Module Descriptors
PLACEMENT
COMP70059
Key Facts
Digital, Technology, Innovation and Business
Level 7
0 credits
Contact
Leader: Robin Oldham
Email: Robin.Oldham@staffs.ac.uk
Hours of Study
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities: 0
Independent Study Hours: 0
Total Learning Hours: 0
Assessment
- WORK EXPERIENCE - 24 WEEK DURATION weighted at 0%
- WORK EXEPERIENCE - EMPLOYER REPORT weighted at 30%
- VISIT REPORT weighted at 30%
- WRITTEN REPORT - 2000 WORDS weighted at 40%
Module Details
Indicative Content
This module aims:
To provide practical experience of working within and for an organisation.
To experience at first hand the practical application of some of the computing theory and methods in study period one/two.
To develop appropriate behaviour attitudes within the work environment.
To provide practical experience in the legal, social and ethical issues of working within an organisation.
To apply and further develop communication and decision making skills.
SPECIFICALLY IN RELATION TO THE EMPLOYABILITY FRAMEWORK, this module covers:
Identification of common career routes/pathways
Understanding the different types of employment from industry to self-employment
The role of entrepreneurship (identifying opportunity, channelling, evaluation, and exploitation)
Finance and monetary systems
Legal requirements of working
Identification of potential barriers and organisational restrictions to career paths
The digital workforce and worker within
Social mobility skills
Employment and the fit to lifelong learning
Reflection on skills and knowledge
Understanding industry specific skills
Understanding personal strengths and identification of opportunities to develop these
CV writing, interpretation of job descriptions and customisation of CVs to person specifications.
Writing effective job applications and cover letters
Interview skills including mock interviews
Understanding of recruitment processes
The traditional internship process
Coaching and mentoring approaches
Strategies, efficiencies, and lifelong planning - Students will be introduced to the University Peer and Professional Mentoring Scheme:
University Life Mentor – new students have the opportunity to receive a peer mentor to support them in settling into university life.
Giving back to place and society - Continuing students can sign up to become a Life Mentor to support new students.
Professional Mentor - Continuing students have the opportunity to receive a professional mentor from the industry of their choice to support them in their career journey
Strategies, efficiencies, and lifelong planning
Addressing unsuccessful job applications / career moves
Learning to read recruitment process and expectations
Reflection on personal development needs and career development planning
Career planning/development:
Recruitment process – what to expect
tools such as decision matrices, psychometric testing
skills - including searching for jobs, CV writing, interpretation of job descriptions and customisation of CVs to person specifications.
Entrepreneurship, skills, opportunities and issues
Reflection on personal development, needs and direction (skills audit and personal Development Planning)
The University Careers team will run workshops on:
Career Planning where students will learn how to create an effective career plan and generate SMART Targets
Life After University workshop – students will think about what their career journey might look like after University and will receive information on the support they can receive as a graduate
Routes into Teaching workshop – students will recognise the various routes into teaching and understand more about the support available to them
Graduate Labour Market workshop - students will understand how to be prepared for graduate competition and receive an overview of Graduate Outcomes (delivered by Graduate Employability team)
An Introduction to Self-Employment workshop – students will learn more about self-employment (Delivered by the Enterprise team)
In relation to the BCS (British Computer Society) this module will address:
Issues of professional practice
Current industry standards, processes, and principles
Legal, social, ethical, societal and environment issues
Costing related issues
Development of knowledge and self-learning skills
Practical risk assessment
Work within a team-based setting
Apply mathematics skills in a work-based environment
Apply industry recognised modelling techniques
To provide practical experience of working within and for an organisation.
To experience at first hand the practical application of some of the computing theory and methods in study period one/two.
To develop appropriate behaviour attitudes within the work environment.
To provide practical experience in the legal, social and ethical issues of working within an organisation.
To apply and further develop communication and decision making skills.
SPECIFICALLY IN RELATION TO THE EMPLOYABILITY FRAMEWORK, this module covers:
Identification of common career routes/pathways
Understanding the different types of employment from industry to self-employment
The role of entrepreneurship (identifying opportunity, channelling, evaluation, and exploitation)
Finance and monetary systems
Legal requirements of working
Identification of potential barriers and organisational restrictions to career paths
The digital workforce and worker within
Social mobility skills
Employment and the fit to lifelong learning
Reflection on skills and knowledge
Understanding industry specific skills
Understanding personal strengths and identification of opportunities to develop these
CV writing, interpretation of job descriptions and customisation of CVs to person specifications.
Writing effective job applications and cover letters
Interview skills including mock interviews
Understanding of recruitment processes
The traditional internship process
Coaching and mentoring approaches
Strategies, efficiencies, and lifelong planning - Students will be introduced to the University Peer and Professional Mentoring Scheme:
University Life Mentor – new students have the opportunity to receive a peer mentor to support them in settling into university life.
Giving back to place and society - Continuing students can sign up to become a Life Mentor to support new students.
Professional Mentor - Continuing students have the opportunity to receive a professional mentor from the industry of their choice to support them in their career journey
Strategies, efficiencies, and lifelong planning
Addressing unsuccessful job applications / career moves
Learning to read recruitment process and expectations
Reflection on personal development needs and career development planning
Career planning/development:
Recruitment process – what to expect
tools such as decision matrices, psychometric testing
skills - including searching for jobs, CV writing, interpretation of job descriptions and customisation of CVs to person specifications.
Entrepreneurship, skills, opportunities and issues
Reflection on personal development, needs and direction (skills audit and personal Development Planning)
The University Careers team will run workshops on:
Career Planning where students will learn how to create an effective career plan and generate SMART Targets
Life After University workshop – students will think about what their career journey might look like after University and will receive information on the support they can receive as a graduate
Routes into Teaching workshop – students will recognise the various routes into teaching and understand more about the support available to them
Graduate Labour Market workshop - students will understand how to be prepared for graduate competition and receive an overview of Graduate Outcomes (delivered by Graduate Employability team)
An Introduction to Self-Employment workshop – students will learn more about self-employment (Delivered by the Enterprise team)
In relation to the BCS (British Computer Society) this module will address:
Issues of professional practice
Current industry standards, processes, and principles
Legal, social, ethical, societal and environment issues
Costing related issues
Development of knowledge and self-learning skills
Practical risk assessment
Work within a team-based setting
Apply mathematics skills in a work-based environment
Apply industry recognised modelling techniques
Additional Assessment Details
To successfully complete the placement the student must fulfil:
WORK EXPERIENCE – Completed, normally, a minimum of 24 weeks of relevant work experience and a maximum of 52 weeks
WORK EXPERIENCE - EMPLOYER REPORT - A template form completed by the employer to act as a report on the students exit achievement from the placement period (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6).
VISIT REPORT – A template form that gives a mark from the industrial supervisor who visits the student (Learning Outcome 1 to 6).
WRITTEN REPORT – The student will prepare a report to summarise their experience. The report should contain an introduction, a summary of the company, their role, achievements, and exit learning (Learning Outcomes 1 to 4, and 6).
WORK EXPERIENCE – Completed, normally, a minimum of 24 weeks of relevant work experience and a maximum of 52 weeks
WORK EXPERIENCE - EMPLOYER REPORT - A template form completed by the employer to act as a report on the students exit achievement from the placement period (Learning Outcomes 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6).
VISIT REPORT – A template form that gives a mark from the industrial supervisor who visits the student (Learning Outcome 1 to 6).
WRITTEN REPORT – The student will prepare a report to summarise their experience. The report should contain an introduction, a summary of the company, their role, achievements, and exit learning (Learning Outcomes 1 to 4, and 6).
Learning Strategies
This is a placement undertaken in a company where the student will report to a line manager. The placement year is supported by an industrial supervisor based at the university.
Besides undertaking their agreed work students will develop their learning from:
General relevant technical material.
The use of various software packages, programming languages, equipment and software technologies relevant to the company and job role.
The experience emanating from their colleagues/managers.
Besides undertaking their agreed work students will develop their learning from:
General relevant technical material.
The use of various software packages, programming languages, equipment and software technologies relevant to the company and job role.
The experience emanating from their colleagues/managers.
Learning Outcome
1. UNDERSTAND AND APPLY THE METHODS EMPLOYED IN, AND THE CONSTRAINTS AND REQUIREMENTS IMPOSED ON, THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF COMPUTING SYSTEMS WITHIN AN ORGANISATION.
APPLICATION, LEARNING, REFLECTION
2. APPLY CRITICAL AND PROFESSIONAL JUDGEMENT BASED ON AN UNDERSTANDING OF BOTH TECHNICAL AND NON-TECHNICAL ISSUES RELEVANT TO THE DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF COMPUTING BASED SYSTEMS IN AN ORGANISATION.
APPLICATION, REFLECTION
3. UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR, AND DEVELOP PROPER, PROFESSIONAL INTER-PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
COMMUNICATION
4. RELATE THE PRACTICES OF A REAL ORGANISATION TO THE PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS OF COMPUTING.
LEARNING
5. COMPLY WITH THE WORK DISCIPLINE AND LEGITIMATE EXPECTATIONS OF AN ORGANISATION.
APPLICATION, LEARNING
6. METHODICALLY EVALUATE THE WORK EXPERIENCE PERIOD UNDERTAKEN, IDENTIFYING AREAS OF PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
REFLECTION
Texts
Placement Handbook issued by the Department
Web Descriptor
In undertaking this module students will work in a real company in order to put into practice the skills they have learned on the course. The placement is a real job and will be governed by company needs and business requirements in day to day operations. The experience gleaned from a role in industry on return to the university will often help guide and scope a dissertation title.