It's not all about making tea...

Work experience might initially seem like nothing more than CV fodder, something to slide in between part-time bar jobs and a paper round from when you were 14, but in a time when more people are going to university than ever, qualifications seem to play second fiddle to real-life experience of the industry you’re looking to enter. The skills and contacts you earn and make during your experience can be vitally important when it comes down to standing out amongst your fellow graduates in the onerous job hunt. This journalist certainly wouldn’t be in their position had it not been for a tiring four years of juggling work placements, university work and part-time jobs.

For an occupational therapy student, placements are even more important as they make up over 300 hours of your university experience at an undergraduate level. Experience under clinical supervision is the only way to successfully complete your degree and leaves you in good stead to find yourself in a great job after graduation. We spoke to Vikki Barry, lecturer in Occupational Therapy at University of Huddersfield about why placements are so integral to your learning as a student (Magazine abstract)