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Year in Industry Placements

Contact the Placements Team

Email: cs-placements@york.ac.uk

Tel: 01904 325426 (Office)

Mobile: 07384 239009

What is the Year in Industry?

Your year in industry is a great way to enhance your CV with industry experience. You'll have the opportunity to see what it's like to work in a particular field, as well as being able to put into practice what you have learnt so far.

The industry placement takes place between the second and third years of your degree. It is a recognised part of your degree, and you can choose to take a year in industry with any of our courses.

Our dedicated Industrial Placements Team will help you throughout the process - including refining your CV, arranging interviews on campus, assisting you with your interview technique and looking after you while you are on your placement.

We work with a wide variety of employers to ensure you have a broad range of placement options. Our employers range from small local businesses to large multinational organisations. Our employers are located across the UK, so we can help you find a company that really suits your individual needs. You can also undertake your placement year abroad, if you wish!

You will be paid a salary while on your year in industry: typical salaries are between £23-30k per annum outside of London, and £25-40k in London (1). In addition, you'll also pay a reduced tuition fee - for more information about this, visit the University's fees and funding page.

(1) Salary information extracted from department records.

What are the benefits of taking a year in industry?

Our students often find that the invaluable experience of their year in industry enhances their academic study and improves their grades. Here are some of the benefits to choosing an industrial placement:

  • Students who take a year in industry usually improve their grades and academic performance for a better degree result;
  • You gain experience to boost your CV in the race for jobs;
  • You put into practice what you have learnt from your degree, as well as learning new skills;
  • You may get a job offer before you graduate from your placement organisation;
  • You will be paid for your year in industry, so you can start to pay off any student loans if you wish;
  • Students who take a year in industry often earn more after graduation than those who do not;
  • You will develop softer skills such as communication, problem solving and team work, as well as developing qualities such as independence, responsibility and pro-activeness - all looked for by employers.

Our placement companies give you the chance to gain real experience of working in industry - which will also help you decide what you want to do when you graduate.

Meet our Placements team!

How we support you

Find out ...

  • How we prepare you for your year in industry
  • What you'll do during your placement
  • What happens when you return

Read more about what to expect.

Here in Computer Science, we offer dedicated support to help you prepare for your year in industry and to ensure everything runs smoothly during your placement.

This includes CV reviews, interview practice, and on-campus recruitment events with potential employers. We also stay in regular contact throughout your placement year to make sure you're getting the most out of the experience.

While we make every effort to find placements for students who wish to take a year in industry, please note that allocation of a placement cannot always be guaranteed.

 

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