Student profile, four-minute read. Explore how Samir turned work experience into confidence and a clearer career path.
Placements and work experience
Do it. For real. Get experience while you study.
Whether it's a year in industry or a real project for a local business, you'll get experience that counts and contacts that matter.
Find out how placements, sandwich years and work experience can help your career take off while you're studying.
What is a placement?
A placement is time spent working in a real job during your studies.
It takes you out of the classroom and into real work. You'll build skills on the job and learn what the role is really like.
A placement can help you:
- build real-world experience you can talk about in interviews
- get clear on your career direction by trying a role before you commit
- grow your network and get references
Some placements are part of your degree and count towards it. Others are optional, and you can still graduate without doing one.
We'll support you to find opportunities and help you get ready with CVs, applications and interviews.
To find a placement, start with our Careers and Employability Service, check your course page, or speak to your course leader.
What is a sandwich year?
A sandwich year is also called a placement year. It's a 12-month placement that adds a year of work experience to your degree.
You'll usually study at university for two years, step into a real job for a year, then come back to study your final year.
A sandwich year can help you:
- add a full year of real experience to your CV
- build stronger skills and confidence by doing the work day to day
- stand out when you apply for graduate jobs
If your course offers it, you can choose the sandwich option when you apply. If you don't pick it straight away, that's fine - some courses let you switch after you've started your course.
How to choose the sandwich option: On the course page, under Attendance mode, choose Full time with placement year.
My placement year opened the door to a graduate role at BAE Systems. The impact I made during that year became the foundation for the career I'm starting now.
Work experience comes in different forms. You don't need a full placement year to get real experience on your CV.
Some options take a week. Others can last a semester or run up to 12 months.
Our Careers and Employability Service can help you find the right work experience for you.
At Bradford, your opportunities can include:
- internships: often summer-based and focused on specific skills
- insight weeks: short tasters to explore an employer or sector
- summer schools and short programmes abroad: add international experience in a shorter timeframe
- virtual experience: flexible options you can fit around study
- volunteering: build experience while supporting a cause
Bradford offered countless ways to gain real work experience - from becoming a Student Ambassador to studying abroad and completing summer internships. All of which strengthened my CV and gave me an edge when applying for jobs.
How experience changes everything
Placements and work experience help our students unlock opportunities and build real career momentum. Find out how:
Blog post, three-minute read. Find out how choosing a sandwich year gave Horhorli real experience and job focus.
Student profile, four-minute read. Discover how Courtney used work experience to build skills and a stronger CV.
In it from day one
At Bradford, your career development starts in your first lecture and won't stop when you leave us.
We've got you from day one, and for five years after you graduate. Explore more of the support available to you:
Recognition that counts. Get a head start with an industry-approved degree.
Your career development starts from day one. And it doesn't stop when you graduate.
Get involved in career-focused activities while you study.