The student is allocated a placement tutor who visits the student twice during the placement period. Students will receive a Professional Placements Visit form prior to each visit.
At the first visit the tutor reviews the goals the student has set and recorded in the Placement Review. The tutor also ensures that the student is keeping a detailed Training Diary.
The purpose of the placement visits is for the tutor to ascertain how well the student is performing with regards to the following:
- Application of knowledge and skills acquired during academic study.
- Acquisition and development of new practical and analytical skills appropriate to the work place environment.
- Development of key organisational skills.
- Development of core communication skills (both verbal and written).
At the end of each visit the tutor completes a Report Form and grades the student’s overall performance on the following scale: ‘unsatisfactory’; ‘satisfactory’; ‘good’ and ‘very good’.
In addition the tutor will evaluate the quality of the work experience and training provided by the work placement organisation, with a view to recording the impact such factors have on the student’s placement experience and with a view to negotiating with the employer to improve these aspects if necessary.