Mechanical Engineering with a year in industry
MEng: H304 - 4 years academic study + 1 year placement in industry BEng:
H305 - 3 years academic study + 1 year placement in industry
Year in Industry placement- Develop your personal and professional skills
You will be eligible for a placement year after the third year of your course (MEng) or after the second
year of your course (BEng). On the reverse of this sheet are examples of current student's
placements for their year in industry.
The following information is an extract from the placements section of our web pages, full details can
be found at: www.sheffield.ac.uk/placements
Who finds and secures the placement for the year in industry? It is your responsibility to secure a
placement, however The University of Sheffield offers support to help you in your placement search.
You are strongly advised to attend the pre placement workshops offered by the University to assist
you with your placement search once you are ready for your year in industry.
When should I start looking for a placement?
The first term of your third year (MEng) or the first term of your second year (BEng) is when you
should start to apply for placements commencing the following summer. Large national and
international organisations will advertise their placements early in the autumn semester with closing
dates in December and January, some even earlier.
Will I get paid whilst I am on placement?
Salaries range from £11,000 to £21,000; an average of £14,000 - £16,000 is more typical. If you
choose to work for a charity or voluntary organisation you may not get paid and it is important to
clarify this before you go on placement.
How long does a placement last?
The placement will normally be one calendar year in length. Occasionally a shorter placement may
be agreed but this must be a minimum of 38 weeks. Most companies will want you to work for a full
year.
Can I go abroad as part of my placement?
In most cases, yes you can work abroad. The University of Sheffield reserves the right to refuse a
student to go on placement to a country that is deemed unsafe by the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office.
Can the placement year count towards Chartered Engineer (CEng) status?
Yes, your placement year can contribute to CEng status. If the company offers an accredited
Monitored Professional Development Scheme (MPDS) you may become an affiliate member of the
IMechE (free for students), participate in the scheme, and formally record your professional
development while on placement. If the company does not have an MPDS scheme you can still gain
full credit for the activities undertaken during the placement by referring to them in your Professional
Review Report. For more information please see the IMechE website:
http://www.imeche.org/membership.
University of Sheffield / Mechanical / C: visit days 2014-15
Points to note
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Departmental support and approval must be given for every year in industry
placement.
As a student you are responsible for finding and securing your own placement (with support
and guidance from the University).
The placement must clearly contribute to the achievement of the intended learning outcomes
of your degree programme.
You have achieved a satisfactory level of academic achievement during levels 1 and 2 (and 3
for the MEng).
You will pay a reduced tuition fee for the year you spend on placement. All fees are subject to
annual approval by OFFA. For the academic year of 2013-14 the Year in Industry tuition fee
was £1,125 for Home/EU students and £3,490 for international students.
The placement year is assessed on a pass/fail basis and does not contribute to your final
degree classification.
You will remain a registered student with the university whilst you are on placement, therefore
you are exempt from paying council tax and still eligible for other student discounts.
You are entitled to apply for a student loan although you may not receive the full entitlement
for the year.
Some companies may offer sponsorship for your final year of study.
Examples of recent placements
Company
Position
Salary
Web
Lockheed
Martin UK Ltd
Systems Engineer
Intern
£16,250
www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/
Rolls Royce Plc Engineering Intern
(Manufacturing)
Bristol
£17,850
www.rolls-royce.com/
Junior
Manufacturing
Engineer
£15,000
www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com/
Landing Gear
Component Loads
Engineer
£14,040
www.airbus.com
£16,500
www.cumminsturbotechnologies.com/ctt/
£16,863
www.jaguarlandrover.com/index.html
Rolls Royce
Motor Cars Ltd
Chichester
Airbus,
Engineering
Flight Physics
Cummins Turbo Industrial
Technologies
Placement
Engineer
Jaguar Land
Rover
Company Quality
Strategy &
Transformation
Undergraduate
University of Sheffield / Mechanical / C: visit days 2014-15