University of the Highlands and Islands, Business and Leisure, Placement Suite 2013

UHI’s Placement Suite –
Interim Thoughts
Glasgow
14th February 2013
Dr Rob Macpherson
Subject Network Leader, Business & Leisure;
Chair, UHI Employability Working Group
Nicola Smith
Employability Skills Manager;
Module Leader , The Placement Suite

http://www.uhi.ac.uk/en/students/career-centre/career-staff/
110921LTQCEmployabilityEnterpriseStrategy.pdf/view
In UHI, employability is: a set of achievements, skills,
understandings and personal attributes, that, make
the individuals more likely to gain employment and
be successful in their chosen occupations. (Yorke, 2004)

Management School Careers Centre Business Development
Education
Development Unit
Create
(Entrepreneurship & Enterprise)
Placement Suite/
Experiential Education
Employment Skills
(Graduate Key Skills)
Employer Liaison
Groups
Personal Development
Planning?
NGB/Professional Body
Accreditation?
FE/
MAs
HN/
SVQs
RPL?
Global
Citizenship?

Experiential
Education
Job
Shadowing
Simulations
Study
Abroad
Work
Placement
Summer
Schools
Internship
Field
Trips
Research
Projects
Volunteering
Service
Learning
Guest
Lectures
Clinical
Practice
Co-operative
Education
Capstone
Course
Case
Studies
Community
Engagement

Operational Management
Experiential, Work-based and Placement Learning (all modules)
• Experiential Learning is fundamental to all levels of the Business and Leisure
Scheme.
• Within the scheme, it is available as optional study – however, it is very strongly
recommended (particularly for named awards in Golf Management, Adventure
Tourism Management, Sports Management and Tourism and Hospitality
Management.
• Students have the opportunity to engage in a full range of different types of
placement learning (augmented by optional – although strongly recommended –
summer placements).
• After appropriate student guidance, it is possible for each student will obtain up
to one year’s credits (120 credits) through experiential and placement learning.
However, a more normal student experience would be to undertake 3-4 modules
in this manner (60-80 credits).

Operational Management
Experiential, Work-based and Placement Learning (all modules)
Placement learning is designed to benefit three constituencies:
• the students – who are able to apply their theoretical learning to real workplace
situations; and who will enhance their employability and career development
prospects
• the employers/community – who obtain educated subject practitioners, more
advanced in their understanding of golf operations and customer wants/needs
than non-golf management students and more able to operate effectively,
independently and intuitively
• the university/programme team – who benefit from the close and current links
with employers operating in the contemporary golf industry, so that they can
develop their own golf awareness through continuous professional development

Student Benefits
• Increased reported learning and motivation to learn
• Deeper understanding of subject matter and complex social issues
• Ability to apply material learned in class to “real world” issues
• Opportunity to learn from classmates experiences
• Gain hands on skills related to academic and professional area of
interest
Staff Benefits
• Addition of new areas for research and publication, and increased
opportunities for professional recognition and reward
• Improved student discussion and participation
• Enriched approach for delivering subject matter
• Increased opportunity to engage students of all learning styles
• New relationship with students and community members
• Improved understanding of how learning occurs
• Greater awareness of social issues as they relate to academic areas
of interest

University Benefits
• Increased opportunity to engage students of all learning styles
• Opportunity to be a model Service-Learning program for other
universities
• Improved student retention and school to work transition
• Access to community partners as potential co-teachers
• Improve awareness of universities commitment to the
community
Community Benefits
• Additional energy, enthusiasm and resources for addressing issues
• Improved relationship with university and access to university
resources
• Increased awareness of and support for community organizations
and issues
• Opportunity to impress upon students the importance of
participation in service
• Opportunity to recruit and nurture future volunteers, interns, coops,
and full employees or advocates

All Modules are 20 SCQF credits Level Year Semester 1 Semester 2 Summer
BLS013
Intro to Work-based & Placement Learning 7 1
BLS027 Work Placement I
Team Working and Communication 8 2
BLS028 Work Placement II
Job Shadowing 8 2
BLS033 Work Placement III
Supervision 9 2-3
BLS048 Work Placement IV
Industry-specific Skills 9 2-3
BLS055 Work Placement V
International Placement 10 3-4

All Modules are 20 SCQF credits
Level Year
BLS013
Introduction to Work-based
and Placement Learning
7 1
A classroom-based introduction to work-based and placement learning, taught
over both semesters, with a limited amount of experiential learning (5 days
maximum).
Adventure Tourism Management e.g. event marshalling; site visits
Business and Management e.g. office intern; guest lectures
Golf Management e.g. Dunhill Links volunteering; golf course visits
Sports Management e.g. event attendance; guest lectures
Tourism and Hospitality Management e.g. tour guiding; site visits;
restaurant/hotel visits
Team Working and
Communication
8 2
A single semester, group-based, placement activity carried out in conjunction
with a local business, government agency, community or voluntary group and
with a limited amount of experiential learning (10 days maximum).
Adventure Tourism Management e.g. event marshalling; site visits
Business and Management e.g. office intern; guest lectures
Golf Management e.g. Dunhill Links volunteering; golf course visits
Sports Management e.g. event attendance; guest lectures
Tourism and Hospitality Management e.g. tour guiding; site visits;
restaurant/hotel visits

Job Shadowing
8 2
A single semester, individual-based, placement activity carried out in
conjunction with a local business, government agency, community or
voluntary group and with a limited amount of experiential learning (10 days
maximum).
Adventure Tourism Management e.g. coaching performance; tour guiding
Business and Management e.g. office intern
Golf Management e.g. greenkeeping; golf operations; event management
Sports Management e.g. event management; leisure centre operations
Tourism and Hospitality Management e.g. restaurant/hotel service; front of
house; tour guide
Supervision
(can be integrated with BLS048)
9 2-3
A single semester (normally plus summer vacation) placement activity carried
out in a supervisory role and in conjunction with a high-quality national
business, agency or group and with an extensive amount of experiential
learning (20 days minimum; usually over 9 months).
Adventure Tourism Management e.g. CairnGorm; Snowdonia; Lake District
Business and Management e.g. FTSE 250 company
Golf Management e.g. de Vere; Mariott; MacDonald Hotel golf resorts
Sports Management e.g. de Vere; Mariott; MacDonald Hotel resorts
Tourism and Hospitality Management e.g. de Vere; Mariott; MacDonald
Hotel resorts

Industry-specific Skills
(can be integrated with BLS033)
9 2-3
out to learn industry-specific or specialist skills in conjunction with a high-
quality national business, agency or group and with an extensive amount of
experiential learning (20 days minimum; usually over 9 months).
Adventure Tourism Management e.g. CairnGorm; Snowdonia; Lake District
Business and Management e.g. FTSE 250 company
Golf Management e.g. de Vere; Mariott; MacDonald Hotel golf resorts
Sports Management e.g. de Vere; Mariott; MacDonald Hotel resorts
Tourism and Hospitality Management e.g. de Vere; Mariott; MacDonald
Hotel resorts
International Placement
10 3-4
out in conjunction with an international business, agency or group and with
an extensive amount of experiential learning (20 days minimum; usually over
9 months).
Adventure Tourism Management e.g. international resort
Business and Management e.g. office internship; scholarship
Golf Management e.g. international resort
Sports Management e.g. international resort
Tourism and Hospitality Management e.g. international hotel; restaurant;
resort

Obligations within Placement Learning
1. Each student will be expected to meet the norms and expectations for professional conduct within their workplace learning.
2. Each student will be expected to be aware of, and adhere to, all employer legislative requirements, regulations, practices and
performance criteria (for example, in respect to uniform, personal presentation, health and safety and/or smoking/drinking).
Note: this requirement is particularly appropriate for students undertaking workplace learning opportunities overseas within
a different cultural context.
3. Each student will be required to agree to, and sign, a formal contract of employment with the provider of the experiential and
placement learning.
4. Each student will be required to agree to a Personal Development Plan in line with the employer schedule of learning and
development.
5. Each student will be responsible for the securing of (and the funding of) any appropriate visas or work permits required to
undertaken the placement learning inside or outwith the UK.
6. Each student will be responsible for their own travel to and from the placement learning site (this may, or may not, be
provided in consultation with the employer).
7. Each student will be responsible for securing their own accommodation (if appropriate) in order to enable them to take up
the agreed placement (this may, or may not, be provided in consultation with the employer).
8. Each student is responsible for meeting the assessment criteria for the module and for tracking and reflecting upon their
academic, professional and personal development.
9. Each employer will be responsible for paying the student in accordance with appropriate legislation and industry terms and
conditions. [Exceptionally, a student may select to undertake a voluntary placement and, while this can be accommodated
within the programme, it will not be anticipated to be a regular occurrence.]
10. Each employer will be responsible for any statutory requirements in respect of health and safety, first aid, hygiene (or other
such legislative requirement).
11. The module leader will be responsible for the operation and management of the experiential and placement learning; and will
report regularly to the appropriate programme committee as to the experiential and placement learning activity being
undertaken by the students.

Level Semester 1 Semester 2
BLS013
Introduction to Work-based and Placement Learning
7
Week 30
Portfolio 100%
Team Working and Communication 8
Week 30
Reflective Account (1,000) 33%
Portfolio 67%
Job Shadowing 8
Week 20
Portfolio 67%
Supervision (can be integrated with BLS048) 9
Week 5
Portfolio 33%
Industry-specific Skills (can be integrated with BLS033) 9
Week 5
Portfolio 33%
International Placement
10
Week 5

Assessment of Placement Learning
1. Assessment will be in line with the precepts outlined in the CUR03 Modules Descriptors pertaining to the
appropriate modules.
2. Each student will be required to maintain a portfolio of their experiential and placement learning for the
duration of their programme of study. This will be assessed regularly (though for diminishing credit) and should form
a key item for future employability.
3. Each student will be required to write a regular (weekly) reflective log (electronic or paper-based) or
participate in a reflective group discussion forum in respect of their activity and learning. Note: if a student is
undertaking a number of modules at the same time, these reflective logs can be integrated.
4. With the exception of BLS013 Introduction to Work-based and Placement Learning, each student will be required
to submit a final, reflective report upon the completion of the experiential and placement learning. Note: if a
student is undertaking a number of modules at the same time, these reflective logs can be integrated.
5. In all cases, employers will be asked to provide a reflection on the success (or otherwise) of the
student in respect to their experiential and placement learning. While this will not form a formal part of the
assessment, it can be integrated within each student’s portfolio, and may be made available to programme external
examiners in order to assist with any borderline grading decisions (which may include routine staff reviews or
appraisals).
6. Exceptionally, students may be unable to satisfactorily complete a placement learning experience. In such
instances, the module leader will have the discretion to resolve these matters through the provision of a broadly
equivalent activity or placement (in appropriate consultation with the programme leader and programme external
examiners).
7. From time to time, there may be issues which arise within placement learning which require exceptional decisions
to be made. In such instances, the module leader will have the discretion to resolve these matters (in appropriate
consultation with student advisors, the programme leader, the subject network leader, UHI Executive Office and/or
programme external examiners).

Developing the Pedagogy
• The Placement Suite, semester 1 “wash up” and semester 2 “wash up”
• The Placement Suite student feedback sessions
• JISC Work-based Learning Maturity Toolkit Project
• HEA Experiential Learning Literature Review and Bibliography Project
• QAA Work-based Learning Practitioner’s Fora
• SFC Enhancement Themes
• SHEEF Conference and Workshops
• UHI Employability Strategy (revision)
• NCUB Placement Suite Project (in discussion)
• QAA/SQA EDU Accommodation Management conference session
• QAA Placement Suite conference session
• UHI Skills Award
• “UHI Work”

Other
Undergradu
ates
First
Degree
Post-
graduate Total %
UHI Area 38 146 2 186 74
Rest of Scotland 14 27 1 42 17
Rest of UK 7 4 1 12 5
Rest of World 5 5 1 11 4
Total 64 182 5 251
Total %
Personal Service Occupations 51 20
Skilled Trades Occupations 36 14
Elementary Occupations 32 13
Associate Professional and Technical Occupations 28 11
Administrative and Secretarial Occupations 26 10
Professional Occupations 25 10
Sales and Customer Service Occupations 24 10
Managers & Senior Officials 23 9
Process, Plant and Machine Operatives 6 2
Total 251
Graduates from full-time courses
Location of employment:
Occupations:

University of the Highlands and Islands, Business and Leisure, Placement Suite 2013

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