement, but may involve observation or work ‘shadowing’, alongside assisting with day-to-day tasks and duties.

You will be in a professional work environment and working with staff members on a planned work experience programme, with some tasks and outcomes that may support the research and administration of School of Life Sciences.

Eligibility

• You must be 16-18 at the time of the placement
• You must live in the Midlands region

How to apply

For 2024/25 we hope to be in a position to offer a very small number of work experience placements during July 2025.

We will aim to prioritise offering placements to students in line with the University's Widening Participation Strategy.

The application form will open again during 2025 and this is likely to be during term 2.

We will inform applicants by email if a placement is available. Unfortunately we receive a large number of enquiries and we are only able to offer a very small number of placements each year.

The online application form is currently closed but will open again during 2025.

Expectations while on placement

You must demonstrate the professional behaviours of:

Respect
Honesty
Reliability
Responsibility
Punctuality

You will be given emergency and safety information prior to starting any work. You must listen carefully and ask questions if you are unsure of anything. You must take reasonable care for your own health and safety and that of others, follow all safety instructions given by your supervisor, correctly use facilities and equipment provided for general safety and report any accidents, however minor. You must also highlight any medical conditions such as asthma or allergies to your supervisor.

Additional information

If you are offered a placement you will be asked to complete some additional forms to agree the placement, share your emergency contact information with us and confirm that you have read and understood the safety information which will be sent to you. These forms must be completed, signed by you and your parent/guardian and returned to SLS before your placement begins.

Working hours

You will work a maximum of 8 hours a day between 09:00 and 17:00.

Placements will last a maximum of one week.

About the School of Life Sciences and Gibbet Hill Campus

The School of Life Sciences has two sites: at Gibbet Hill Campus and at the Stratford Upon Avon Campus. The majority of placements offered will be at Gibbet Hill Campus. Emma Over supports with work experience administration and can help with general enquiries about work experience.

Alternatives to work experience placements

We cannot guarantee a placement for work experience. You may also be interested in our laboratory experience days. We also contribute to the University Widening Participation and Outreach.