NAT-30010 · Work Placement Year · Assessment 2
A Year in Outreach.
Introduction
Greetings reader👋 My name is Amante, a Computer Science student here at Keele, sharing my work placement experience with you. This past year I've been on a Work Placement Year as a Student Recruitment and Outreach Assistant - essentially someone whose job is travelling to schools and colleges across the country, spreading the word about university, that it’s an option young people can undertake when planning their future. In this presentation, I’ll be taking you through my placement - the highlights, the challenges, and the things I genuinely wish someone had told me before I started. I'll also share how my skills developed in ways I didn't always expect, and where I see myself going next. Hopefully by the end of this, you'll have a clearer picture of what a placement year can actually do for you - not just on paper, but for who you become. So let’s get started.
Why did I choose this placement?
The main reasons i chose a placement was because:
-
Imposter syndrome & self-doubt
Considered a placement from the start but doubted my ability to get one — compounded by being an international student unfamiliar with the UK professional landscape.
-
The role matched a neglected passion
It tapped into my love of knowledge and its power to impact others — something my course didn't always make room for.
-
Personal resonance
I was once that student — uncertain, under-informed, without role models who looked like me. This role let me be that for someone else.
-
Deliberately not a traditional tech placement
Chose a role that asked something different of me — one that challenged me beyond the expected path for my degree.
What do I actually do?
Things I do:
- Travelling to schools and colleges
- Delivering presentations about university life and higher education pathways
- Representing Keele to students aged 14 to 18 which could be small fairs to large scale ones like UCAS
How I developed — skills, behaviours & ILOs.
“I will deliver three structured presentations at student recruitment events, communicating information clearly and engaging confidently with audience questions.”
“I will summarise key differences between UK post-16 pathways (A-levels, BTEC, Apprenticeships) after completing five school visits, enabling me to provide accurate and informed guidance to students.”
“I will organise administrative and planning tasks for at least two student recruitment events, including scheduling, resource preparation, and coordination with colleagues. ”
What I didn't expect to learn.
Unexpected things I learnt throughout the placement were:
- To be more meticulous
- Being more conscious of my health
- Trusting my own judgement
Things I would tell my past self before starting the placement
- A job teaches what a degree can't
- Your real self is and can be your professional self
- Mistakes are okay, hiding them isn't
- Your energy is a resource
Where I'm going — my CPD plan.
Overall my Continuous Professional Development plan is focused on building on the skills and experiences I gained during my placement, while also exploring new areas that align with my future career aspirations. Here are the key components of my plan:
Literature & sources
- Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. Macmillan.
- Kolb, D. A. (2013). The process of experiential learning. In Culture and processes of adult learning (pp. 138-156). Routledge.
- Schirf, E., & Serapiglia, A. (2017). Identifying the real technology skills gap: A qualitative look across disciplines. Information Systems Education Journal, 15(6), 72–82. The Decision Lab. (n.d.). Somatic marker hypothesis. Have a read
- Big Think. (n.d.). Somatic markers. Have a read
- Zull, J. E. (2004). The art of changing the brain. Educational Leadership, 62(1), 68–72.
- Stock images sourced from iStock by Getty Images, used for illustrative purposes.
- Anthropic. (2026). Claude (claude-sonnet-4-6) [Large language model]. https://claude.ai