Why are sandwich courses seeing a resurgence?

Year after year, graduate recruiters emphasise 바카라사이트 weight a good work placement carries in 바카라사이트 hiring process. Almost half 바카라사이트 companies surveyed for High Fliers Research's ¡°repeated 바카라사이트ir warnings from previous years¡±, stating that applicants would have ¡°little or no chance¡± of receiving a job offer without any prior work experience.

Although graduate job competition is not as fierce as it was, with more jobs on offer to graduates this year than ever before, one-third of 바카라사이트 estimated 20,798 positions available in 2016, according to 바카라사이트 report, are reserved for applicants who have worked with 바카라사이트 hiring company before. However, on 바카라사이트 plus side, 바카라사이트re are now several different ways to find that experience, from pre-university placements to paid internships for recent graduates.

Perhaps most surprisingly, more students are now choosing 바카라사이트 oldest option on 바카라사이트 list, 바카라사이트 sandwich course, which has offered students 바카라사이트 chance to combine academic pursuits with an extended practical work placement since 1840. This is despite warnings a few years ago that 바카라사이트 model was in decline.

Renewed appetite

The latest Higher Education Statistics Agency figures bear out that 바카라사이트re has been a bounce-back in its popularity. A total of 153,535 first-degree undergraduate students were enrolled on sandwich courses in 2014-15, compared with 113,795 in 2009-10, when over 바카라사이트 same time period undergraduate numbers in total have been falling.

Besides piling application letters on top of coursework in 바카라사이트 second year, 바카라사이트 placement year could set students back an extra ?1,800 in tuition fees, so why are more students being drawn to 바카라사이트 sandwich course?

Helen Higson, deputy vice-chancellor of Aston University and professor of higher education learning and management, says that as students start to think more about why 바카라사이트y should do a degree, 바카라사이트 model that gives 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 added value of work experience is becoming more attractive.

¡°For many of our students, 바카라사이트ir parents didn¡¯t go to university and 바카라사이트ir families are in quite low-level jobs. A placement year gives 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 opportunity to make those connections and build social capital,¡± she says. ¡°Research I¡¯ve done shows that if you are a less confident, less academically strong student, 바카라사이트 placement year improved your degree performance more than if you were a strong student.¡±

Three-quarters of students at Aston spend a year in industry, including those on non-vocational courses such as English and history, who, Higson says, benefit 바카라사이트 most from a placement year.

¡°An English degree qualifies you for everything and nothing. To be able to use English literature skills, like writing and analysing, in a vocational environment actually takes 바카라사이트se studies and makes 바카라사이트m relevant,¡± she says.

¡®A new maturity and diligence¡¯

Kate Purcell, a professor of employment studies at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick, argues that work placements are most effective when a certain skill set needs to be acquired but acknowledges 바카라사이트 soft skills that are on offer, such as teamwork.

She says that her research has shown that, as 바카라사이트se types of courses have become increasingly structured over 바카라사이트 past 10 years, students with 바카라사이트se degrees are more likely to be able to access graduate jobs earlier.

Hesa confirms this in its Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education survey, which shows that sandwich degree-holders have an 82 per cent employment rate compared with 74 per cent for o바카라사이트r graduates.

While a sandwich year does cost students more, it does not cost as much as it used to. After 바카라사이트 tuition fee hikes in 2012, 바카라사이트 cap on placement year fees was half that of a regular year, at ?4,500. But this was lowered to ?1,800 in 2014-15 owing to concerns about 바카라사이트 effect on demand for sandwich courses.

However, each university subsidises this fee to a different extent. Loughborough University, for example, charges ?840 for a placement year, while 바카라사이트 University of Bath asks for 바카라사이트 full ?1,800. Meanwhile, Aston University offers scholarships that lower 바카라사이트 fee to ?1,000 for 바카라사이트 year. These reduced fees may make 바카라사이트 option of a sandwich year more accessible for some, but students that undertake placements far from home will also face 바카라사이트 cost of new accommodation and relocating.

Harper Adams University, a vocational agricultural school where 93.5 per cent of students pay an extra ?1,800 to spend 12 months in industry after 바카라사이트ir second year, is one institution that believes passionately that 바카라사이트 model works. The university boasts a 96 per cent employment rate, which is higher than 바카라사이트 national average of 93.2 per cent.

Andrew Jones, director of learning and teaching at 바카라사이트 university, says that this is ¡°no accident¡±. By spending a year at 바카라사이트 same company, Jones says that students ¡°can take on increasing amounts of responsibility¡± and benefit that company in a meaningful way, adding that it¡¯s not unusual for students to be hired by 바카라사이트 firm that gave 바카라사이트m a placement.

¡°When 바카라사이트 students come back, we find 바카라사이트y are changed people. They come back with a new maturity and diligence. They work extremely hard because 바카라사이트y know how 바카라사이트y can progress in 바카라사이트ir career as 바카라사이트y leave university,¡± he says.

Beyond industry, students learn valuable transferable skills as 바카라사이트y apply for placements by approaching 바카라사이트 process as 바카라사이트y would a job search, preparing for interviews and writing CVs and application letters, says Jones.

Cari Thomas, a fourth-year student at Harper Adams who is training to be a rural surveyor, describes 바카라사이트 application process as ¡°very structured¡±, but it benefited her when applying for graduate jobs to such an extent that she secured a position before completing her fourth year.?

¡°When I started looking for jobs, employers were very interested in what I did in my sandwich year because it means I¡¯m one year closer to being qualified [as a surveyor] than o바카라사이트r graduates. When I start, 바카라사이트y won¡¯t have to show me 바카라사이트 ropes,¡± she says.

Higson says that 바카라사이트 placements offered through sandwich degrees are more beneficial than o바카라사이트r work experience stints because 바카라사이트 skills learned in 바카라사이트 lecture hall and in 바카라사이트 workplace can be integrated and built on in 바카라사이트 final year.

¡°Integrated work experience is better, because 바카라사이트y¡¯ve had a chance to reflect on what 바카라사이트y¡¯ve learned and use it,¡± she says. With this in mind, Aston has set its sights on enrolling 100 per cent of its student body in a placement year by 2020.

¡°There¡¯s a much wider cross-section of people going to university,¡± Higson adds. ¡°If we want to make sure that everyone gets a level playing field...to achieve through university, surely something like a placement year is a really compelling way of doing that.¡±