Placements, internships and employment opportunities

Biomedical engineering students undertake professional industry work which can relate to their degree programme whilst some students choose to undertake a placement in a different area of the engineering sector.

Some examples of the roles our students have undertaken on placement include; a trainee clinical technologist, a ventilator technician, a machine interface engineer and a laboratory intern.

Our biomedical engineering students undertake placements for a range of employers including the medical technology industry, the pharmaceutical industry, NHS and private hospitals, the government and engineering firms. Our students select their placements depending on their individual interests and future career goals.

Previous Biomedical Engineering students have completed placements in various organisations and a small example of where our students have been placed include:

• Royal Brompton & Harefield NHS Trust
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Urban Science.

Civil Engineering students can opt to spend a year in industry on a work placement at the end of the third year of the MEng course. All students can also spend the summer months on an internship.

Students work across a range of sectors and functions such as Rail, Airports, Tunnelling, Asset Maintenance, Geo-Environmental, Structural Engineering, Geotechnical Engineering and Construction.

Placements are paid and are a fantastic way to gain professional experience in a relevant field as part of your degree. Selecting a placement year could also count towards the experience requirement for a professional engineering qualification.

Students learn how to confidently apply skills and methods learnt during your studies. The exact skills depend on the scope of the placement.

It is likely that expertise is developed in some of the following areas; appropriate application of British Standards and Eurocode, preliminary and scoping works, surveying, environmental site investigation, geotechnical and contamination assessment, compliance, reporting and quality control, risk assessments, technical drawing, design analysis as well as many transferable skills such as organisation, planning, decision making, self-management and leadership.

The School has its own dedicated placements team that provides on-hand support and guidance for students throughout their studies. The team has longstanding relationships with an impressive and diverse range of companies.

Our students work for consultants and contractors large and small and recent host companies have included:

• AECOM Alan Baxter & Associates
• Arup
• Atkins,
• Balfour Beatty
• Brookfield Multiplex
• Byrne Looby
• Cundall
• Department for Transport
• Dyer & Butler
• Eurovia
• Jackson Civil Engineers
• Kier Group
• MLM
• Mott MacDonald
• Murphy Group
• Network Rail
• Ramboll
• Skanska
• Wates Construction
• Wilmott Dixon.

City, University of London has been delivering placements in the IT industry for over 20 years. We have developed an excellent reputation with a very wide range of employers both large and small in the public and private sector.

Typical role titles have included; software developer, mobile app developer, junior business analyst, software tester, junior web developer, games programmer, junior consultant.

Students undertake relevant professional industry work in a supportive learning environment.

Our unique location in London enables us to work closely with companies in the fastest growing technology cluster in Europe – TechCity. Below are a small selection of the companies where our students have been placed:

• IBM
• Barclays
• PlayStation
• Disney
• Accenture
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Thomson Reuters
• Microsoft.

Additional industry experience schemes

The Department of Computer Science also offers two unique work-based learning initiatives.

Placement students develop both professional and technical skills. Our engineering students develop strong fault finding skills, the ability to resolve issues relating to engineering equipment and troubleshooting skills.

In addition, our students have developed their confidence, professionalism and networking skills. After undertaking a professional placement students have felt better able to evaluate and analyse, present complex information clearly and feel more confident in their ability to work as part of a team.

In addition to various professional skills, placement students have gained a variety of technical skills including; workshop safety, electronic circuits, firmware writing, programming, design, testing, electronic construction, laboratory experimentation and recording and presenting information.

Placement students have gained a deeper knowledge of the engineering sector as well as the various career paths available to them after graduation.

A small example of where our students have been placed include:

• E.ON
• Transport for London
• Department for Work and Pensions
• Interroute
• UCAS
• Nissan.

As a mathematics student you have two options for securing some employment experience as part of your degree: one year industrial placement or a summer internship.

One year placement are taken after you have successfully completed your second year of study and are 9-12 month in duration. Upon completion you then return to finish your studies. Summer internships are taken in the summer between the 2nd and 3rd year and typically last between 4-12 weeks.

Whilst out on a placement/internship our students have the chance to develop many of their own numerical and transferable skills as well as learn new ones they can take with them into a future graduate role.

These can include analytical skills, acute attention to detail, the ability to construct logical arguments and present complex solutions, problem-solving, investigative skills, working successfully as part of a team, financial forecasting, data analysis and improved Excel skills.

Mathematics students work in a wide-variety of roles across the full spectrum of industries: finance and banking, IT, pharmaceutical, retail, local government, automotive and charities. Below are just some of the companies that previous placement and internship students have worked in:

• Bloomberg
• Microsoft
• EY
• Barclays
• GE Capital
• AXA
• JP Morgan
• Deloitte
• Disney
• IBM.

Having the chance to put their mathematics skills into practice in an industry setting is invaluable and many of our students are offered graduate roles – allowing them to focus exclusively on their final year of study upon return to City, University of London. Typical roles titles have included; Data Analyst, Pricing Analyst, Trainee Accountant, Finance Assistant, Project Manager and Banking Consultant.

Whilst on placement student’s gain many technical and transferable skills that they take into their final year of their degree and help them succeed in graduate roles. These transferable skills include planning and effective time management, leadership and team work, interpersonal and communication skills.

As well as developing their technical skills in areas such as ICT, Numerical and Maths, design and testing as well as manufacturing, investigation and experimental techniques.

Students work in wide range of roles during their placements from working in British Airways Head Office to a Development Engineers at Bosch, they get involved with day to day activities within the company as well as working on specific engineering related projects.

In addition the real hands-on experience they gain is invaluable when they are looking for graduate opportunities. Many of our students leave their placements having secured a graduate role with that company so can then solely focus on their final year studies.

Our MEA students at City University London work in many large and small mechanical engineering, aeronautical and automotive organisations. Some of the companies’ previous placement and summer internship students have worked in include:

• Airbus
• EDF Energy
• Delphi
• British Airways.

Barts Health is one of London's biggest trusts, serving over 2.5 million of the capitals residents. The trust manages 5 hospitals including:

• St. Bartholomew's Hospital
• Mile End Hospital
• The Royal London Hospital
• Whipps Cross University Hospital
• Newham University Hospital.

City, University of London has a long and established relationship with Barts Health, with students benefiting from placements at its hospitals across London.

St Bartholomew's Hospital

St. Bartholomew's is the oldest hospital in Britain, admitting its first patients in 1123. The hospital has stood at its location in West Smithfield since its opening in the 12^th century; surviving both the Great Fire of London and the Blitz.

The hospital is located in the heart of the City of London and offers a full range of local and specialist services including the treatment of cancer, heart conditions, fertility problems, endocrinology and sexual health conditions to the capitals diverse population.

City students who are studying Adult Nursing and Radiotherapy (Radiography and Oncology) at City benefit from placements at St Bartholomew's Hospital.

Mile End Hospital

Based in east London, Mile End is a community hospital providing services to the residents of Tower Hamlets, one of London's most diverse boroughs. As well as treatments for both in and out-patients, the hospital has a specialist unit for the treating patients suffering with mental health problems managed by the East London Foundation Trust.

City students who are studying Adult, Child and Mental Health Nursing and Radiography (Diagnostic Imaging) benefit from placements at Mile End Hospital.

The Royal London

Built in 1752, the Royal London Hospital is located in Whitechapel, East London and is one of the largest children's hospitals in the UK. The hospital is home to London's air ambulance and is a leading centre for trauma and emergency care and hyper-acute stroke.

The hospital has one of London's busiest paediatric and accident and emergency departments and treated over 200 victims injured in the 2005 London bombings. It's currently undergoing a huge redevelopment project with the first phase of the new state-of-the-art Royal London Hospital opening in 2012.

The Royal London Hospital provides placements for City students studying Midwifery, Adult and Children's Nursing and Radiography (Diagnostic Imaging) degrees.

Whipps Cross University Hospital

Based in Leytonstone East London, Whipps Cross has a as a strong reputation as a centre of excellence for specialist services including urology, ear, nose and throat, audiology, cardiology, colorectal surgery, cancer care and acute stroke care; it also has a maternity unit and 24-hour A&E.

The hospital was opened by George V and Queen Mary in 1917 and cared for thousands of wounded servicemen and women during WW1. In 1921 the hospital was approved as a training centre for London's student nurses and today offers placements to City students studying Adult and Children's Nursing degrees.

The hospital A&E department went through major refurbishment in 2012 ready for the London Olympics.

Newham University Hospital

Newham University Hospital was opened in 1983 by Her Majesty the Queen. The Hospital has a dedicated stroke unit and also provides services including emergency care and surgery, children's health, women's health and maternity services, specialist medicine, long-term care and diagnostics.

The hospital offers placements to City students studying Adult and Children's Nursing and Midwifery degrees.

The East London Foundation Trust provides mental health and community services for children, young people, adults and older people living within the City of London, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets, Bedfordshire and Luton as well as offering services to other London boroughs and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire.

The trust has been rated as 'Outstanding' by the Quality Care Commission and is dedicated to supporting staff to deliver the best possible care to service users as well as equipping them with the skills and freedom to innovate and test out ideas which could make a real difference to people's lives.

Students studying Mental Health Nursing at City benefit from placements within the trust.

Based in Hackney east London, Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides general health services in both hospital and community settings. The trust specialises in:

• obstetrics and neonatology
• fetal medicine
• fertility
• HIV and sexual health
• asthma and allergies
• keyhole and bariatric surgery
• neuro-rehabilitation.

As a Foundation Trust, Homerton is accountable to local people and is therefore responsible to a board of governors who include patients, staff and membership and partner organisations.

Students studying Adult Nursing, Midwifery and Radiography (Diagnostic Imaging) at City benefit from placements at Homerton.

Based in Edmonton North London since 1909, North Middlesex University Hospital provides services to both in and out patients and emergency and maternity care. Its specialist facilities include state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment technology, a super powerful 3-tesla MRI scanner, CT scanners, ultrasound and new mammography and fluoroscopy units.

In 2009 the hospital has received over £200 million in funding to modernise its facilities and has recently opened new buildings including a brand-new maternity and neonatal unit. The hospital treats over 2000 each day patients from the London boroughs of Enfield, Haringey, Barnet and Waltham Forest.

Students from City studying Adult and Children's Nursing, Midwifery and Radiography degrees benefit from placements at North Middlesex University Hospital.

Situated in central London, UCLH is one of the largest NHS trusts in the UK. The trust provides general and specialist services to patients from London, the wider UK and overseas. UCLH has an international reputation for its innovation in treatment, teaching and research.

The trust is made up of the state-of-the-art University College Hospital and six cutting-edge specialist hospitals. UCLH specialises in areas including women's health, cancer treatment, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease.

City students studying therapeutic and diagnostic radiography and midwifery degrees at City benefit from placements at hospitals within the trust.

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust delivers treatment to over 1.6 million patients each year at its three main hospital sites:

• The Barnet Hospital
• Chase Farm Hospital
• Royal Free Hospital.

Many of the trusts specialist services have a national and international reputation and the trust is renowned (within the healthcare sector) for transplantation, various aspects of its surgical delivery, immunology and the treatment of infectious diseases.

The trust trains over 350 nurses and midwives at its sites across the capital each year and offers placements to City students studying on therapeutic and diagnostic radiography degrees.

Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is based in south Essex and provides treatment to over 350,000 local people and visitors to the area each year.

The trust provides acute services including acute medical and surgical specialties, general medicine, general surgery, orthopaedics, ear, nose and throat, ophthalmology, cancer treatments, renal dialysis, obstetrics and gynaecology and children's services.

Southend Hospital is an officially designated centre for cancer care and offers placements to students from both City's therapeutic and diagnostic radiography courses.

Radiography students studying at City also attend placements at hospitals and specialist treatment centres including:

• The London Clinic
• Cancer Centre London – Parkside
• Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust – Queens Hospital, Romford and King George Hospital, Ilford
• The London Radiotherapy Centre (HCA) – Guys and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust
• The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust – Fulham Road (Chelsea) and Sutton
• Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust – St Mary's Hospital
• Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust – Southend University Hospital
• Whittington Health NHS Trust.