Work Based Learning

Our strapline of 'Making Knowledge Work' demonstrates one of the underlying principles of our learning and teaching strategy to prepare you for a smooth transition from University to the career of your choice. Employers value real work experience.

At the University of Bradford we place a great deal of importance on the development of skills that will be of direct benefit to you in your future.

Work-Based Learning provides you with a range of opportunities including practical skills development in courses, structured sandwich placements, voluntary work, part-time or vacation work, work-shadowing or experiences gained through taking time out from your studies.

Sandwich Course Placements

"The experience of working for a year certainly made me more confident when I came back to University and gave me a better understanding of what I was doing. It also enabled me to make some good contacts and should be a good base to work from in terms of finding good employment when I graduate."
John Mitchels - Biomedical Sciences

Many of our courses offer the opportunity for integrated placements. These may be offered as sandwich programmes where you work for the third year in industry or commerce, for example, in business studies or engineering, or they could be as an ongoing and integral course component as found in Nursing and other health-related professional courses.

Intercalation Placements

If the course you want to study is only offered in a full-time mode it is still possible to take a year out to gain work experience. Since this is not compulsory this is termed an 'intercalation year'. It is particularly common on science courses like Biomedical Sciences. Your registration will be suspended for your year out, meaning you can't apply for funding, but you also won't have to pay a tuition fee.

Course-Based Skills Development

Some courses offer the opportunity to spend time in a work situation or voluntary organisation completing a project, work-shadowing or getting to grips with real life issues relevant to the modules you study such as conflict resolution in Peace Studies or on a dig in Archaeological Sciences.

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Professional Studies

Many of our courses are structured to develop professional skills alongside academic knowledge. Through these courses you will gain skills which are a requirement of a professional body. For example, on our unique five-year MPharm course, students take two six-month placements. Students, therefore, graduate as fully qualified pharmacists without the need for a further 12 months of pre-registration training.

Vacation Courses and Work-Shadowing

We receive details from many organisations who offer intensive vacation courses - sometimes called Internships - to give you a flavour of what they offer on career training programmes, and we actively encourage students to find out what particular jobs are really like by helping them find work-shadowing opportunities.

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JobShop - Part-time/Vacation Work

Most students nowadays supplement their studies by part-time employment in term time or by working in vacations. Every such opportunity offers the chance to develop essential employment skills such as teamwork, customer service, communication, decision making and self-reliance. Our JobShop advertises many paid opportunities and it is possible to gain credit for skills development through our popular Insight Plus programme, aimed at enhancing your employability skills and widening your future career options.

JobShop
Tel: 01274 234992
Website: www.careers.brad.ac.uk/jobshop

Student Tutoring

The Student Tutoring Scheme allows you the opportunity to work in schools, assisting the teaching and support staff. The scheme is open to all students and is one which benefits all participants.

The teacher gains an extra resource in the classroom, by being able to utilise your academic skill in a particular area of the curriculum. The pupils gain the opportunity to meet an adult from a different background, who can offer them support in the work they are doing, and who may raise their own aspirations for the future.

Taking part in the scheme will give you insight into the working of a school, links with the local community, and an opportunity to improve your interpersonal skills.

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Voluntary Work

Many of our students want to get actively involved with the community. This may range from voluntary activities in local schools in preparation for teaching careers, to working with Bradford Community Broadcasting, or in an environmental or conservation group. These activities are not only personally rewarding but contribute directly to skills development and future credibility when it comes to career choice. Our UCAN Scheme, based in the Students' Union, offers a wide range of options.

By the time you're ready to leave the University of Bradford you will have used your time with us in the profitable development of your personal skills and encouraged by your experiences, you will go on to play an important role in society whether it is a blue-chip company, a public service organisation or a non-governmental pressure group. This is what we mean by 'Making Knowledge Work'

UCAN
Tel: 01274 233260/233278
Fax: 01274 235530
Email: ucan@bradford.ac.uk
Visit: www.bradford.ac.uk/ucan

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22 January 2007