A placement year can be a defining moment in a student’s journey, bridging the gap between academic learning and professional experience. For four of our newest team members, that experience not only enhanced their university studies but also helped shape the careers they’re building today.
Creative Media Designer
“My advice to a student considering applying for a placement year would be that it’s a great opportunity to try out all the skills you’re learning in a real professional environment, and it’s the easiest opportunity you’re going to have to get into the industry so definitely make the most of it.”
Creative Developer
“If you are thinking of doing a placement year, then there is no harm in applying. I started by thinking of each school assignment as a chance to show my best work to put into a portfolio. You never know where it’ll take you! ”
Creative Developer
“Just go for it! Taking a placement year will benefit you in the long run and it’s so worth it. They set you up for employment by giving you a taste for the working world. It makes a huge impact on you throughout your final year as well as post-graduation, helping to make you more employable.”
Creative Developer
“I would recommend creating a portfolio showcasing your work and reaching out to as many companies that interest you as possible. Attending events focused on the career path you would like to pursue can also be highly beneficial, as they provide excellent opportunities to network and make valuable new contacts.”
“My advice to a student considering applying for a placement year would be that it’s a great opportunity to try out all the skills you’re learning in a real professional environment, and it’s the easiest opportunity you’re going to have to get into the industry so definitely make the most of it.”
My placement year was a huge help in my final year, it provided me with not only real industry experience working with industry tools and software and on real client projects, but also the soft skills like teamwork, time management and even opportunities for leadership.
The biggest advantage of having completed a placement year before my final year was having the confidence that the workflows I was using were genuinely industry standard i.e. I knew I was working in line with current professional practice, which helped me feel less like a student and bridged the gap into my current job.
My placement influenced some of the choices I made in my final year of study, such as my decision to pursue more 3D work in Blender. During my placement I had opportunities to develop my skills in Blender, and I found that it was increasingly becoming the software of choice within the design team for 3D work. I also got invaluable film shoot experience, with lots of chances to get hands on with the cameras, lights, mics etc. This meant that upon returning to university, I felt much more confident using this kind of kit and it felt genuinely within reach for my own projects.
“The most valuable skill I gained during my placement was genuine teamwork and all of the subsequent skills which come with that, as I had not had the best experiences with this at university, so it was very rewarding being able to collaborate professionally with other creative people.”
I am really enjoying the work I currently do, I can clearly see the natural progression from the skills learnt at university which were then enhanced through the placement, and I now feel excited to progress even further working on more exciting projects and specialising in the areas which interest me the most.
I would love to go further into 3D work, including work on designing VR experiences. I’m also keen to continue developing my skills in film production and editing so I can make bigger and more exciting contributions to the work we do.
"Paddy has a brilliant eye for detail and isn't afraid to push the boundaries creatively. Whether he's visualising surgery in 3D, telling stories through motion graphics or adding those little touches that make something stand out, I'm always excited to see what he comes up with next."
“If you are thinking of doing a placement year, then there is no harm in applying. I started by thinking of each school assignment as a chance to show my best work to put into a portfolio. You never know where it’ll take you!”
Placement helped me in final year by improving my work ethic. I had the knowledge of how long it would take me to complete work and I found it easy to work for longer periods of time and focus.
I had the freedom to experiment on university projects and I knew a lot more skills to be able to execute what I wanted in my modules. I learnt valuable industry standard techniques and ways to make higher quality work by taking on feedback from my colleagues.
Now that I am full time, I am looking forward to building on my technical skills and prioritising the start of my career in digital development.
"Quite simply Hannah is a dream to work with. I've lost count of the number of times she's answered my calls for help on numerous projects, notably with World Rugby and the ECB. And whether she's helping me with an out of the blue request or starting the design and development on a new project, I feel she's demonstrated qualities beyond what I expect of a returning placement student. Calm under pressure, an eye for detail and most importantly a good person that I seem to have an effortless synergy with."
“If you’re thinking of applying for a placement year, just go for it! Taking a placement year will benefit you in the long run and it’s so worth it. They set you up for employment by giving you a taste for the working world. It makes a huge impact on you throughout your final year as well as post-graduation, helping to make you more employable.”
My placement gave me the skills I needed to successfully handle my final year. Working full-time for a year between my second and final year at university helped me a lot to manage my time and plan projects effectively. For example, being used to the 9-5 work day, I knew how to balance consistent and steady progress with time to rest and relax.
I’d say the biggest advantage of completing my placement year was gaining real-world experience. Upon returning it made a massive difference to the way I approached university projects. From working independently to part of a large team, from internal projects to large-scale client projects, I gained knowledge and skills that can only be picked up from hands-on experience and it helped me improve my work to a professional level.
After working on various projects, working to make them engaging and accessible to all users, I realised how important these elements are. As a result of this, I centered my literature review topic around improving engagement for neurodivergent users which ultimately positively affected how I approached my final project.
Knowing how to effectively plan, manage and adapt to ongoing projects in collaboration with colleagues and clients is something I could’ve only picked up from my placement. They are such valuable skills that will stick with me throughout my career.
“I am really looking forward to continuing to work with a variety of different clients, providing them with unique deliverables they are really happy with.”
Over the next couple of years, I’m aiming to develop my coding skills even further, hopefully allowing me to take on more custom-code-based client projects. I’d also love to continue to develop both my interpersonal skills and technical skills over the next couple of years.
"Murph has made a huge impact on Dynamic and very quickly become a fully-fledged member of the Creative Development Team. This was evidenced in the great speed Murph picked up new software and project requirements, so much so, he was developing highly regarded modules in Rise and Storyline, incorporating animation tools such as Vyond and iClone with ease and proficiency. The client was hugely impressed with Murph's creativity, speed and accuracy of work. From a standing start to a sprint in the blink of an eye! Super impressed and so pleased to have murph on my projects!"
“If you’re looking to apply for a placement year, I would recommend creating a portfolio showcasing your work and reaching out to as many companies that interest you as possible. Attending events focused on the career path you would like to pursue can also be highly beneficial, as they provide excellent opportunities to network and make valuable new contacts.”
When I returned to university, I felt much more confident in my abilities, as I had spent a year in industry learning from experts and developing my understanding of how to produce high-quality work.
Gaining a well-rounded understanding of different software and improving my problem-solving skills was incredibly helpful. I also noticed a significant improvement in the speed at which I could produce work.
My placement experience had an influence on the work I chose to pursue in my final year, particularly the literature review I wrote. I decided to research how digital learning can improve the confidence of newly qualified healthcare professionals through effective e-learning design and interactivity. These elements play a huge role in learning, engagement and enjoyment.
Having the opportunity to improve my motion graphics and video editing skills was especially beneficial, particularly when it came to my end-of-year project.
“I am looking forward to gaining more experience and continuing to refine my development skills.”
My career goals over the next few years are to further develop my scriptwriting skills, as well as continue improving my development skills. I have been writing a lot of scripts for e-learning courses at Dynamic, and this has encouraged me to continue building my experience in both areas.
"Sam's wide breadth of skills and her flexibility to take on new tasks make her a valuable member of any project team. She is a pleasure to work with and you know that whatever challenge she takes on, she will approach it with professionalism, positivity, and a commitment to delivering great results."
At the beginning of every year, we offer exciting placement opportunities in Leeds for students to immerse themselves in the world of digital learning. It’s part of our commitment to innovation and supporting future talent. Over 30 placement students have launched their careers at Dynamic – could you be next?
Want to find out more about the placement opportunities at Dynamic? Head over to our placement page for more information.