David Forrest

Preparing

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Preparing for Placements

The Work Placement Scheme, sometimes referred to as an industrial/sandwich year, allows students who are registered on degrees offered by the Faculty to defer their final year of study and to work in industry for a year. There is a lot of information on the scheme, assessments, FAQ`s, and a lot more besides, here on our website.

The Faculty Work Placement manager is Dr Al Pickles (a.r.pickles@leeds.ac.uk).

The Faculty Work Placement coordinator is David Forrest (FBSPlacement@leeds.ac.uk).

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO!

  1. Register your interest, end of year 1. This allows us to draw up a list of interested students that we can forward further information to. There will be a Q&A session arranged shortly after Easter for which all students will be notified. There is a “Form of Interest” to complete to register your interest.
  2. Produce or update your C.V. We would advise you to use the format given here, alternatively the Careers Centre has helpful information on C.V`s and Cover Letters.
  3. Over the summer research possible placements. Use the Careers Centre (http://careerweb.leeds.ac.uk/students/workexp/index.asp), visit the Careers Centre (they now have a dedicated room for work placement help), use the internet to research companies and job sectors; www.fbs.leeds.ac.uk/students/placements has lots of useful links.  Particularly recommended is the Prospects site (the UK`s official graduate careers website); have a look at the Job Sectors section (http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/Industry_insights/p!ebfklk). Be proactive!
  4. IMPORTANT. Your C.V must be provided (electronically) to David Forrest (FBSPlacement@leeds.ac.uk) before or immediately at the start of your second year (the sooner the better, we don’t shut during the summer vacation!). This will confirm your intention to start seeking a placement and allow us to draw up a definitive list of interested students to who we can subsequently forward application information. It will also allow us to obtain a reference on you in good time from your personal tutor.
  5. Change to a 4-year programme. At the start of year 2, and having decided to try for a placement, it is advisable to change your registration to that of a 4-year degree programme. Do this through the Undergraduate Office by requesting a Change of Programme. This is a “safeguard” with respect to your local education authority and their willingness to provide fees or financial support. If you change your mind or do not get a placement it is easy to change back to the 3 year degree again.
  6. Attend a “Placement Awareness” day during registration week.

You will then be ready:

  1. to “go” from the start of year 2
  2. to respond quickly to application information. We will forward information to you electronically, or arrange pick up of hard copy. Check your emails regularly.
  3. to respond quickly to any correspondence from companies.

Note that all placements must be approved by the placement tutor before you commit to doing a placement with a company. The University will not recognise unapproved placements as counting for the four year industrial year. The University must be assured that you will be protected by appropriate Health and Safety procedures while you are on placement; covered by appropriate health care arrangements, properly supported and that there are appropriate opportunities for the objectives of the placement year to be met. Usually, with a large company this is not a problem, but with smaller companies there may be difficulties. The University reserves the right not to recognise a placement unless it has been formally approved by the placement tutor.

Scientific Reports

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Scientific Reports: Advice on writing your Work Placement Report

Scientific Reports*Field Reports* Comments on Style and English

Your placement report should be around 6000 words (+10%) in length. It should accurately reflect the work / activities that you have been directly involved with or contributed to. In situations where there is high confidentiality, a more generic review of the area may be necessary, and is acceptable. Always aim to get the report completed in good time; it may need to be vetted by the company before it is “released”. In the majority of placements the company will bear the costs of producing and copying the report (one for you, one for us, and at least one for the company); where this is not possible the Faculty will bear the cost (please contact the placement manager beforehand). Your report will be assessed (by your designated academic supervisor) on a Pass/Fail basis, using a simple assessment form.

The scope and style of reports can vary widely. It depends on three key factors: the report’s intended audience, the report’s purpose and the type of information to be communicated. It is likely however that your placement report will fall into one of two categories, namely (a) a Scientific Report, or (b) a Field Report.

Scientific Reports

Scientific reports (also called laboratory reports) are common in all the Sciences and Social Sciences. These reports use a standard scientific report format describing methods, results and conclusions to report upon an empirical investigation.

There are four major sections to a scientific report, sometimes known as IMRAD, Introduction, Methods, Results, And Discussion. Respectively, these sections structure your report to say “here’s the problem, here’s how I studied it, here’s what I found, and here’s what it means.” There are additional minor sections that precede or follow the major sections including the title, abstract, acknowledgements, references, and appendices. All sections are important, but at different stages to different readers. When flipping through a journal, a reader might read the title first, and if interested further then the abstract, then conclusions, and then if he or she is truly fascinated perhaps the entire paper. You have to convince the reader that what you have done is interesting and important by communicating appeal and content in all sections.

Title: Convey the essential point of the paper. Be precise, concise, and use key words. Avoid padding with phrases like “A study of …”.

AbstractCondense the whole paper into miniature form. A sentence or two summarizing each of the IMRAD sections should suffice. No new information, no supporting material, limited details, just the essential message that explains what you did and found out. Write this section last of all.

Introduction Introduce the problem, moving from the broader issues to your specific problem, finishing the section with the precise aims of the paper (key questions). Craft this section carefully, setting up your argument in logical order. Refer to relevant ideas/theories and related research by other authors. Answer the question “what is the problem and why is it important?”

Methods Explain how you studied the problem, which should follow logically from the aims. Depending on the kind of data, this section may contain subsections on experimental details, materials used, data collection/sources, analytical or statistical techniques employed, study area, etc. Provide enough detail for the reader to reproduce what you did. Include flowcharts, maps or tables if they aid clarity or brevity. Answer the question “what steps did I follow?” but do not include results yet.

Results Explain your actual findings, using subheadings to divide the section into logical parts, with the text addressing the study aims. Link your writing to figures and tables as you present the results. For each, describe and interpret what you see (you do the thinking, do not leave this to the reader). If you have many similar figures, select representative examples for brevity and put the rest in an appendix. Mention any uncertainty in measurement or calculation, and use an appropriate number of decimal places to reflect it. Make comments on the results as they are presented, but save broader generalizations and conclusions for later. Answer the question “what did I find out?”

Discussion Discuss the importance of what you found, in light of the overall study aims. Stand back from the details and synthesise what has (and has not) been learned about the problem, and what it all means. Say what you actually found, not what you hoped to find. Begin with specific comments and expand to more general issues. Recommend any improvements for further study. Answer the question “what is the significance of the research?”

Conclusions Restate the study aims or key questions and summarize your findings using clear, concise statements. Keep this section brief and to the point.

Acknowledgments This is an optional section. Thank people who directly contributed to the paper, by providing data, assisting with some part of the analysis, proofreading, typing, etc. It is not a dedication, so don’t thank Mom and Dad for bringing you into the world, or your roommate for making your coffee.

References Within the text, cite references by author and year, for example “Fry (1999) stated that …” or “several studies have found that x is greater than y (Fry 1999; Smith 1999).” For two authors, list both names, and for three or more use the abbreviation “et al.”, for example “Fry and Smith (1999)” or “Fry et al. (1999).” Attribute every idea that is not your own to avoid plagiarism. In this reference section list alphabetically only the people and publications that you cited in the report. Provide sufficient detail to enable somebody to actually track down the information. List all authors for the “et al.” publications. Follow a standard format such as the examples below, and note the distinctions regarding italics, capitalization, volume/page numbers, publisher address, etc. between the various kinds of references. Full information on the “Harvard Style of referencing” can be found at http://www.leeds.ac.uk/library/training/referencing/harvard.htm

  • Personal (unpublished) communications
    Cited in the text only, e.g., “… x is greater than y (Fry 1999, pers. comm.).”
  • Lecture Notes
    Fry, M., 1999: Iron transport in the blood. April 1 lecture, BIOC2120.
  • Web Site
    Fry, M., 1999: Iron transport in the blood. Internet: <http://www.fbs.leeds.ac.uk/bioc2120/fry.html>.
  • Single Author Journal Paper
    Fry, M., 1999: Iron transport in the blood. Blood 5, 123-132.
  • Multiple Author Journal Paper
    Fry, M., A.K. Smith and C.E. Jacks, 1999: Iron transport in the blood. Blood 5, 123-132.
  • Book
    Fry, M., 1999: Iron transport in the blood. Star Publishers, London.
  • Government/Technical Report
    Fry, M., 1999: Iron transport in the blood. Report A5002, Institute for HaematologyStudies, University of Leeds.
  • Chapter in an Edited Volume
    Fry, M., 1999: Iron transport in the blood. In Smith, A.K. and Jacks, C.E., eds., Progress in Haematology. Star Publishers, London.

Appendix If necessary, one or more appendices containing raw data, figures not used in the body of the paper, sample calculations, etc. may be included. They are considered as additional material to the report, and may not be examined by the reader at all.

Field Reports

Field reports are common in disciplines such as Psychology, Nursing and Education, and might be applicable to placements in a “field setting”. For example, an SES student in a school sports setting, or a biology student in a conservation project. These types of reports require the student to analyse his or her observations of phenomena or events in the real world in light of theories studied in the course.

Since field reports are used to combine theory and practice, they involve both description and analysis. It is important to be aware of and avoid the most common student error when writing field reports of presenting description without any analysis of what has been described or observed.

Field reports usually consist of the following elements:

  • Description – what you have seen or observed
  • Analysis – strengths and weaknesses, reflection or evaluation of observations in light of theory and key concepts of your course or the broader context of your discipline.
  • Appendix – information that supports your analysis but is not essential to its explanation i.e. full transcripts of observations, maps, logs, etc.

Field reports usually do not have a specific format; you may choose to have separate sections for the description and analysis parts of your report or to have paragraphs that combine these two types of writing , i.e. an event is described and then its theoretical significance is analysed.

While standard academic writing tends to be objective and impersonal, the language used in field reports can be simpler, more direct and personal. Personal pronouns such as I and we can be used. It may also be appropriate, depending on your task, to record your subjective impressions and feelings.

The function of field reports is to describe an observed person, place or event and to analyse that observation.

We all observe people, interactions and events in everyday life; however, your job when writing a field report is more structured. When writing a field report you need to:

  • systematically observe and accurately record in detail the varying aspects of a situation;
  • constantly analyse your observation for meaning (i.e. what’s going on here?, what does this mean?, what else does this relate to?);
  • keep the report�s aims in mind while you are observing;
  • consciously observe, record and analyse what you hear and see in the context of a theoretical framework.

Description Your audience has not witnessed the situation, people or event you are discussing; thus, their only knowledge of it will come from your description. Give them enough information to place the analysis that will follow into a context.

Analysis You have provided the reader with a description of the situation, people or events you observed. You also need to provide an evaluation what you have observed and let the reader know how these events and observations relate to theory, key concepts of your course or the broader context of your discipline.You should have kept in mind the theories and issues you encountered in your course when making your observations. Part of your task in analysis is to determine which observations are worthy of comment and evaluation, and which observations are more general in nature. It is your theoretical framework that allows you to make these decisions. You need to show that you are looking at the situation through the eyes of an informed viewer, not a lay person.

Be careful to base any evaluations or conclusions you make in your analysis on what you have observed. Do not manipulate what you have observed to fit into a predetermined theoretical framework. Consider questions such as:

  • What is the meaning of what you have observed?
  • Why do you think what you observed happened? What evidence do you have for your reasoning?
  • What events or behaviours were typical or widespread? How were they distributed among categories of people?
  • Do you see any connections or patterns in what you observed?
  • Why did the people you observed do it that way? What are the implications of this? Do you agree with this method?
  • Did the stated or implicit objectives of what you were observing match what was achieved?
  • What were the relative merits of the behaviours you observed?
  • What were the strengths and weaknesses of the approaches you observed?
  • Do you see connections between what you observed and the key concepts in your course and what you have read?
  • How do your observations fit into the big picture of this topic area such as the whole education or justice system?
  • Have you learnt anything from this?
  • What education, research or professional value did you get from this field work?
  • Did the allocation of resources impact on what you observed? e.g. were there too many children in the class, was the court list overcrowded?
  • How have your observations changed your perceptions of the field and professional practice?

General Comments on Style

  • After a full stop, a new sentence should be separated from the stop by two spaces. Word processors tacitly acknowledge this � if you put two spaces at the end of a line where one character would normally wrap, they “know” not to put a space at the beginning of the next line, and in any case your text looks much better.
  • Punctuation marks such as commas, full stops, semi-colons etc should follow the preceding word without a space.
  • There should be no spaces between brackets and the words they surround.
  • Do not join grammatically unrelated ideas together with commas.It is preferable to use short sentences but if you write longer ones, join them together with conjunctions or make some clauses relative; semicolons are also useful.
  • Start a new paragraph at the beginning of the line (do not tab or indent).Leave a blank line between paragraphs.Do not start a new line for a new sentence unless the break is natural (that is, the previous sentence finishes at the end of the previous line).Only press the return key when you want to start a new paragraph.
  • Be aware of ‘non-breaking’ spaces or hyphens.They should be used when you want to prevent breaks round a line, for example in references, as above, or for initials and names.Press Ctrl-shift and the space bar or hyphen to achieve this in Word.
  • Use the metric system of measurements. Abbreviations of units are used without a following period.
  • Numbers should be written as numerals when they are greater than ten or when they are associated with measurements; for example, 6 mm or 2 g but two explanations of six factors. When one list includes numbers over and under ten, all numbers in the list may be expressed as numerals; for example, 17 sunfish, 13 bass, and 2 trout. Never start a sentence with numerals. Spell all numbers beginning sentences.
  • Avoid using the first person, I or we, in writing. Keep your writing impersonal, in the third person. Instead of saying, “We weighed the frogs and put them in a glass jar,” write, “The frogs were weighed and put in a glass jar.” An exception to this can be made in some field reports.
  • Avoid the use of slang and the overuse of contractions.
  • Be consistent in the use of tense throughout a paragraph, do not switch between past and present. It is best to use past tense.

Some common errors of English usage

  • Take care with “it’s” and “its”.Do not use an apostrophe when the meaning is “ofit”, as in “Morphine is an opiate. Its main effects are….”.”It’s” is an abbreviation of “it is” as in “It’s incorrect to use abbreviations in formal text”.
  • A related error is to introduce an apostrophe into plurals, or “plural’s” as some would say.
  • Drug names do not begin with a capital letter unless they are trade names, e.g. aspirin and Panadol.
  • The word “data” is a plural; hence “data are….” rather than “data is….”.Other plural words are: bacteria, media, criteria, phenomena.
  • “Dependent” is an adjective, “dependant” is a noun.So responses are “concentration-dependent”, not “dependant”.A dependant is someone who depends on someone else, as young children are their parents’ dependants.
  • “Lead” as a noun is the element (Pb), or possibly the strip of leather used to stop your dog escaping.The former is the only use in which this spelling is pronounced so as to rhyme with “red”.Errors are often seen in the use of this word as a verb.”Lead” is the present tense.The past tense is “led”; ie this word does not follow the same rule as “read”.
  • Latin words or phrases such as “in vivo, in vitro, in situ, et al, etc” should be in italics. Names of species should be in italics. The first word should have a capital letter but the second should not, and you may abbreviate the first letter after the first inclusion. For example: Homo sapiens, which can thereafter be written as H.sapiens; Mycobacterium leprae, later written as M. leprae.
  • Some words are frequently misspelled: occurred, protein, receive, noradrenaline, albumin, penicillin, parallel are examples.
  • All sentences must have a verb.

FAQs (2024 update)

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Frequently Asked Questions about the Programme


Why should I do a placement?


A placement gives you a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the industrial/work environment, to extend your knowledge and understanding of the subject and related areas, and to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes required for a successful career. It allows you time for reflection and consideration of a likely career route, but above all, it gives you the competitive “edge”! It sets you apart from your peers; whether you intend to further your education (PhD, MSc, etc) or move directly into employment, you will have a head start.  Recent figures show that 18 months after graduation, 91% of FBS graduates who went on an industrial placement are in graduate-level employment, in comparison to 66% of non-placement FBS alumni.

Do I qualify for a work placement?


Competition nationally for work placements is strong. There is no minimum academic requirement imposed by Leeds University or FBS (other than progression) so any student can search for a placement.  However, some companies do require a 2.1 and you will of course be in a better position to get a placement if your academic performance is strong.

Who can apply?


The scheme is open to all level 2 undergraduate students in the Faculty of Biological Sciences.  Both BSc and MBiol students in the second year of their studies can apply.

Will I definitely get a placement?


No, you are not guaranteed a placement, although we will do our very best to find you one.  While we can advise, help and prepare you, ultimately the decisions rest with the companies concerned. You will be competing nationally with many others.

What is the procedure?


Usually in the last few weeks of teaching (Term 3) and before the examination period, we will provide further information regarding the placement scheme, including the opportunity to meet with the placements team and ask any questions you may have. We will then begin to compile a list of “interested students”. This will put you on our mailing list for placement opportunities. 

Making applications


Applications for placements can begin as soon as you wish but certainly in earnest by early October of your second year. In particular, the larger companies tend to be very fast “off the mark”. Applications will most frequently be made online.   We will keep in contact with you by email to alert you to applications pending as we receive information from the companies. It is imperative that you check your email regularly and make applications promptly.

Is there a final date by which I must find a placement?

Unlike the Study Abroad programme, students have a much longer period in which to find a placement.  A student must have found a placement by induction week of the following academic year.  So currently, you have until late September 2024 to find a placement.

Having said this, all placement opportunities will have a specific cut-off date by which you must submit your application.

How can I help to get a placement?


We will forward information from companies that contact us, which in reality includes the larger companies and organisations.  Having said this, you will also need to be proactive! Any companies or organisations that you may have come across in your searches, or know of through contacts, will be worth applying to. You do not need to wait for us to do this, unless you are concerned about the possible relevance of such a placement. We will however need information about the placement in order to approve it.

If I get a placement what happens next?


You will enter into negotiations with the company concerned (start dates, contract, accommodation, etc). We will review your performance through the year. Poor performance and/or failed modules may preclude you from starting your placement. You must successfully progress from your 2nd year to your 3rd year in order to go on placement.  Final year project choices will not need to be made at the end of year 2; this information will be forwarded to you for the following year while you are on placement.

When do I start the placement?


That is decided through negotiation with the company, but usually it will be from August to July, and normally of 12 months duration.  However, some placements may start later.  You must always ensure that you have returned to the university by induction week of the following academic year.

What if I don’t get a placement?


If you have not gained a placement, then you simply carry on with completing your degree as you originally planned. You can opt-out of the work placement procedure at any time. However, very often opportunities do arise well after Easter, and we will continue to forward information that becomes available.

Can I get a placement abroad?


Most placements are in the U.K. However, there are placements available for example in Belgium, USA, Singapore, Australia, France and Canada.  We actively promote overseas placements as they give you the opportunity not only to gain invaluable work experience, but also the chance to live overseas.

Can I get a placement near where I live?


Of course, if you can find one.  Most of our placements are found throughout the UK.  London is the most popular area for work placements, although Leeds is now running a close second in terms of the numbers of placements.  If you can find a placement close to where you live, that’s great.

I know someone in Industry, can I get a placement there?


If you have a contact in a relevant company, then investigate this further. So long as you can be offered a placement that satisfies the requirements of the Year in Industry programme, then we will support you. Likewise, a summer vacation job may have opened up the possibility of a work placement year.  Developing such contacts is one of the key benefits of the year in industry.

Do I get paid?


Almost all of our work placements are salaried. The amount will vary from company to company but probably within the range of £15-20K. Of course, that does not preclude you from taking a non-salaried placement.  Whilst we would prefer all placements to be paid, we accept that in certain areas, unpaid placements are the norm.

Do I have to pay tuition fees?


At the moment the answer is yes although the amount due is much reduced.  You will have to pay 15% of the set fee that you would pay for a normal year.  For UK students, the amount due is £1385.  For overseas students, the reduced fee is £3713. You are still entitled to apply for a student loan for that year, if you so wish.  Any questions about your fees should be made to Student Services.

How is the placement assessed?


Your work placement year is assessed but does not contribute to your final degree mark. Acknowledgement of your placement year is made in the title of your degree. Assessment is made on a Pass/Fail basis. You will need to have satisfactorily completed your employers work contract, fully completed your Work Profile document, complete a 2000-word literature review and a 6000-word report on your placement. Once you do all those things, you will have passed the Year in Industry programme.  During your placement, you will be registered on BIOL8001: Training in the Workplace, this is a 120-credit module.

What sort of work will I do on placement?


This is difficult to specify, but we do expect all placements to be challenging. The placement can be relevant to your degree programme, but it doesn’t have to be.   It is possible to do a placement that is not related to your degree at all.  Some of the placements will be lab-based since the “hands-on” help is what companies often require. These may involve individual or group work, individual research projects and/or more routine exercises (assays, screening, etc). However, the Bioscience sphere is large and diverse, and we would encourage you to consider a variety of placement types, such as clinical trials, regulatory affairs, I.T., healthcare, education, management/business, etc. Ultimately, the Placement team will need to approve such placements; if you have any doubts as to their relevance, please contact us.

Having accepted an offer of work placement with a company, can I then change my mind?


No, unless there are genuine reasons. The company would be very unhappy about this, as would we. Once you have confirmed your acceptance of an offer you should be prepared to carry it through, even if you subsequently get an offer from elsewhere.  You must not accept an offer of a placement and continue to look for other posts.  You cannot say yes to one employer, and then go on to say yes to another employer.

Can I keep in contact while I am on placement?


We will be keeping in regular contact with you throughout the placement.   You will still be a full-time student at this University and will continue to have access to resources, including email, internet, Student Portal, etc. We will maintain contact with you and your supervisor by regular email. You will also be assigned an academic supervisor who may visit you on site.  The academic supervisor will also provide you with academic support during the placement.  It is they who will be assessing your work.  We will keep you aware of any developments at the University that may affect you. For example, we will contact you with the project choices for your final year of study. 

Frequently Asked Questions about the Website

How do I change my password?


At the top, select your name, then Profile. Select “Settings” and enter your new password.

For Employers

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Work Placements

The Faculty of Biological Sciences
Institute of Life Science Education
The University of Leeds
Leeds LS2 9JT , UK.

Dear Employer,

The University of Leeds, Faculty of Biological Sciences, is one of the largest in the country. We have some 600 undergraduate students in each year of study covering a wide spectrum of biological subjects. We actively help and encourage students to consider a placement year between their second and final years of study. Both our industry placement and study year abroad schemes are optional for students. Students are selected partly on the basis of their academic records. Consequently our students who opt for these schemes are academically able, self-motivated and enthusiastic.

We expect our students to be challenged while in placement and to be engaged in activities relevant to their areas of study.

Students will actively begin seeking placements at the start of their second year (from October) and continue through to Easter. It is the nature of the “university year” that students must generally commit to friends and landlords on accommodation agreements for their final years, around or before Easter of their second year. The “availability” of students for placements will therefore diminish significantly after Easter

Our Expectations

The Faculty of Biological Sciences promotes and supports students in work placements. Placements should generally run for a period of 10-12 months, between the students second and final year at University. Start and finish dates are negotiable but would generally run from July/August to August/September. We expect a work placement to be relevant to the student’s programme of study, and challenging. The main aim of any placement is that the student gains direct experience of practice in the workplace, and gains the opportunity to contribute to the process in that environment. The student must be protected by appropriate Health & Safety Guidelines. While in placement the student must be assigned a company supervisor(s), who would be responsible for monitoring and advising on their day to day work. Work placements are assessed; students are assessed on a Pass/Fail basis through the completion of a Work Profile and the submission of a written report and literature review. The company supervisor is expected to contribute to the assessment procedure, in working with the student to complete the Work Profile, and in providing a final general reference on the student. The student will also be assigned an academic supervisor who may be required to make a site visit. The Faculty will maintain regular contact with the student and their company supervisor. Wherever possible we would expect the placement to be salaried; a range of £9000-£15000 is not uncommon across the Bioscience sector. It is the student’s final decision as to whether they accept a placement that is not salaried or carries only minimal financial support.

If you feel you might have a placement opportunity suitable for one of students, please direct your enquiries in the first instance to:

David Forrest, Undergraduate Office, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT.

Tel: 0113 3433113. Email: FBSPlacement@leeds.ac.uk

Our Undergraduate Programmes

Each degree course has its own web section with detailed information including course content and structure, special features, careers, entry requirements and student profiles. Follow the links below to the relevant web section:

New Single Honours (2012 entry)
BSc Applied Biology

Single Honours : all offer industrial placement and year abroad opportunities
BSc Biochemistry
BSc Biological Sciences
BSc Biology
BSc Ecology and Environmental Biology
BSc Genetics
BSc Human Physiology
BSc Medical Biochemistry
BSc Medical Microbiology
BSc Medical Sciences
BSc Microbiology
BSc Microbiology with Immunology
BSc Microbiology with Virology
BSc Neuroscience
BSc Pharmacology
BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences
BSc Sports Science and Physiology
BSc Zoology

CVs and Cover Letters

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Is there such a thing as the perfect C.V.? Probably not, but there are bad C.Vs, and there are different C.Vs. Here are some tips on putting together a good C.V.

There is a good section on writing C.Vs at the Milkround Online, as well as the Prospects site, and the University of Kent has a good section on this.
If you are serious about your C.V., then go and talk to the CAREERS CENTRE!

This particular example, given here in full, would be appropriate for an undergraduate of any year. Note however, that it is very educationally based; there is a lot of course detail and information.

This is in a Table format; of course you would not show the grid lines, but it is a great way of keeping things lined up! You may use the CV template if you wish which is in a more commercially relevant format.

CV EXAMPLE and just the CV Template

This Cover Letter example would be suitable for any speculative enquiry as to the possibility of a placement. Keep it brief and to the point!

COVER LETTER EXAMPLE

Now that I am on placement, what am I supposed to be doing? – 2024 update

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Now that I am in placement, what am I supposed to be doing? – 2024 Update

 

  1. Sending us your contact details! – complete the contact sheet at the front of the Work Profile (form 1), along with the Placement Provider checklist (form 2 and the Student Placement Checklist (form 3), and post to David Forrest as soon as possible after starting your placement. (Email to FBSPlacement@leeds.ac.uk).
  1. On the contact sheet, try to provide an accurate description of the work and area you are involved in.
  1. Show your Work Profile to your industry supervisor, he/she will be making an input to this. You should at least have filled in some initial objectives! After a couple of weeks in placement, enter some information into the skills matrix and get your supervisor to do likewise.
  1. We will let you know who your academic supervisor is; they will then be in contact with you to arrange a visit. We will let you know who your supervisor will be in the November of your placement year.
  1. Complete your 2000 word literature review and submit it in the February of your placement year.
  1. Continue to input information into your Work Profile log throughout your placement.
  1. Preferably, before you finish your placement, you should complete your 6000-word report. This will need to be checked by the company before it can be “released” to check for confidentiality issues.
  1. Before you leave, do make sure that your industry supervisor has completed the skills matrix and final section of your Work Profile, also any input to your C&G log, if you are completing this.
  1. On return to Leeds, you will need to supply us with a copy of your report and Work Profile.

Outline of the Scheme 2024 Update

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Outline of FBS Placement Scheme – Please Read

Introduction

The industry placement year is taken between Year 2 and Year 3 of your degree course. It cannot be taken at any other time in the lifetime of your degree.  It is an optional scheme.  Students do not have to take part in the programme, if they do not wish to.

The idea of the programme is to give students to opportunity to gain invaluable work experience in industry.  The aim is to add real value to a student’s degree and massively improve their employability when they graduate.

The placement year must run for between 9 and 12 months.  Most placements advertised are for 12 months.  9 months is the minimum period needed to satisfy the Year in Industry rules.  It is possible to complete more than one placement of less than 9 months and combine the two in order to satisfy the 9 months rule.

We support a wide range of placements in many different roles.  Most students find a placement that is directly related to their degree programme.  However, this is not compulsory.  Many students take very successful placements in roles that have nothing to do with their studies.

We support placements in the UK and overseas.

The University of Leeds does not endorse unpaid placements, but some sectors are over-represented in offering unpaid placements (particularly in Sports Science and Ecology and Conservation, but paid placements in these sectors do exist). Before accepting an unpaid placement you must think carefully about how you will support yourself during the placement, and what your living costs are likely to be. This includes working out your Student Finance application, where applicable. We strongly advise against taking on any paid employment alongside your full-time placement. We are unable to provide any substantial financial support but do offer a bursary for unpaid placements.

Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that all students will gain a placement.  It is possible that a student fails to find a post.  This can be very disappointing.  However, the process of applying for jobs and attending interviews is valuable in itself and prepares students for the future world of work.

Your success or otherwise in gaining a placement will obviously depend upon your academic performance, performance at interview, and enthusiasm.  There is no minimum academic requirement needed to take part in the year in Industry programme.  However, it is true that individual employers may have their own requirements for applicants for jobs.  We would normally expect students who are applying for placements to have performed at a 2.1 level in Year 1, with a similar sustainable level in Year 2. As we said, there is no academic cap, so anyone can apply, but the 2.1 is advisable/expected as it is more in the student’s interests as they are in a far stronger position to be able to compete nationally or even internationally for placements.

At the end of Year 2 you must have gained all necessary credits and modules for progression to Year 3, otherwise you may be precluded from taking a placement, even if one has been offered and accepted, or have even started.

Preparing for Placement

Towards the end of semester 1 of your first year we will contact you by email to make you aware of the information available on this website.  You will also be invited to a Placement Awareness meeting hosted by Dr Al Pickles.

After the meeting, you will be asked to register your interest in a placement year by signing up to the WordPress site. This will allow us to build a register of interested students who we can subsequently forward relevant information to.  When you have had time to reflect upon your first year examination results, and if you wish to be considered for the placement scheme, you should register your interest (if not done so already) and make sure you have an up-to-date CV.

In induction week of Year 2, Dr Pickles will host the Placement Awareness Day.  This is a day-long event in which students find out much more about the Year in Industry programme.  There will be a number of speakers from industry explain about placement opportunities.  These are selected to represent all schools within the Faculty.  There will also be recently returned placement students from the previous year discuss their experiences.  Information on the application process and the support available from the Placement Team will also be given.  This event is open to all Year 2 FBS students.

If they have not already done so, all interested students requested to register their interest in the industry scheme.  Information on potential placements forwarded to students.  This will continue until induction week the following year.

Applications for Placement

Applications for placements typically begins in September of Level 2.  Unlike the Study Abroad programme, there is no absolute cut-off date for students to apply for a placement. 

There is considerable variation in application times and deadlines for individual posts. Some larger companies are often very quick off the mark, competing with others for the most able students nationally, whereas smaller companies may leave their recruitment to well after Christmas. However, this is not an absolute and you should consider your search for placements being a year-long search, not just an initial sprint!

We, like other HE institutions, will often receive notification from companies regarding placement applications. All such information received will be provided to students on our “registered interest” list, for you to follow through.

Applications are now invariably made on-line, some by application form, and some by C.V. and cover letter.   Some now also ask for students to make short videos as part of the application process.

Although we will “prompt” you to apply for placements by providing appropriate information, there is no substitute for the enthusiastic student who goes looking for a placement! Do seek out possible placements yourself, investigate any contacts you may have (parents, friends, previous employers, etc.). Be proactive; employers are likely to value serious approaches from well intentioned students.

Found a Placement – What comes next?

While on placement you will be registered on module BIOL8001: Training in the Workplace. This is a 120-credit module. The module is assessed on a Pass/Fail basis.  Whilst it does not count towards your degree classification, if you want to gain the industrial variant of your degree, you must pass the module.

In order to pass this module you must satisfy a number of assessments as outlined below:

  • Attend a pre-departure meeting at the end of your 2nd At this meeting , Dr Pickles will explain further details of the placement year and what to expect from your placement.  David Forrest will issue you with a BIOL Module Manual and your Work Profile document.
  • You must satisfactorily complete your employment contract, including any in-house training or assessment exercises.
  • You must complete a 2000 word literature review submitted in the February of your placement year. Advice on writing the review can be found elsewhere on this website.
  • You must have completed your Work Profile by the end of your placement . This will require input from your industrial supervisor, yourself, and your academic supervisor, and must be submitted by the deadline (details to be shared via Minerva and email in advance).
  • You must have completed a 6000-word report of your placement year. This must be submitted upon your return to Leeds and is assessed by your academic supervisor. Dependent upon the type of placement you have completed, your report may take a variety of forms. Advice on writing the report can be found elsewhere on this website.
  • Attend a debriefing session organised by the FBS Placement team.

Whilst it is extremely rare for students to fail their placement year, failure to present any of the assessments listed above may preclude our recognition of your placement year.

On passing BIOL8001, your final degree certificate will read “Name of Programme” with Work Placement. Should you fail BIOL8001, you would revert back to a 3-year degree programme and your final degree certificate would have no mention of the placement year.

IN-PLACEMENT SUPPORT

In your Work Profile (and module manual), there is a contact sheet that must be completed as soon as possible after beginning your placement, and returned to David Forrest via email at  FBSPlacement@leeds.ac.uk.

We will keep in regular contact with you, and your industry supervisor, to ensure that your placement is proceeding smoothly. Should you perceive any problems yourself, then you should of course contact us immediately. Where possible, regular contact will be through monthly email.

Additionally, your academic supervisor will arrange to visit you and your industry supervisor “on-site”; normally this will occur once during the early-mid part of your placement year. Your academic supervisor will complete a simple form to document this visit (click here to see this form).

We will keep you in touch with any important developments that might have an effect on your final year. Final year project lists will be made available to you while on placement. You will still retain your university email and internet access rights.

We will primarily use your university e-mail address to contact you during the placement year.  Please regularly check your university mailbox for any e-mails from us.

 

Post-Placement

Upon return to Leeds, you will need to submit your Work Profile and 6000-word report. All these assessed components should, wherever possible, be completed before you finish and leave your placement.

Very often, it will be necessary for the company to check any confidentiality issues of your work, which would necessarily delay its release.  Check this before you leave your placement.

It is also often very difficult to get in contact with your industry supervisor once you have left, so make sure you have everything you need from your employer before the placement comes to an end.

You must also attend a ‘Welcome Back’ meeting in induction week and have the opportunity to attend a series of re-integration tutorials run by the placement tutor. These tutorials focus on academic support such as note taking, revision techniques, essay writing skills and exam preparation; all key skills which may have become rusty whilst on placement!

Year in Industry Timeline

Year 1 Semester 1

All students notified of the information on this website

Year 1 Semester 2

Year in industry awareness meeting hosted by Dr Al Pickles to introduce the Year in Industry programme.  This event is open to all Year 1 FBS students.

Following the meeting, all interested students requested to register their interest in the industry scheme (around May).

Year 2 Semester 1

Placement Awareness Day takes place in induction week.  A day-long event in which students find out about the Year in Industry programme in more depth.  Speakers from industry explain about placement opportunities.  Recently returned placement students from the previous year discuss their experiences.  Information on the application process given.  This event is open to all Year 2 FBS students.

If they have not already done so, all interested students requested to register their interest in the industry scheme.  Information on potential placements forwarded to students.  This will continue until induction week the following year.

Year 2 FBS students begin to obtain year in industry placements in the UK and overseas.   As soon as a student finds a placement, they contact the FBS Placement team to begin the process of authorising their placement and completing all the necessary paperwork.

Year 2 Semester 2

From around April, LEA`s (Student Loan Company) will require confirmation of progression and details of placement or study year abroad. For students who have completed a Change of Programme form early in the year, the University will automatically inform LEAs of this.

In late April/early May, the Pre-Departure Meeting will take place.  This is a compulsory meeting for all students who are going out on placement in the coming year.  Dr Al Pickles will discuss going out on placement, how to cope with the transition to the world of work and other related topics.  At the end of the meeting, BIOL8001 module manual and Work Profile documentation made available to all students electronically.

Placement Year

The FBS Placements Team will carry regular contact by email with you and your industrial supervisor by.

Your academic supervisor will arrange an on-site visit.

A 2000-word Literature Review will be completed in the February of the placement year.

A 6000-word report will be completed in the October of the placement year. This may require confidentiality clearance from company. If so, this must be done before the end of the placement

Work Profile to be fully completed by the end of the placement.  This will require final input from industry supervisor.

Year 3 Semester 1

Compulsory Welcome Back Meeting for all placement students hosted by Dr Al Pickles.  Takes place in Induction Week

Completed Work Profile and Placement Report submitted for assessment

Assessments completed and students notified of Pass/Fail status following early semester 2 examination committee meetings.

Finding Placements

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Help with Finding Placements

All information that we receive concerning placements we will disseminate to all students, usually by email. It is up to you to follow through on applications for suitable posts. To increase the likelihood of success, you must be proactive! Research your own potential placements, contact companies, “go looking” for placements. Use the various Databases and Links to search out contacts. Check regularly for vacancies; the links below are to sites that list placement vacancies and which are worth monitoring on a regular basis.Remember, placements must be approved by the work placement manager. Visit the Careers Centre, check out for work experience ; monitor the work placement centre site on a regular basis.

  • MyCareer: The Careers Centre advertises 100s of placement opportunities, both scientific and non-scientific.
  • The Year in Industry: The Year in Industry site provides talented young people with paid, degree relevant work placements in the year out before or during their university course.
  • National Council for Work Experience: Promoting, supporting and developing quality work experience for the benefits of students, organisations and the economy.
  • Student Placement UK Database: For European students seeking a placement in the UK, but also open to UK students.
  • The Big Choice: A careers site that also allows you to look for placements.
  • CK First Step is a recruitment agency working with students to find placements and summer vacation jobs. Lodge your details with them!

Another useful tip is to have a look at the New Scientist jobs listing. This can give you a better idea of the places that employ life science graduates, and which might be useful to contact regarding possible placements or vacation work. Go to: NewScientistJobs.

Placements Abroad? We are happy to support placements abroad although we do not have any direct contacts. Placements abroad may be in Europe or elsewhere e.g. U.S.A.

There is an extensive listing of pharmaceutical companies worldwide in the following two links.

http://www.medilexicon.com/pharmaceuticalcompanies.php

http://www.pharmacy.org/company.html

Welcome

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Welcome to the FBS Year In Industry jobs and community website.

This website is for Level 1 and Level 2 undergraduate students of the Faculty of Biological Sciences.

What is a Year In Industry?

Work experience is increasingly important in a competitive job market. An industrial placement is an excellent opportunity to sample a relevant workplace environment and give you that “added extra” for entering the job market.

An industrial placement would:

  • Give you the edge – enhance your future employability
  • Invaluable direct workplace experience
  • Recognised and valued by employers
  • Shape your career path
  • Apply key scientific skills
  • Experience real life industry scenarios
  • Start networking & making contacts

The year in industry is assessed but it does not affect your degree classification. Please note that you can not apply for this scheme until you have started on your degree course. We will provide you with all the information you need to apply during Year 1 with us.

How does it work?

The industry placement year is an option taken between Year 2 and Year 3 of your degree course. You can find out more about preparing for a placement, applying for a placement, support, “on-placement” and post-placement support on this site. You will also get access to all of the latest job postings relevant to your field, including some that are only available through this site. We work directly with top employers to help you find the best placement.

What do I need to do now?

You need to Register Your Interest. Once you do that, an account will be created for you that allows you full access to the job postings, resources and community. We will keep you in our database and help you find a relevant job placement.

What if I need support or have questions?

You can contact us directly through the Contact form on this site. We will be there for you every step of the way!