Placement Experience: Technical Industrial Placement- CGI- Robert Spear

What motivated you to pursue an optional placement year?

I wanted to gain an understanding of what field I wanted to pursue within the wider field of computer science and gain real world experience within computer science. 

How many placement applications did you make? 

I applied to 8 different placement roles from a variety of sectors, from the outset I didn't want to send out loads of generic applications and always tried to put time into each application. I sought help from the Placement team here at university when creating my CV and personal statement.

What tips would you give to students about balancing placement applications with university studies?

My advice would be to set time each week to really work on your placement applications, research the company, and show them that you haven’t just applied with a generic CV and personal statement.

What were your main concerns about taking a placement year?

My main concerns around taking a placement year were not knowing enough and being unable to accomplish what was asked of me. I addressed this but realising that I wasn’t expected to know everything and that asking questions, when I didn’t know what I was doing, to gain that experience I knew I wanted.

How did you adjust to a new workplace environment, and what resources or support helped you during this transition? 

Adjusting to my workplace was very smooth, I started off shadowing the placement student I would be replacing, the rest of my project team were very friendly and helped whenever I needed it. Alongside my project the company had an Early Careers Stream that were always there to help me.

Any challenges have you faced during your placement, and how have you overcome them?

The major challenges I faced were with new software and hardware that were being used within my project. I overcame this by reading over the documentation I was supplied and applying the knowledge I already had to the new tools.

What has been the most rewarding part of your placement and why?

The most rewarding part was being trusted with important parts of the project. This responsibility proved to me that I was doing a good job in my day to day activities and allowed me to experience a lot more within my placement.

Has your placement experience influenced your perspective on your chosen career path or field of study?

Yes, the fact that I got experience in a wide range of fields has allowed me to understand the career path that I do want to continue on after I graduate.

Would you recommend the placement year to other students?

Absolutely! My advice would be to take time creating your applications, don't get disheartened by rejections, learn from them and improve your approach for the next application and believe in yourself.