Certificate in Work-based Learning and Research
(Industrial Placement Sandwich Year)
Benefits to Placement Providers
Every business takes on placement students for different reasons, but the benefits can be many, as stated on the ASET website (www.asetonline.org):
- Cost effective source of labour.
- Motivated, committed and loyal employee.
- Opportunity to assess student's potential for future employment - the opportunity to give a potential recruit a trial without obligation.
- Flexibility in staff deployment and increased productivity.
- Increased awareness of current academic developments in the particular discipline.
- Breakthrough thinking (not blinkered or stereotyped).
- Generating goodwill within the academic community.
- Payback (putting something back into the system)
Why provide a placement for an RVC student?
In recent years, advances in human medicine have had a tremendous impact on the diagnosis and treatment of disease in animals, and with the advent of comparative medicine, the reverse is also now true. Today’s veterinary surgeons and scientists, therefore, hold prominent positions in the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Animal testing remains widespread in the pharmaceutical industry and there is a continuing need for veterinary scientists to ensure animal health and welfare and perform research leading to health improvements and novel clinical interventions. A continued supply of intelligent, informed and well-trained scientists is essential to the continued success of the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries.
Our Bioveterinary Sciences and Veterinary Medicine students are high academic achievers and receive excellent tuition from both respected researchers and accomplished lecturers. All of our students are required to engage in self-directed learning, practice problem solving, work in teams, and prepare and present project work, hence their transferable skills are constantly being improved and they are confident and pro-active. Professional skills are also a key aspect of our courses. Our Bioveterinary Sciences students are particularly well equipped for laboratory placements as they will have already performed library and laboratory research projects, whereas our Veterinary Medicine students are taught basic science within a clinical context from the beginning of their course.
As a small, specialist, industry facing university the RVC is able to play an active role during the placement year to ensure that both the hosting company and the placement students are well supported and gain the maximum impact from the placement. Confidentiality and intellectual property issues will be managed by the RVC, in partnership with the hosting company, prior to the commencement of the placement year.