The value of practical experience in the workplace has long been recognised to offer benefits to the student, providing valuable experience of the work environment and the skills that are crucial to a successful career, and benefits to the sponsor or host organisation who can identify a project that might otherwise not be achievable, carried out with a fresh pair of eyes and perhaps a fresh perspective on their own organisation and possibly provide an informal extended interview of a potential employee.
The Scheme has been running since 2013 and is growing in popularity. It will run again in 2016 and we would very much like to hear from potential host organisations who have a short-term project (typically of eight weeks duration) in mind, and who would like to offer students the opportunity to gain new skills and an insight into their business. We will welcome applications from students of all disciplines who are enthusiastic to work in the space sector and are keen to develop new skills, applying and building on the knowledge they’ve acquired in their studies to date.
Timeline
Each 2016 placement will be publicised on this website for four weeks, commencing in or before January 2016 or whenever you send it to us. All applications go through the SpIN office to ensure eligibility before being forwarded to the project host for consideration / acceptance on closure of this period. Selection is through normal processes, and all applicants should be notified either way, within 4 weeks of the closing date. We request that all hosts are kind enough to follow this nicety. The relationship is then between host organisation and student. We ask that hosts inform ALL applicants of their status as soon as selection is made.
We will host a group Induction Day at the Satellite Applications Catapult, Harwell on Monday 27th June 2016. This is an opportunity for all students and their hosts to meet each other and hear about the breadth of opportunities there are within the sector, develop their own networks, and find other like-minded people they can explore ideas with in the future. This event has proved to be one of the most important opportunities for all students over the past three years. The eight-week project can be carried out at any time during the summer vacation, by mutual agreement between student and host.
Students are then asked to produce a short report in agreement with the host for presentation at a Showcase Event in November 2016. This event gives the student the opportunity to demonstrate what they’ve got out of the placement and show off their ability to communicate in a professional scenario, not to mention waving the flag for your organisation.
If you may be interested in hosting a SpIN student, please email k.e.bowden@reading.ac.uk. For other questions regarding SpIN, please email spin@reading.ac.uk.