An Employer`s Guide to Sandwich Placements

MMU Business School
An Employer’s Guide to
Sandwich Placements
Thinking of employing a student?
Wondering how to access the right skills and expertise?
MMU Business School Placement Service was a top 4 finalist in the UK
Rate My Placement Awards in 2010 and 2011.
Sandwich Placement Scheme
Whatever your business employment
needs are, we can provide a tailor
made solution through our dedicated
placement scheme.
The sandwich placement scheme is a
12 month (minimum 36 weeks) period
of work experience which aims to build
and develop the skills students have
acquired through their degree in order
to apply these effectively within your
business. We currently work with over
1000 companies throughout the UK and
would like to offer you the opportunity
to join our highly successful scheme.
With over 25 years’ experience of
operating our successful sandwich
placement scheme, we are ideally placed
to help your business grow and to add
real value to your existing resource.
Employers can access students from
a wide range of Business disciplines,
including:
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“We’ve taken students from MMU
for several years now – within the
marketing, analytic and buying
departments – every student we’ve
taken on has been enthusiastic and
motivated and more importantly has
fitted into the relevant department
really quickly. Whilst students
don’t usually have a vast amount
of experience they are not processdriven and have a very outside-in
approach which is always a great
asset.”
Sarah Wilson, Communications Manager,
Findel Education Ltd
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Accounting and Finance
Advertising Management and Brand
Management
Advertising Management and Public
Relations
Business
Business Enterprise
Business Information Technology
Business Systems Management
Digital Marketing Communications
Financial Services
Human Resource Management
International Business
Marketing Management
Retail Marketing Management
Sports Management
Sports Marketing Management
Benefits to your organisation
• Cost-effective recruitment that can
provide a pipeline of fresh talent
and ideas into your business.
• Access students with specialist
knowledge and skills from a variety
of business areas.
• Additional resource for your
business when staff time is
stretched. Placement students can
carry out specialist projects that
current employees may not have the
time to do.
• Up-to-date professional skills from
motivated individuals.
Opportunity to build partnership
links with the University.
• Placement students have the
potential to be a future employee.
Employing a placement student
gives your organisation access to
future graduates.
• Flexibility: placement students are
part of your organisation without
having to commit to permanent
employment contracts.
• Opportunity to contribute to
the training and development of
national and local future graduate
workforce.
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Whether you are looking for:
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additional marketing or IT support
business development and project management
fresh ideas and solutions to current business issues
improved market research and intelligence gathering
We are here to assist you. We provide a range of business related degrees, which
place considerable emphasis upon project work, self guided study, presentation and
communication skills and enhanced IT capabilities.
MediaVest have been utilising the MMU placement scheme for several years
now and we actively target candidates from the university due to their
general employability and the relevance that the courses have to the work
done here. The students are an invaluable source of enthusiasm and drive.
The placement scheme staff at the university have always been incredibly
helpful, providing support during the recruitment process and with any adhoc queries which arrive; it’s reassuring to know that they are always on
hand to assist in a professional and commercial capacity.
Testament to the standard of the students at Manchester Metropolitan
University, we have employed several previous interns permanently following
their graduation from MMU and as a result have benefited from a reduction in
both training and recruitment costs, in addition to employees with an up-todate knowledge of this ever-changing industry.
Mel Jones, Human Resources, MediaVest Ltd
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The Placement Office - Support and Services for You
Our placement team will provide you with a comprehensive service in recruiting
your placement student(s), including:
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Company presentations to widely promote your business and the
placement(s) available.
Advertising your position through our notice boards, online placement portal,
weekly student e-shots and social media activities via MMUBS’ Facebook
Group page.
The Placement Office also organises an annual placement fair and career
development event. This takes place on campus and is a chance to meet with
students to discuss placement and graduate opportunities.
Collection and despatch of CVs, cover letters and application forms.
Facilities for interviewing and assessing students.
Delivery of constructive feedback to students after
CV submission and/or interviews if desired.
Throughout the entire placement period, you can access the full back up service
of the placement team and an allocated placement tutor during the student’s
period of employment with you.
To apply for a placement student, please contact the placement office for further
details.
MMU Business School
Placement Service
was a top 4 finalist
in the UK Rate My
Placement Awards in
2010 and 2011
“The placement office were a fantastic support when it came to finding my
placement and during my time out on placement. If ever I needed guidance
they were always happy to help. Doing a placement as part of my BA (Hons)
International Business degree at MMU has meant I have returned to my
final year with a new skill base. My time on placement has consolidated
my knowledge acquired through MMU and allowed me to have a clear and
in depth understanding of the business world in practice. The skills and
experience that the placement year gave me have proven to help further
my learning experience and enhance my grades. After completion of my
placement, N Brown invited me back to work part time during my final year;
this is a fantastic opportunity.“
Allaina Smith- final year BA (Hons) International Business student who completed her
placement year at N Brown Mail Order.
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Placement: Experience the Difference
“The placement team at MMUBS are fully committed to supporting
their students in securing suitable companies with whom to undertake
their placements. The opportunity to experience placement is
fantastic; not only does it enhance a person’s employability, but it is
also a successful method by which to recruit employees for the future.”
Shama Abul - Recruitment Supervisor, Enterprise Rent-a-Car.
“As a registered Investor in People organisation Kintish Ltd has
always been keen to improve our business practices by focusing on
our employees’ development. By employing a
sandwich student from MMU we gained a
bright, enthusiastic & capable member
of our team; who in turn was able to
bring a new viewpoint and up-to-theminute skills and knowledge of social
media and marketing to boost our
business.”
Shona McKinnon, Marketing & Events
Co-ordinator, Kintish Ltd
“IBM really values placement
students and each year we recruit
a large number of them into our
business. Placement students not
only bring important skills but
also enthusiasm and fresh ideas.”
Sonia Jenkins, School & University
Attraction Manager, IBM UK
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Employers. Your Questions Answered
What is a sandwich
placement?
This is normally a 12
month work experience
providing students with
suitable employment to
fulfil the requirements of
their degree programme.
At MMU Business School,
we have numerous
sandwich programmes,
which provide employers
with a broad base of
student skills.
When do placement
students start work?
On a normal 12 month
programme, students
will work from July
to July or August the
following year. Some
employers have provided
students with 15
months of employment,
but this is optional
and agreed between
the employer and the
student. Placements
can commence any time
after the student has
completed their second
year of study. Normally
this is from the start of
July through until midDecember.
Is there a minimum
period of employment
required?
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All placement students
are required to work a
minimum of 36 weeks,
incorporating a minimum
working week of 35
hours. We encourage
employers and students
to take the option of the
full 12 months, but the 36
weeks does offer a degree
of flexibility to employers.
We do not normally
accept any position
with an organisation
unless they can offer the
minimum 36 weeks.
Do students have to
undertake specific
projects?
No - the current
guidelines stipulate
that students undertake
normal employment
responsibilities and are
to be integrated as an
effective member of the
organisation. It is at the
organisation’s discretion
to offer a project to
the student whilst on
placement, but this is not
mandatory.
Are students assessed
whilst on placement?
Yes - we require the
student to compile a
placement assessment
file, which comprises
internal organisational
appraisals together with
a signed certificate of
attendance. Students are
encouraged to compile
their own portfolio
during the period of
employment.
How are students
monitored?
Each student is assigned
a placement tutor who is
responsible for visiting
the student whilst
on placement. This
visit will incorporate
meetings with both the
student and supervisor
to discuss performance
and any issues which
have arisen during the
placement. Each student
is encouraged to be in
regular communication
with the University/tutor
by telephone, email or
the University’s intranet
facility.
What is the normal
salary?
Dependent on location,
on average our students
are paid between £12-16k
for the full 12 months or
pro-rata on a 36 week
scheme. This will vary
in accordance with the
region, organisation and
type of role undertaken
by the student. We
attempt to ensure that
no student is paid under
£12k unless agreed
by the student and
the University prior to
starting work.
What documentary
evidence is required?
Before a student can
take up a position which
has been offered, the
employer must provide us
with:
•details of the job
specification
•terms and conditions of
employment/contract of
employment
•satisfactory evidence of
appropriate health and
safety regulations and
procedures
•a copy of the official
letter offering
employment to student
Recent
Partnerships
Our students have been
successfully placed with
a wide range of
employers.
• Abbott GmbH & Co. KG
• Accenture
• Adidas
• Aldi
• Arcadia Group Ltd
• Bentley
• BMW
• British Airways
• Coca Cola
• Co-operative Financial
Services
• Corpfin Limited
• Craven Slater and
Associates
• Danbro
• Depuy International
• DHL
• Enterprise Rent a Car
• Experian
• Exxon Mobil
• Findel Education Ltd
• Fortnum and Mason
• Fujitsu-Siemens
• General Motors
• Halfords
• Hewlett Packard
• IBM
• J D Williams
• John Lewis
• Kellogg’s
• Kintish Ltd
• KPMG
• Lakestar Media
• Laterooms
• L’Oreal
• LIDL
• Lloyds TSB
• Makro
• Manchester Digital
Development Agency
• Marks and Spencer
• McDonald’s
• MediaVest Ltd
• Mercedes
• Microsoft
• MIDAS
• Mölnlycke Health
Care
• Network Rail
• NHS
• Nike
• Panasonic UK Ltd
• Pfizer Ltd
• Pricewaterhouse
Coopers
• Red C Marketing
• Rolls Royce
• Salford Royal NHS
• Sony
• SSL International
• Stockport Council
• Toys R Us
• Waitrose
• Walt Disney
• Warner Bros
• Xerox
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This publication is available in alternative formats.
Please telephone 0161 247 3725.
To apply for a Placement Student
Please contact the placement office for further details. We provide a complete
package to clients, including advertising all positions, collection and dispatch of
CVs and if necessary access to our facilities to conduct interviews on site here
at MMU Business School.
“I have been working at Vimto Soft Drinks for 5 months and continue to
thoroughly enjoy being a part of the marketing team. I have been involved
in projects under three brands, including signing off final artwork for two
formats of the new Cherry Vimto product, being involved in the creative
process for the re-design of Sunkist packaging, and managing changes to
the Panda website.
One exciting project I worked on was managing a series of
advertisements to go out to media outlets following the partnership of the
Panda brand with the movie Planet 51. As part of our promotion pre and
post release of the film, I was responsible for creating an advertisement
for regional press titles, which went to newspapers all over the country.
I was also responsible for briefing an agency to create an advert
specifically for a range of children’s magazines. Both of these tasks were
extremely rewarding, especially when more and more publications ran
both adverts.”
Tom Mulready - BA (Hons) Business (Sandwich) student who undertook his placement
year at Vimto Soft Drinks.
Further Information
For more information on the sandwich placement scheme at the Business
School, please visit:
www.business.mmu.ac.uk/placements
Tel: 0161 247 3711
Email: [email protected]
To find out more about undergraduate study at the Business School visit:
www.business.mmu.ac.uk
If you want to keep up-to-date with us on Facebook, please search for us
under ‘MMU Business School Placement Office’