Work Experience/Placements

At Gloucestershire College, we believe it is essential to ensure our students are well prepared to enter the workforce once they complete their studies with us. By undertaking work experience, students gain valuable industry exposure, develop key employability skills, expand their professional networks, and build practical experience that can be included in their CV or UCAS Personal Statement.

All students enrolled on full-time courses have a mandatory work experience week built into their programme. During this week, students are expected to complete a minimum of 30 hours.

In addition, students have at least one day per week available that can be used to undertake a longer-term placement, if they wish. We strongly encourage students at all levels to complete work experience within the industry related to their course.

Students also work towards an aspirational target of 100 hours of Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Work placement hours can contribute towards achieving this target.

Students are responsible for researching and sourcing their own work placements. However, they will be fully supported throughout this process by teaching staff, industry experts, and student mentors.

We also have a dedicated Employability Team who provide specialist support and formally approve placements. To ensure all necessary checks are completed and students are safe while on placement, we require a minimum of four weeks’ notice before the placement begins.

Our Employability Team has strong links with local employers and can help if students are struggling to secure a placement. That said, sourcing a placement independently is a valuable part of the experience, and employers often prefer to hear directly from students.

Students should begin preparing and applying for work placements as early as possible, ideally at the start of their course.

Work Experience weeks (and designated days) will appear on individual timetables—please note these will vary between students. If you are unsure when your Work Experience week is scheduled, you can check with your tutor or Student Mentor.

The industry placement is a core part of T Levels. It requires students to complete a minimum of 315 hours or 750 hours for Early Years of meaningful work experience in a real workplace, allowing them to apply their learning in a practical, industry setting.

Our Employability and academic teams have strong partnerships with employers across Gloucestershire and can facilitate placements specifically for our T Level students. We aim to match students with placements that closely align with their chosen area of interest.

If a student is not happy with a placement arranged by the college, or already has an employer in mind, they can speak to the Employability Team. Any new employer will need to be vetted and approved before the placement can begin.

Students are fully supported throughout their placement. This includes access to a designated Employment Coach, Course Lecturers, a Student Mentor within college, and a Placement Mentor within the workplace, ensuring students remain supported and on track with their course.

We do our best to ensure placements are as accessible as possible for students. However, placements are subject to employer availability and may require some flexibility from students in terms of location or travel.

Industry placements are typically unpaid. However, some employers may choose to offer financial support or cover expenses such as travel or meals.