A guide for companies

As part of the Industrial Placement module, students submit an interim report in June / July and a final report in August. The purpose of these reports is to get a high-level view of the organisation, the team, and the projects the student is involved in. There is no requirement on our part for detailed or confidential information to be disclosed as part of the reports.  

In any case, we encourage the company to resolve any confidentiality concerns regarding confidentiality and the placement reports before the placement begins. One possibility if for the reports to be reviewed by a company supervisor ahead of submission in order to remove any commercially sensitive information. However, this should not prevent the student from discussing the technologies they used or what they have learned from their work experience. 

Please note that these reports will be read and assessed (pass / fail) by the academic supervisor and, occasionally, as second marker. 

Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs) 

If none of the above arrangements are appropriate, an NDA could be put in place. Please contact us on eee_industrialplacements@imperial.ac.uk for additional information. 

The student is expected to sign an employment contract with the placement provider, and to be remunerated for their work accordingly. Even though Imperial College does not stipulate a rate of pay, we expect the student to be paid above the minimum wage.  

The minimum duration of the placement is 22 weeks, excluding holiday leave. It is expected that students will be allocated 15 working days’ leave, making the minimum duration of the placement 25 weeks. 

Other statutory terms and conditions will also apply. Please read the Imperial College Placement Learning Policy for full details.  

These conditions will be part of the contract of employment or appointment letter agreed between the company and their employee, i.e. the student. 

 Work Permits 

As the Industrial Placement is a component of the degree programme, overseas students do not require a work permit to undertake the placement in the UK. 

Students undertaking placements outside the UK must ensure they have the right to work in the host country. 

We will require a signed Placement Provider Form to be returned giving details of insurance and health and safety arrangements.  It is expected that students will be covered in the same manner as permanent employees under health and safety legislation.  Students must also be provided with a thorough health and safety induction and details of the individual in charge of health and safety. 

The role of the industrial supervisor is to provide ongoing guidance and support for the student, training, reviews and appraisals as appropriate.  

Ongoing support, training, reviews and appraisals will also be given by the employer.  

What our students say about industrial experience: 

The successes and challenges of my work placement - Katarzyna Zukowska

“Having just finished my placement, I have a lot of thoughts on what met my expectations and where I could do better during that time. As part of my Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree, I had an opportunity to do a six-month internship over the last term of my third year and the summer. Now that I’m going into my fourth and final year of study, I can fully recognise just how much it has shaped my career goals.”  Read more at: https://blogs.imperial.ac.uk/student-blogs/author/katarzyna/

Real life problems - Olivia

“From attempting real projects to managing cultural differences; my internship was full of incredible and memorable experiences.  Many of the real life problems turned out to be much more complicated than those faced in lectures.  There were many more factors to consider and so much more than a project grade riding on the outcome! The internship gave me an insight into working life and how large business works.  I came back to College with a clearer view of my future and consequently could make smarter choices about classes and career options”

Commercial knowledge - Ashley

“Overall this internship has shown me how to work in a much more commercial way and how to work closely with other engineers to ensure that a project runs smoothly and will work as expected with other aspects of the product”

Professionalism and new-found confidence - Chris

“I faced deadlines, presentations and experienced real life pressure which would have made the old Chris wilt and hide. But the desire to impress and succeed pushed me to be more creative, energetic and malleable than I’ve ever been. I now approach everything with a higher level of professionalism and a new-found burst of confidence, which is really making itself useful at a time when I’m juggling coursework and more”