Developing a role description for industry placement students

A placement role description sets out what a student will be doing during their industry placement. It should describe their role, key responsibilities, and who they will work with. For the business, it clarifies expectations for supervisors and colleagues, and it also supports the matching process to find the right student for the placement.

Ideally, the role description should be developed jointly by the college or school and the employer, and linked to the development objectives and learning goals agreed with the student.

If you need inspiration, the following example role descriptions are available at the end of this article for you to download and review:

• Administrator
• Building Services Engineering Technician
• Civil Engineering Technician
• Design and Development Technician
• Digital Business Services Analyst
• Fashion Studio Assistant
• Laboratory Technician
• Marketing Assistant
• Mechanical Fitter
• Music Services Assistant
• Nursing Home Assistant
• Railway Maintenance Technician
• Service Desk Technician
• Software Developer

A blank template is also provided for you to prepare your own in collaboration with an employer alternatively employers are also welcome to use their own existing role description format. This can be valuable for students to experience different styles of workplace documentation, helping them adapt to a range of practices and preparing them for the variation they will encounter in employment.

Tips for drafting
- Use plain, straightforward language and avoid jargon
- Tell the student clearly what they will be doing
- Include the organisation’s name, address, website, and a key contact

All downloads.