Why are STEM students disengaging from industrial placements?

Fran Rimmer, placements manager at the University of Huddersfield, considers the emerging trend of a reduction in the number of students engaging in the placement process and what could be behind it

Industry placements are widely recognised as offering graduates a 'head start' into their career1, yet, despite the benefits, data suggests a worrying decline in students undertaking them.2 As universities strive to improve graduate outcomes, positive placement data grows in value as a driver to meet strategic KPIs.

This research set out to understand why STEM students had steadily disengaged in pre-placement activity at a post '92 university in the north of England. Findings from the thematic review indicated several barriers, including location, family, and industry knowledge, adversely impacted student decision-making. Recommendations for practitioners to explore are suggested, to help address the decline.

Achieving positive employment outcomes for UK graduates has regularly been a focus of discussion3 and is no new aspiration. Previous government policies including the Dearing Report4 (1997) and Wilson Review5 (2012) encouraged collaboration between HE and industry, seeing this as a mechanism to build a globally competitive workforce and positively impact economic growth. HE institutes (HEIs) continue to be closely monitored in this area through ongoing government policies (HE Research Act 2017), with measures implemented to judge graduate employability related outcomes and satisfaction as students enter the working world (Graduate Outcomes survey, HESA, and NSS). 

Industry placements are identified as playing an integral part in supporting this wider employability agenda, with scholars evidencing that work placements integrated into HE studies offer 'positive results to universities, students, and the wider economy by producing work ready graduates'.6,7 Despite this value to students' career progression, the reported decline in placement numbers raises the question of students' perception of a placement.8,9 

With the additional impact of COVID-19, concerns are that it will remain on a decline.10 My role in this subject area comes from extensive experience working in HE STEM placements and directly experiencing this steady disengagement of students in pre-placement activity, alongside juggling institutional requirements for success in this area. Understanding what is behind the decline and the challenges students face could inform approaches to addressing this significant concern.

Literature review

In the shadow of a national pandemic and its impact on industry and society, it is fair to assume that recent changes to the UK labour market may have directly impacted the placement arena and caused added complications to addressing declining placement numbers. Yet published literature around student engagement in placements remains limited. Literature available identified several barriers to successful placement activity11, 12 with common themes emerging in the form of three fundamental areas: 'Student, Industry, and Structural Barriers'.

The literature predominantly focused on students' barriers when undertaking a placement search, findings included considerable discussion on the attitude of students and how impactful this is on their engagement in pre-placement activities.13 Reference to students 'becoming disheartened' and 'losing their drive' as the application process progressed raised concerns about student resilience after rejection.14,15 When student anxieties and fear of the unknown were suggested as possible contributors to the decline in placement uptake, an argument was offered around a lack of confidence hindering student progress rather than limited tenacity. Lack of information about roles and company expectations was also a concern for more hesitant students16, alongside anxiety about 'doing the wrong thing'. Locality of placement appeared to be a deciding factor for many students, with a preference to stay close to home.17, 18

Scholars argue that the worrying number of unpaid placements in particular industries hinders social mobility, creating barriers for students without the opportunities experienced by others with wealthier parents. The Sutton Trust reported on the significant number of unpaid graduate internships, worryingly recording as many as 70% unpaid.19

Methodology

My approach to this research was based on a relativist perspective, considering each person's 'reality' is shaped by context. Following an interpretivist model enabled me to engage directly with participants to better understand their reality - thus achieving more meaningful data.  To answer the primary research question around 'why' students are disengaging from placement activity and what barriers they face through their lived experiences, it was important to recognise the 'student voice' would be the most valuable data to collect. Timing and establishing an appropriate sample was a key part of the process to improve the quality of retrieved data.

The sample contained second-year undergraduates studying a range of STEM degrees that include an optional 12-month placement, in the School of Computing and Engineering. Contact was made in spring when pre-placement activity was underway.  Limiting the sample to one School allowed a variable around 'pre-placement' support to be removed. Participants had been offered the same lecture programme in the first term of second year, consistency of offering across the sample supported the retrieval of more accurate results. 

Existing quantitative data illustrated the decline in student engagement and placement numbers (School of Computing and Engineering, 2021), but did not explain the 'why'. To enable qualitative data to be collected, a combination of online questionnaire and individual interviews were chosen, with Qualtrics used to create the survey and analyse initial results. The questionnaire was purposefully designed to avoid leading respondents, using open questions to allow free text answers and avoid steer. Combining with closed questions to establish demographics of respondents helped shape the context of the findings.

In total 350 students were invited to complete the online questionnaire, resulting in 50 full responses. Ethical consideration was given to my role affecting responses with my positionality recognised as a potential limitation. Students were reassured participation would not impact their placement search and responses were anonymised. A thematic approach to analysis was used, 'identifying, analysing, and reporting patterns'.20  Regularly reviewing the data allowed themes to be naturally generated, fitting with the 'Grounded Theory' approach to analysis, focussing on the researcher's role in interpreting the data.21 Denscombe22 argues the criticality of keeping an open mind with this approach, something pertinent to my positionality as I entered the study with pre-conceived ideas around barriers students may be facing.  An initial coding system was established using Excel to highlight commonality within the responses, adapted as themes emerged.

Findings

The findings are categorised into five themes that emerged from the study and supported several subjects that came out of the literature review.

1. Student mobility and finance

Location was identified as important, 'issue with roles being too far away' (Web Programming), referenced by students more than any other barrier to them securing a placement. 60% of sample students struggled to find a placement that met their location needs, echoing published literature supporting the demand for localised placements.23 Two engineering students expanded on this theme demonstrating anxiety about embarking on something new away from support networks:

• 'Moving out to live for placement is scary for me personally…it'll be a challenge to overcome.'
• 'Being away from family might make me home sick. I wish these opportunities could be closer…worried about moving and doing something new.'

The focus above is on a 'preference' to staying close to home, other participants shared a differing response expressing a 'requirement' to stay close to home because of personal circumstances:

• 'Lots of responsibilities at home…must get placement nearby'.
• 'Family are reliant on me being at home, I need something close enough to commute.'

Reference to family came through the data several times, often interwoven into a different theme, so was clearly impactful if not complex in how it affected barriers to placement. The following participant links this barrier back to financial resources, 'My family aren't in a position to offer financial aid so I'm limited, I simply can't afford to uproot' (Computing). A correlation emerged between location, finance, and personal issues as a barrier to students being able to go on placement. Finance was referenced by 39% of participants as a barrier to placement, with 89% of those respondents also citing location as a linked barrier:

• 'Main problem's salary, although placements are about gaining experience, reality is we need to fund things like rent if we move.'
• 'If placement's far away students don't earn much money, it's a struggle to afford to move.'

2. Time and priorities

Understanding what students identify as priority when considering a placement was a valuable outcome of the data. 25% of respondents referred to 'time' as a barrier, associating this with an urgency to graduate quickly and 'desire to get the degree done'. A computing student referenced exhaustion from study as a reason for wanting to finish earlier, 'already burnt out from studying so just wanting degree over'. Responses suggest the volume and timescales of academia were not conducive alongside pre-placement activity, 'too stressed with coursework to deal with CVs and interviews until everything is submitted' (Computing).  The phrase 'deal with' highlights how challenging they felt the unfamiliarity of placement applications was alongside study. Several participants' comments lean towards an urgency to start working 'want to get into industry so skip placement' confirming their desire to get a graduate job being a priority over completing a placement.  Three different IT students echoed this perception of placements offering less value than 'time':

• 'Complete the degree as soon as possible, feel the placement not worth it.'
• 'The fear of wasting time before finishing degree, which the placement adds on'.
• 'Better to complete the course first too many opportunities after'.

Worrying here is the assumption that finishing the degree earlier, without a placement, would be a quicker route into industry, with no consideration of the challenges involved in securing their desired graduate role without industry experience. This highlights an issue raised in the literature around students' perception of work placements and missing the value they offer. A sub-theme that emerged around time involved managing transitions between study and work24, 'worried about losing my interest in education' (Computing). Responses revealed apprehension about diminished study skills and knowledge, 'concerned about struggle to return to education, if I've forgotten my first year during placement' (Engineering).

3. Course/field in industry

Findings from the study noted a significant theme less prevalent in existing literature, but worthy of discussion, as 48% of participants referred to 'subject area and roles in industry' as a barrier to securing a placement, with a Web student noting, 'doesn't appear to be a lot aimed at my course'. Their phrasing of 'doesn't appear to be' suggests a lack of industry awareness and limited understanding of potentially suitable roles; mirrored by a computing student who cites a barrier to placement as being unsure of their longer career goals in that industry, 'The type of job (not knowing what I want to do in IT)'. 

A Maths student cited 'a lack of interest in the fields represented by placement options', a worrying perception as many placements are available for Maths undergraduates, yet students are failing to recognise the roles as appropriate for their course. Responses across this theme demonstrated not only a lack of understanding of suitable job titles for a placement, but also which roles could be a positive step towards navigating future career options.

4. Family influence

Published literature refers to family influence as a positive driver helping students in their placement search.25 Findings identified in this study offer an interesting contradiction to this, with family being identified as a barrier in some cases, rather than a support, when considering placement opportunities, 'pressure from parents to get the degree as soon as possible' (Engineering). Reference to parents not recognising the value of placements adds significant barriers to an already challenging placement search:

• 'If I had to relocate its a no straight away. My parents don't recognise the importance of placements, convincing them to let me leave for a 'gap year' would just be too difficult.'

A challenge often experienced by 'first generation students', these findings demonstrate the impact of students' cultural and economic capital when deciphering their placement year options.26

5. Attitudes and perceptions

Students' internal concerns and perceptions of placements were a predominant theme across all data 'fear of failure, imposter syndrome, lack of confidence' (Engineering), alongside, 'worrying you might not enjoy it…surrounding pressure to get one' (Music Technology). Findings supported published literature which drew upon students' reluctance to continue with, or start, a placement search because of confidence issues, 'requirements are quite daunting' (Computing), alongside perceptions of expectation and fear of the unknown, 'intimidated by workplace environment…lack of belief in knowledge' (Engineering) - rather than a lack of drive.

The body of responses that highlighted participants' struggle managing recruitment activity alongside studies, 'organising everything.... leaving placement search to last minute', cited this as a reason for disengagement in pre-placement activity, rather than anxieties about the placement itself. Yet findings also demonstrated students' unfamiliarity and inexperience of applying, 'balancing applying for placements while doing uni work' (Engineering) alongside emotional challenges of job applications, 'depression after getting rejection emails' (Computing) was culminating in a significant influence towards disengagement in applying for their placement year.

Conclusion

This report aimed to draw out the barriers students face that limit their ability to successfully undertake a placement, better understand how as practitioners we can support students in their employability goals and ultimately address the decline in number of students placed. Limitations of the research included inability to access students who had fully disengaged from a placement search in the early stages of study, finding ways to approach this cohort would add further credibility to these findings. Findings identified the need for intervention from HEIs around minimising the impact of structural barriers such as location, and personal barriers including lack of industry awareness, anxieties, and managing expectations. Issues were identified around priority and time including a lack of recognition of the value.  The need for more localised placements was a significant theme, feeding into further barriers including finance, family commitments, and anxieties. 

Conclusions drawn from a combination of this study and existing literature would be in the form of the following recommendations:

1. Placement services visible to students from first year, offering exposure to 'what is to come/when/what could I do now?' around placements, improving student awareness of industry experience being integral to their degree, rather than a 'bolt on' activity.  
2. A review of local labour markets is suggested as an action for HEIs, addressing location needs while helping to close local skills gaps.
3. Placement/careers practitioners work with academics to build students' understanding of 'what can I do with my course/skills in the workplace'.
4. Results demonstrated the continued need for HEIs to work collaboratively with industry, across internal departments, and with students themselves to increase the number of 'achievable and viable' placements that meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Notes

1. Wilton, N. (2012). The impact of work placements on skills development and career outcomes for business and management graduates. Studies in Higher Education, 37(5), 603-620.
2. Jones, C. M., Green, P., & Higson, H. E. (2015). Do work placements improve final year academic performance or do high-calibre students choose to do work placements?. Studies in Higher Education, 42(6).
3. Bridgstock, R. (2009). The graduate attributes we've overlooked: enhancing graduate employability through career management skills. Higher education research and development, 28(1), 31 - 44.
4. Dearing, R. (1997). Higher Education in the learning society. Education in England.
5. Wilson, T. (2012). A review of business-university collaboration. Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
6. Brooks, R., & Youngson, P. (2014). Undergraduate work placements: an analysis of the effects on career progression. Studies in Higher Education, 41(9), 1563 - 1578.
7. Wilton, N. (2012). The impact of work placements on skills development and career outcomes for business and management graduates. Studies in Higher Education, 37(5), 603 - 620.
8. Aggett, M., & Busby, G. (2011). Opting out of internship: Perceptions of hospitality, tourism and events management undergraduates at a British University. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 10(1).
9. Lock, G., Bullock, K., Gould, V., & Hejmadi, M. (2009). Exploring the industrial placement experience for mechanical engineering undergraduates. Engineering Education - A Journal of the Higher Education Academy, 4(1).
10. Hoskyn, K., Eady, M., Capocchiano, J., Lucas, P., & Rae, S. (2020). GoodWIL placements: How COVID–19 shifts the conversation about unpaid placements. International Journal of Work - Integrated Learning, 21(4), 439 - 450.
11. Bullock, K., Gould, V., Hejmadi, M., & Lock, G. (2009). Work placement experience: should I stay or should I go?. Higher Education Research & Development, 28(5).
12. Aggett, M., & Busby, G. (2011). Opting out of internship: Perceptions of hospitality, tourism and events management undergraduates at a British University. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 10(1).
13. St Clair-Thompson, H., & Chivers, C. (2019)   Characteristics of students who consider taking a psychology placement year.  Studies in Higher Education, Taylor & Francis.
14. Balta, M., Coughlan, J. L., & Hobson, P. (2012). Motivations And Barriers In Undergraduate Students' Decisions To Enroll In Placement Courses In The UK. Journal of International Education Research, 8(4).
15. Aggett, M., & Busby, G. (2011). Opting out of internship: Perceptions of hospitality, tourism and events management undergraduates at a British University. Journal of Hospitality, Leisure, Sport and Tourism Education, 10(1).
16. Bullock, K., Gould, V., Hejmadi, M., & Lock, G. (2009). Work placement experience: should I stay or should I go?. Higher Education Research & Development, 28(5).
17. Balta, M., Coughlan, J. L., & Hobson, P. (2012). Motivations And Barriers In Undergraduate Students' Decisions To Enroll In Placement Courses In The UK. Journal of International Education Research, 8(4).
18. Walker, F., & Bowerman, M. (2010). Beyond Placement Extinction: Coming Up For Air. Graduate Market Trends, 8 - 11.
19. Sutton Trust. (2018). Internships - Unpaid, unadvertised, unfair.
20. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77 - 101.
21. Glaser, Barney, G., Strauss, & Anselm, L. (1967). The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research. New York : Aldine de Gruyter.
22. Denscombe, M. (2021). The good research guide : research methods for small-scale social research projects (7th ed.)
23. Cunningham & Christie. (2019). 'There's no place like home': an exploration of graduate attitudes toward place and mobility. Prospects Luminate.
24. Anderson, P., & Novakovic, Y. (2017). Listening to student views on the transition from work placement to the final year. Accounting Education, 26(4), 377 - 391.
25. Manning, L. & Parrott, P. (2018). The impact of workplace placement on students' entrepreneurial attitude. Higher Education, Skills and Work-Based Learning, 8(1), 56-69.
26. Bourdieu, P. (1986) The Forms of Capital originally published in. J. Richardson (Ed.) Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (Greenwood)

Additional bibliography

• British Educational Research Association. (2018). Ethical Guidelines for Educational Research. BERA. https://www.bera.ac.uk/
• Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and Higher Education Funding Council for England. (2016). Shadbolt Review of Computer Sciences Degree Accreditation and Graduate Employability.
• Greaves, L. (2020). Graduating into a pandemic - the impact on university finalists. Prospects Luminate.
• HESA. (2022). Graduate Outcomes.
• Little, B., & Harvey, L. (2006). Learning through work placements and beyond. Education and Training, 49(1)
• Office for Students. (2020). About the TEF.
• Office for Students. (2022). National Student Survey - NSS.
• Taylor, L. (2020). Placements post Covid-19 – time for re-evaluation?. Advance HE.
• Wolcott, H. (2009). Writing up qualitative research (3rd ed.). Sage.

References for the introduction

• Daubney, Kate. (2021) Careers Education to Demystify Employability: A Guide for Professionals in Schools and Colleges, McGraw-Hill Education. 
• Institute of Student Employers (ISE). (2020) Student Recruitment Survey 2020: Challenge and Resilience in the Year of Covid -19. London: ISE
• Peace M (2024) There are plenty of options for student work-related learning beyond the “gold standard” sandwich year or placement. WonkHE 15 March 2024.
• Wilson T (2012) Review of Business-University Collaboration.
• Sally Smith & C. F. Smith (2024) Job-seeking narratives: in search of graduate capitals acquired during student placements, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 45:3, 402-419.

Written by

Fran Rimmer

Placement operations and quality manager

University of Huddersfield