Testimonials (Year in Industry)

Nothing about spending a year in industry is easy. From writing hundreds of cover letters to answering motivational questions. It's all a bit daunting.

However, the benefits of taking an industrial placement are countless, especially in today’s job market characterised by economic insecurity and huge competition. Recruiters want brilliant graduates who are ready for the job and who know what it means to put their heart and soul in it.

“The placement gave me invaluable experience of working in a corporate environment, developing my confidence, communication skills, and professionalism, which made applying for graduate roles feel far less daunting."
— Conor, BSc Economics and Finance with a Year in Industry working at Laing O'Rourke as an Analyst

Read what previous School of Economics and Finance placement students have to say about their experiences.

"My placement year at Laing O'Rourke was an extremely valuable experience that helped shape both my professional development and future career interests. Although I study Economics and Finance, working within a different industry gave me a broader commercial understanding, particularly during my time in the strategy team, which sparked a new interest in strategic decision-making and helped me better understand the type of career I would like to pursue after university. The placement year also gave me invaluable experience of working in a corporate environment, developing my confidence, communication skills, and professionalism, which made applying for graduate roles feel far less daunting. Having a full year of professional experience also gave me an advantage when applying for graduate programmes, and I was able to secure a graduate role where employers highly valued the experience gained during my placement year."

"Graduating with work experience is very important considering how competitive the graduate job market is. A year in industry at a large asset manager allowed me to learn what it’s like to work in a professional environment, how to collaborate with others and stakeholders, and use industry standard tools and technology. Some firms offer very unique roles in their year in industry programmes, which makes this a great opportunity to explore new interests while earning money.

Some roles provide the opportunity to return after graduation and others do not, but the experience and network I built made me an attractive and confident candidate when pursuing other graduate opportunities, especially in interviews and assessment centres."

"Completing a year in industry was easily the most transformative part of my university experience. Working within a fast-paced corporate environment at BMW Group Financial Services allowed me to develop both technical and soft skills, moving from shadowing colleagues to leading project presentations, delivering training to the workplace on AI and driving meaningful meetings.

Returning to university for my final year, the discipline and professional routine I gained on my placement has been invaluable. It gave me the work ethic and focus needed to push for my desired module grades. The experience I gained during the year was key in helping me to secure a graduate scheme at PwC well before graduation. If you're a student sitting on the fence about whether to do a placement year or not, I can't recommend it enough. It was entirely worth it!"

If you’d like to talk to any of these students, please contact the Placement And Study Abroad Manager, Nguyen Banh (n.banh@qmul.ac.uk).