BInfoTech Industry Placement (1 Viewer)

[benno22]

Hi guys,

Has anyone here done the 8 week industry placement part of the Information and Communication Technology degree required after 2nd and 3rd years?

If so where did you do your placement and how abouts did find this placement, also anyone else currently doing the degee, where abouts are you doing your placement?

Ive been looking around a rung a few places up (mostly in the Sydney CBD), but it seems so hard to find a proper company to offer an IT placement.

 

[DooGseY]

Have you looked here?

I found it hard to find a placement also, and for the most part companies don't seem to care about you because they can't see it being worthwhile for them to spend any time on you (in my experience at least). I ended up asking the head IT guy at my dad's work, he has connections with uow and said it would be no problem. I think the easiest way to get a placement, by far, is to know someone who knows someone in the IT field you're trying to get into. So, try asking your parents, friends and relatives if they know anyone in the IT industry that would be willing to take you on, chances are someone can probably put in a word for you and hopefully make it harder for the employer to say no to a friend rather than some random person contacting them out of the blue and asking for a job
Also, ask your boss if you have a job, because they will probably know someone you could talk to in the IT department at your work, even if you work in something like retail there will be a lot going on in the IT side of things. For example, I work for coles myer and even though they're a retailer they employ 1100 IT professionals australia wide, so chances are your boss would know at least some of them and can help you get in touch with them. But this probably wouldn't be much good if you work for a small company.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

I decided that I am not going to approach people randomly because it would be a waste of time. My mum has a lot of business contacts so that is where I am looking first. I have also had an offer from a friend to help me find a place aswell. I don't expect to have any trouble finding one.

 

[ogmzergrush]

Been having trouble finding placements myself, to the point where at the moment it's looking a like my graduation might be held up unless there are developments in the immediate future. Not exactly ideal, but it's a little beyond my control so I'm trying not to beat myself up too much over it.

My advice? Buy a gun, or keep applying and hope that eventually you can find someone who thinks that you might just be worthwhile to take on for eight weeks. It strikes me as more than a little ridiculous that it's so difficult to find places who won't let you tag along for eight weeks, potentially for free... I can see that having clueless students around might be bad for productivity, but fuck, it can't be that hard to find something remotely useful (and safe), for a placement student to do, like make coffee and shred documents.

The pulling family connections thing also sounds useful, maybe try that if you've got any. Failing that though, definitely go with the gun.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

That is what I can't understand either. Having an extra person can only be a good thing. There are always little things to be done and it would be much better to have someone who you aren't paying do it instead one of your qualified staff.

It looks like I am going to have to do 4 weeks in November and 4 weeks in January because I am going overseas in December and February.

 

[iamsickofyear12]

Was anyone else meant to do placement these holidays but isn't?