The Erasmus work placement programme at Sheffield Hallam

University

Ralph Spence, Faculty of Organisation and Management

Overview

• about Sheffield Hallam University• Erasmus in the UK• our Erasmus Work Placement programme

– project management– the beneficiaries– beneficiary feedback– host organisation feedback– best practice

• future issues

Our Erasmus Work Placement programme

• Sheffield Hallam University has managed a work placement programme for over 30 years.

• With previous funding for international business students falling under the Leonardo programme.

• scheme has assisted hundreds of students to:– learn a foreign language to a high level– widen their awareness of cultural diversity – develop transferable and job-specific skills– improve their job prospects upon graduation and their

lifelong employability

Our Erasmus Work Placement programme

• Support is provided by the Careers and Employment Service in 2000– Project Manager prepares bid and oversees

programme the ERASMUS programme– Project Administrator provides support to students

with the funding application process– work closely with teams in Faculty offices who provide

support with placement arrangements

Our Erasmus Work Placementprogramme

• each project funds up to 90 students undertaking work placements within EC as part of their degree. The majority of students are from the following courses:– International Business with Languages– European Computing– Hospitality Management and Tourism

• students undertake placements of varying lengths, up to 48 weeks

Our Erasmus Work Placement programme

• Programme aims to provide students with a period of practical work experience that:– complements their academic studies– enables them to successfully achieve accreditation of

their placement towards their degree• Degree programmes involving compulsory ERASMUS

placements• Languages with Marketing• Languages with Tourism• Languages with International Business• International Business with Languages• Tourism with Languages

Our Erasmus Work Placement programme

Banco Sygma

Phoenix IT Services

Toluna

Aguirre Newman (Inmobiliaria)

Iberia

DRP

Leggett Immobilier

Siemens AG

Hotel Tryp de Saxe

Orange Business Services

Iberia

LG Electronics Espana

NH Hoteles

Harris Interactive (formerly Novatris)

Blaupunkt

Electricfil Automotive

Bosch

Brunerie Hotel

Europcar (Headquarters)

Infineon Technologies AG

GGallery s.r.l.

Business Orange Services

Les Maisons du Monde

Robert Bosch GmbH

TM International

Synergie Contact

COLT

Best practice

• innovative e-learning environment with discussion boards (Blackboard)

• comprehensive programme of cultural preparation built in to the language learning

• sound accreditation principles (part of degree programme)

Future issues

• extension of the scheme to include a wider group of student beneficiaries – social work students – property management students

• closer communication and sharing best practices with other projects– Consultancy at Post-graduate level – Vocmat http://www.vocmat.com/

Future Problems

• Decrease in application for language courses.• Protecting small intakes from Fordist mentality of

managers.• Difficulty in getting ab-initio students to the appropriate

level of language ability to pass interviews and survive if they do so. (Importance of Erasmus study)

• Protecting placement visits from cost-cutting (will petrol crisis have an impact?)

• Finding placement, visiting students and staff workloads and allowances.

• Students as customers?