Helping students to source their own industry placements

Supporting students to take initiative – with structured guidance from their T Level provider

Introduction

This guidance is for T Level providers that plan to share the Helping students to source their own industry placements resource with learners.
The aim is to help providers support students to take a proactive role in finding a placement, while ensuring every opportunity continues to meet DfE’s quality requirements.

Purpose of this resource

Some students will want to take the lead in finding their own industry placement.
This resource helps them understand how to research employers, make professional contact, and prepare for interviews, all with the support of you, their T Level provider.

T Level providers should use this resource alongside their wider:

• employer engagement strategy
• student work-readiness programme
• careers and employability curriculum

It can be shared directly with students once you have explained the boundaries of self-sourcing and how you will continue to support them.

Key points for Providers

You remain responsible for sourcing and approving all placements, including those self-sourced by students.
Students can identify or contact employers, but you must verify that every placement:
• aligns with the T Level’s technical content and learning goals
• offers meaningful, safe and supervised work
• meets the minimum hours and completion criteria
Providers must manage self-sourced placements to the same standard as provider-sourced ones – including due diligence checks, written agreements, and review meetings.

How to support students

Use your internal work-placement teams to:

• help students research local employers, including through Connect, business networks, local Chambers of Commerce and alumni
• show them how to write cover letters or speculative emails, prepare a CV and practise interview skills
• check suitability before confirming a placement, ensuring that it is occupationally relevant and appropriately insured
• record and monitor all self-sourced placements in the same way as any other placement

Avoiding conflicts of interest

It is not normally recommended for a student to complete a placement with a family member or an employer they have a close personal affiliation with, unless this stems from current part-time work.

If you agree to such a placement, you must be satisfied that:

• the experience is genuinely occupationally relevant
• the supervisor is not a family member
• the placement will allow the student to develop new relationships and experience professional independence

Encouraging safe and effective self-sourcing

When promoting self-sourcing to students:

• explain that all placements must be approved by the provider before starting
• remind students not to share personal information online
• encourage them to use trusted sources and to keep you informed of all employer contact
• provide templates or checklists to help them stay organised and professional

Further information
T Level Industry Placement delivery guidance