Placement Provider Responsibilities

Placement Provider Guidance

The guidance below has been created to support employers offering placement opportunities to students of the University of Warwick.

The responsibilities listed form part of wider University guidance on Placement Provider responsibilitiesLink opens in a new window which is informed by current good practice as defined by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Institute of Student Employers and professional careers bodies ASET and AGCAS.

Placement Student ResponsibilitiesLink opens in a new window

Click the link above to refer to the advised responsibilities of Univeristy of Warwick Placement Students.

School of Life Sciences ResponsibilitiesLink opens in a new window

Click the link above to refer to the advised responsibilities of Academic Supervisors and the Life Sciences Placement team.

Pre-Placement

• Provide a clear job description setting out the role and responsibilities, skills and experience required, working hours, salary, and working arrangements
• Remuneration should be stated at the outset, either as a set figure, an appropriate range or expressed comparatively to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.Link opens in a new window
• Recruit and select students using the same methods and standards that apply to regular recruitment.
• Understand and fulfil legal responsibility as an employer with regards to recruitment and equality legislation, including Right to Work checks.
• Provide an employment contract to the successful candidate(s).
• Seek to become familiar with any relevant university processes, as advised within placement communication.
• Provide required information in relation to health and safety, insurance, and due diligence.
• Prompt and monitor the completion of risk assessments.
• Ensure that sufficient insurance cover is in place (held by the Placement Provider and the student, if appropriate) for the activities of the placement student and to others who could be affected by the placement student’s actions or inactions.

• Notify the student’s academic department of any changes to the placement that you have approved.

• Be familiar with and agree to the responsibilities and expectations for all parties through a formal signed agreement.
• Arrange an induction programme and appoint a named line manager or supervisor who will act as the first point of contact throughout the placement, supervise the student, and liaise with the practitioner.

On Placement

• Provide a sufficiently safe, professional working environment where appropriate, including the provision of guidelines for home working if necessary.
• Accept liability and responsibility for students on placement in the same way as for all other employees.
• Provide a structured induction and induction materials including information regarding equality and diversity and health and safety
• Provide suitable supervision, training and support throughout the placement.
• Agree learning objectives with the placement student and include regular opportunities for two-way discussion, feedback and review sessions.

• Inform the student of any changes to the placement and provide contact details for an alternative member(s) of staff during periods when the student’s appointed line manager/supervisor is absent or on annual leave, or no longer able to supervise the student.

• Allow time, where possible, for the student to reflect on learning, or undertake any other tasks relevant to the academic assessment of their placement.

• Support the student to manage their own learning, by ensuring sufficient access to resources, support, and materials 
• Comply with health and safety legislation and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
• Treat the placement student as a regular employee, excepting the additional needs of the placement.
• Maintain good communication with the academic department by responding promptly to emails and other requests for information.
• Report any issues or concerns that arise during the placement to the student (in all cases) and to the academic department (issues that threaten the continuance of the placement, unexplained absences) following agreed reporting procedures.
• Facilitate at least one placement visit by the practitioner or their representative, and ideally at least one further check-in by email if longer than one term
• Complete a final review with the placement student that includes an objective evaluation of their performance, effectiveness in consolidating the knowledge and skills to the workplace, and the learning that they have gained from the placement
• Complete any evaluation forms provided by the academic department

Absence and Attendance Monitoring Process

Placement students will be required to meet with their assigned placement tutor from the University of Warwick on a monthly basis for wellbeing and attendance monitoring purposes.

This meeting may be conducted either online or face to face.

Placement Providers will be required to report any unauthorised absences of the Placement Student directly to the Placements Team. This should be done via contacting: slsplacements@warwick.ac.uk

Absence and Attendance Monitoring Process for Student Visa holders

For compliance with UK Visas and Immigration rules, absences relating to student visa holders must be reported to the student’s academic department within 24 hours of the absence. Placement providers should also be aware that:

• Student visa holders will have an attendance requirement as part of their visa conditions. They will need to respond to regular (currently monthly) monitoring requests from their academic department so that their attendance can be recorded for UKVI purposes.

• The student visa holder is required to contact both the relevant placement contact(s) within their academic department and their line manager/supervisor when unable to attend their placement on agreed dates and times.