Year in Industry

• An opportunity to establish a relationship with bright and enthusiastic students
• A chance to have new perspectives and ideas while the students perform useful work to help achieve business objectives
• An opportunity to review their performance and potential for future sponsorship or recruitment 
• Raise your company profile with students and academics thereby supporting potential future collaborations (e.g., embedded industry projects and research)

Students on the following degree programmes can complete a Year in Industry:

• Aerospace Engineering 
• Civil Engineering 
• Engineering Design / Design Engineering
• Electrical and Electronic Engineering 
• Mechanical and Electrical Engineering 
• Engineering Mathematics
• Mechanical Engineering

You can find out more about the individual programme content via our study pages.

Students will apply for placements during their second year of study and start their Year in Industry after successfully passing their second year exams.

The Year in Industry team in the Industrial Liaison Office will: 

• Advertise and promote your placement opportunities to engineering students.
  • Contact the Year in Industry team and complete our Placement Opportunities Form with details of your available roles.
• Provide you with opportunities to engage with engineering students through Talks, Professional Skills workshops (e.g., mock interviews), Technical Challenges and Networking Events (including Careers Fairs). 
• Coordinate the approvals process for placement opportunities and secured Year in Industry placements.
• Ensure students receive training on professional behaviours and Health and Safety before their placements start.
• Support students and placement providers during the Year in Industry:
  • Provide an Academic Supervisor who will assess the students Year in Industry university reports and presentations.
  • Schedule regular drop-in sessions with the Year in Industry students.

Our Year in Industry placements MUST:

• Meet the university's Intended Learning Outcomes for the engineering Year in Industry programme and it's associated assessments. 
• Be salaried at a minimum rate of the National Living Wage:
  
  • We strongly advocate for students to receive a placement salary set at the respective National Living Wage.
  • Our average salary for students on placement in 2025/2026 is £24, 000 per annum.
• Be full-time for a minimum of 9 months and a maximum of 12 months.
• Allocate a supervisor (line manager), who is responsible for the student's work, professional mentoring and wellbeing during their placement.
• Ensure students are classed as employees and subject to the terms and conditions of the company, and related Employment and Health & Safety regulations.

All placement opportunities and secured placements will be reviewed and approved by our team to ensure they meet the criteria indicated above.

We are happy to discuss your placements opportunities with you and answer your questions (email: engf-yearinindustry@bristol.ac.uk).

• Email the Year in Industry team at engf-yearinindustry@bristol.ac.uk with details of your placement opportunity.
  • We can provide you with our Placement Opportunities Form to complete.
• We will review and approve your Year in Industry placement opportunity before advertising it to our students.
  • All placement opportunities must meet our minimum placement requirements (shown above) to be approved.
• Students directly apply to your organisation and you will arrange relevant interviews and assessments.
• Once a student has been offered a placement, and that offer has been accepted, you will issue the student with a contract of employment.
• The University MUST conduct due diligence checks for each placement offered. This will involve:
  • Academic approval to ensure the placement meets our intended learning outcomes and UK-SPEC competences.
  • Health & Safety approval. Additional documentation will be requested to confirm relevant insurance and H&S practices are in place.
  • Confirmation that the placement is in line with the university's Guidance for Student Placements on Taught Programmes.
  • Issuing a Letter of Engagement (which sets expectations and responsibilities during the placement) for you to sign. 

Before the placement begins:

• Return the required details and paperwork in a timely manner. This will include:
  • Detailed job description and line management statement confirming that the Year in Industry placement meets the University's placement criteria.
  • Health and Safety information.
  • Copy of Public Liability and Employer's Liability insurance.
  • Confirmation that the company operates in accordance with employer's statutory responsibilities on equality and wellbeing.
  • Signed and dated Letter of Engagement (issued by the University).
• Allocate the student an industrial supervisor (line manager).
  • They are responsible for the student's work, professional development and wellbeing during their placement.
• Provide clear onboarding and induction to the student.
• If recruiting student visa holders, please refer to our Student Visas website and UKCISA website for additional guidance.

During the placement:

• The Academic Supervisor (a University of Bristol academic) will visit the student and their line manager at least twice during the placement. These visits will be either virtually or in-person and are linked to the student's Year in Industry assessments.

• Students will complete three assessments during their Year in Industry. These will be assessed by their Academic Supervisor, with input from the student's line manager:

  • Initial Assessment report and presentation (due in November/ December)
  • Mid-Placement review and Professional Development Plan (due in March)
  • Final Assessment report and presentation (due in May/ June)

  As the placement provider, you will be required to undertake a review of the students' progress on a regular basis throughout the placement.

• Both the student and company maintain contact with the university during the placement, and provide feedback at the end of the Year in Industry.