Placement dilemma.

Lawpf2001

I'm a second year student studying a Business Studies course at an ex-poly.

I am looking to take a sandwich year next year as my course allows us to. I have made several applications including Intel in Swindon whom I have an assessment day for next week. The dilemma comes as our University also offers study years abroad which really tempts me. I would be looking at conducting a year’s study at the University of Barcelona with the ERASMUS project.

My real question comes as I am unsure which would be the best choice to make when considering my future in the turbulent graduate jobs market? Obviously having work experience and money would be great but I can also see the benefits of having a year abroad and taking advantage of an opportunity I will never have again. I do have a year’s professional work experience having worked in an office based environment for a large UK bank during my gap year. I have a keen interest in Spanish culture having travelled around northern Spain for four weeks with my girlfriend over the summer. I am currently also trying to teach myself the language.

At the end of the day I understand it’s my choice to make however would like to hear some different viewpoints.

Dunroamin

When you say you're learning the language, do you mean Castilian (Spanish) or Catalan?

System

I take it that you know that all classes and coursework is conducted totally in Spanish? No allowance is made for a lack of fluency
(DD is currently doing a year in Spain as part of her Law with Spanish degree)

Lawpf2001

!!!!!! wrote: »

I take it that you know that all classes and coursework is conducted totally in Spanish? No allowance is made for a lack of fluency
(DD is currently doing a year in Spain as part of her Law with Spanish degree)

The courses are English taught. And i'm 'attempting' to learn Castillian Spanish rather than Catalan out of personal interest and started before I was aware of this new possibility.

MusicalLawyer

!!!!!! wrote: »

I take it that you know that all classes and coursework is conducted totally in Spanish? No allowance is made for a lack of fluency
(DD is currently doing a year in Spain as part of her Law with Spanish degree)

That is because your daughter is studying Spanish... These lectures would be taught in English, as are most ERASMUS scheme courses.

OP I, personally, would go for the Work Placement.
You will get actual work experience and you would then already above others who only have the degree.Think of it this way - you will already have 1 years experience when you finish your degree, so you could be paid more, or you even be lucky enough get a job that isn't entry level.

Yes doing the ERASMUS scheme is going to be fun, and different. But it won't help your career as much as doing Work Experience, in my opinion.

However, if you are on par for like a 1st in your degree, then maybe the ERASMUS scheme wouldn't be too bad of an idea, however if you're on par for just a 2:2 (which the majority of students get) then you'd need something to stand out - all Uni's offer ERASMUS schemes.

However, it is totally your choice
All I can now say, is Good Luck to you.
(and I wish that I could go abroad on my degree!)

System

KellyKing1987 wrote: »

That is because your daughter is studying Spanish...

No, she is studying Spanish Law out there. Her classes are not separate, she is in a normal law class with normal (non-Erasmus) students.

Dunroamin

KellyKing1987 wrote: »

That is because your daughter is studying Spanish... These lectures would be taught in English, as are most ERASMUS scheme courses.
)

Most students on Erasmus join ordinary courses, run in the language of the host country and there are specific Erasmus language courses for those wanting to study outside the major languages of English, French, Spanish and German.

MusicalLawyer

Law (with Spanish) is different to Law (with Spanish Law)...

On the first, you study English Law modules and spanish language modules as well. (I've just checked on various Universities course contents). Whilst if you do the second, that is just Law and Spanish Law - taught in English.

Anyway. Most ERASMUS schemes will have the course taught in native, they're for students doing Subject with Language. But there are just as many ERASMUS schemes that are taught in English for those students who are only doing Subject - as the OP is interested in doing.

Not that this is answering the OP's question.

System

KellyKing1987 wrote: »

Law (with Spanish) is different to Law (with Spanish Law)...

On the first, you study English Law modules and spanish language modules as well. (I've just checked on various Universities course contents). Whilst if you do the second, that is just Law and Spanish Law - taught in English.

DD is doing Law with Spanish which is
UK first 2 years English Law and Spanish language
Spain 3rd year - Erasmus Spanish Law in normal classes (all in Spanish)
UK 4th year English Law with Spanish language.

Winky,_The_House_Elf

My sister did a year in Nice as her year out and had a ball. The courses were mostly in English, with some options in French.

It really was the opportunity of a life time, she stayed in France and got a job over the summer in Paris, gaining some international work experience.

It was about the whole experience, and something she would never have got the chance to do otherwise.

16 years on she's at Director level, so it certainly didn't harm her career prospects!

What area do you want to go into when you graduate? What impact would having language skills have? Or would a solid 12 months placement with a blue-chip company look better?

For what it worth she was also at an ex-poly doing business studies, and went on to specialise in Marketing, doing her MA whilst working, so it wasn't directly relevant to what she wanted to do, but she still cherishes her time in France and wouldn't change it for the world!

MusicalLawyer

!!!!!! wrote: »

DD is doing Law with Spanish which is
UK first 2 years English Law and Spanish language
Spain 3rd year - Erasmus Spanish Law in normal classes (all in Spanish)
UK 4th year English Law with Spanish language.

That is what I said... she is doing Spanish Language as a part of her degree, hence why her lectures in Spain are in Spanish. You don't have to be learning the language of the host country, as if you aren't - you learn in English. As I said - this isn't helping the OP either way.


OP. You could go for ERASMUS scheme as it does sound like an amazing opportunity. You could possibly do internships on your return over the summer to gain experience - that way you're getting the best of both worlds then (except most internships are only travel expenses paid). Some Internships are like 3 - 6 months, whilst others are just 6 weeks or so - it'll all benefit you in the long run!