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 confidence that the workflows I had learnt were genuinely industry standard i.e. I knew I was working in a way that was how the professionals 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, such as my decision to pursue more 3D work in Blender. During my placement I had found that Blender was one of the main pieces of software that is used for 3D work and that actually the company was heading in the direction of using that increasingly more and more. Also, my experience of the film shoots from my placement – getting hands on experience using the cameras, lights, mics etc. meant I felt much more confident in these areas and in modules where this was a possibility, using this kind of kit felt much more 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.
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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.