DMU HELPS IT STUDENTS GAIN ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR...

24 August 2009, 9:47am

DMU HELPS IT STUDENTS GAIN ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR THE WORKPLACE

De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) is one of a handful of universities taking part in a national scheme to help IT students gain essential skills through internships.

‘e-skills internship – the professional placement programme’ aims to transform the way young people think about internships and make it easier for students, employers and universities to get the most from them.

The scheme is organised by e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and Information Technology, and was designed with input from universities and employers to ensure students gain the vital skills and knowledge needed in the workplace to enhance their future employment prospects.

The Placement Unit in DMU’s Faculty of Technology will organise the internships for the University’s students taking part in the programme.

The Unit arranges placements for hundreds of students a year and has strong links with many employers, including organisations like AstraZeneca, Syngenta, BMW and PepsiCo.

Suki Clayer, Placement Manager at the Unit, said: “Students who take part in the e-skills internship will stand out, not only for having undertaken a placement year, but for having met a nationally-recognised level that is specific to the IT industry.

“Employers can therefore be confident that graduates who have completed the internship have the key skills required in the workplace.”

The other universities involved with the scheme include: Aston University; City University London; Coventry University; the University of Exeter; the University of Greenwich; the University of Kent; Loughborough University; Oxford Brookes University; the University of Plymouth; Sheffield Hallam University; University College London; and the University of Wolverhampton.

Employers who have helped to develop the scheme include British Airways, CA, GlaxoSmithKline, Google, IBM and Network Rail.

A launch event to celebrate the start of the scheme is being held in London on Wednesday 9 September.

www.e-skills.com/internships

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