At the beginning of June I returned home from my placement year in Sweden. Whilst I was there, I worked as a lab assistant and got the opportunity to work with and test world class athletes, as well as assist with the data collection for research projects and carry out some data analysis for the ski federation. A
lthough I did not always find the placement smooth sailing, I am so glad I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and went out there. Getting to experience a new culture alongside getting firsthand experience in the world of sports science made it a perfect placement.
As the year is now over, I thought I would give my final tips about securing your own placement year!
Securing a placement:
- Attend the placement sessions
I know they can feel tedious at times, but these sessions really give Bath students the upper hand when it comes to applying to placements, as I know other unis don’t offer the same kind of support.
- Start thinking about what kind of thing you want to do early on – but don’t be disheartened if you don’t get one straight away.
It’s good to have an idea of what you want to do as this will narrow down your search, but it can take time to get one. Some of my friends didn’t secure their own placements until summer, so there is no stress!
- Make the most of the placement team –
They are there to help you through the process so make the most of them! I used them for things like going through cover letters and discussing what opportunities would be good for me, but they can also help you with lots of other things like practicing your interview technique!
Being on Placement
- Be proactive and open to doing new tasks
Whenever you have spare time be proactive and ask colleagues what they are working on and if they need any help. People are usually more than happy to give you some extra tasks, and this can introduce you to new areas outside of your specific role!
- Try as many new things as possible
Wether it’s in the office or outside of work, if someone asks if you want to try something new, just say yes (within reason of course). When you do a placement abroad it gives you the oppurtinity to try so many different activities - I got to ice skate on a lake, go cross country skiing after work and even try ski touring, so definitely make sure you’re open to trying new things!
- Join clubs/go to events outside of work
Joining clubs are a great way to meet other people outside of work, for example something like a local running club. It can be hard moving to a new place by yourself so it’s important to put yourself out there, even if it’s scary. I would recommend doing as much exploring as possible, in the first month that you are there, so that you have less time to miss home.
Overall, my biggest piece of advice would be to just embrace everything the year has to offer, because you will only get out what you put in!
Now if anyone has any advice about how to transition to living back home after a year abroad please let me know, as I am currently experiencing major post placement blues and want to return ASAP!
Thank you for reading this blog post and if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask!
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