A placement year is an option you might have depending on the course you choose to study. But what exactly is a placement year, what does it involve and what are the benefits? We spoke with Elnura Jalilova, one of our business students, who recently completed a placement year. Below, she discusses them in more detail and offers advice for other students looking to do one too.
Written by Grant Longstaff and Elnura Jalilova. Published 27 November 2025.
What is a placement year?
A placement year is an optional additional year of work experience you can choose to undertake as part of your studies. If you choose to do a placement year you’ll have an opportunity to apply what you’ve learned so far in a real world environment and gain firsthand experience of the business world.
What does a placement year involve?
If you choose a placement year you’ll work full time for an employer, in a role or organisation related to your course subject. You’ll also be paid throughout the placement. However, you’ll still receive guidance and mentoring from your lecturers and other university staff throughout, so you can hone your skills and get the most out of your time with your employer. At the end of the placement, you’ll typically need to complete an end of year assessment detailing what you’ve learned, how the placement went and how you developed professionally.
Placement years at The University of Law
Undergraduate:
If you choose to add a placement year to one of our undergraduate business degrees, you’ll complete your placement year in the third year of your four year degree program. You’ll pause your studies during your employment and resume your course once the year is over.
Postgraduate:
As postgraduate business school student you can choose to take a Professional Practice Year (PPY) following your studies to enhance your learning. You'll choose between a range of options and one of those is a paid placement in industry.
What are the benefits of a placement year?
There are plenty of benefits to undertaking a placement year, some of which are listed below.
- Real world work experience which can support both your studies and future employment opportunities.
- A chance to link theory and practice in a professional setting.
- Develop essential employability skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving.
- Develop knowledge and expertise in the sector relating to your course by acquiring industry specific knowledge.
- Build employment confidence ahead of starting your career.
- Form connections with professionals and future potential employers.
Elnura Jalilova recently completed a PPY as part of her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA). We asked her about the practical aspects of her position with Zodiac and what advice she would give to students also considering a placement year as part of their studies.
How did you find your placement?
I started searching about four months before the deadline and applied for around 120 roles. I had a few interviews and although some reached the final stages, nothing worked out at first. I eventually found my placement through a LinkedIn job posting. I wasn’t expecting much, but the role aligned well with my previous experience in Turkey, and I was invited for an interview. After three interviews, I received an offer.
How was the interview process?
The interview process was positive, but also quite stressful. The company explained the interviewees were whittled down to two candidates; me and another candidate who spoke Spanish. They initially chose the other candidate, but they were impressed with my background and interviews, so they created a new position for me in the sales team as a Sales Administrator.
What did you learn over the course of your placement?
I learned a huge amount both professionally and culturally. I gained experience of workplace culture in the UK, work ethic, customer service and decision making. I also developed deep product knowledge in commercial catering equipment and learned new IT and CRM (Customer Relationship Management) systems.
My hard work paid off. I was promoted and moved to the marketing team where I gained experience in marketing strategy, design and editing tools, event planning and public relations.
What are the key takeaways from your placement year?
I gained strong practical experience in sales, customer management, IT systems and marketing. I also learned how to work effectively within a team, manage responsibilities, and continuously improve myself to become a reliable and knowledgeable team member.
What were the highlights of your placement?
The biggest highlight was advocating for myself and requesting a sponsorship after my placement, before even applying for a Graduate Visa. Although it was challenging and I initially faced resistance, I prepared a strong case and presented it to management. They not only agreed to sponsor me but also obtained a sponsorship licence for the first time. Securing that sponsorship was a major personal success.
What challenges did you face throughout your placement?
Communication was sometimes difficult in the beginning as I was the only foreign member of staff. I was also expected to handle customer calls, which was challenging because customers often had specific technical questions or complaints. This pushed me to learn the technical details of the products quickly and develop strong problem solving skills.
Was there anything surprising or unexpected you learned whilst on placement?
I didn’t expect to be promoted and move into the marketing team. Although I had studied marketing modules as part of my master’s I had no practical experience. However, they trusted my potential and I worked hard to learn on the job. This resulted in an unexpected, but exciting, career shift.
What advice would you give others considering a placement year?
Don’t limit yourself by only applying for “placement” roles. Apply for regular job postings too. Explain to employers what it means to hire you as a placement student. This can create opportunities for long-term employment and even sponsorship. It can be difficult with large companies, so also focus on medium-sized organisations where you can make a bigger impact.
What are your top tips for getting the most out of a placement year?
Go beyond your basic responsibilities. Be curious, dependable, and proactive. Learn from colleagues in different departments, build genuine relationships with your coworkers and always look for opportunities to grow your skills.
Find out more about our undergraduate business placement years and how we will support you to find the perfect placement.
