Information for Placement Providers
About
Off-Campus Placement is a distinctive feature of the Faculty of Arts degree programmes at MIC's Limerick Campus. It complements the academic programme by providing for student work placements in a broad range of economic sectors both in Ireland and abroad.
The Placement Office has worked closely with a wide variety of employer organisations in establishing mutually beneficial work experience placements which enable our Faculty of Arts programmes students to gain relevant and real life workplace experience whilst also offering host organisations an opportunity to bring highly-skilled and motivated undergraduates into the workplace.
Participating students are in their third year of the Faculty of Arts degree programmes at MIC Limerick Campus.
For the Bachelor of Arts, students study two main subjects selected from the following:
- Business Studies; Drama & Theatre Studies; English Literature; French Studies; Gaeilge; Geography; German Studies; History; Mathematics; Media and Communication Studies; Music; Philosophy; Psychology; Theology and Religious Studies.
Additional courses taken by students include:
- Education;
- Information Technology;
- Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL).
For the Bachelor of Arts in Drama and English, students study a variety of subjects across the Drama and English departments.
Placements are normally arranged for blocks of 15 or 30 weeks. The usual timelines for these blocks are:
- September to December (autumn semester)
- January to May (spring semester)
- September to May (full academic year)
If you are an employer who is interested in recruiting an off-campus placement student, please email the Placement Office, PlacementOffice@mic.ul.ie.
FAQs
Please find below some Frequently Asked Questions by Placement Providers.
Students on work placement bring to their employers the knowledge, skills and understanding they have gained from university studies to date, together with their own personal attributes. They are typically highly motivated, flexible and capable of learning quickly.
Students may be assigned to special projects, requiring specific skills or time commitment and/or they may perform regular day-to-day duties, thereby freeing staff for other duties.
Placements also provide an opportunity to assess a student as a potential future employee with many of our students progressing to full-time employment with their undergraduate placement host organisation following graduation from the Faculty of Arts Degree Programmes.
If you are an employer who is interested in recruiting an off-campus placement student, please email the Placement Office, PlacementOffice@mic.ul.ie, who will subsequently contact you to further discuss the process and your recruitment needs.
You will be asked to complete a Placement Information/Request form available to download below.
The selection and recruitment of students is overseen by the Placement Office who remains in close contact with the host organisation and placement candidates throughout the process.
The Placement Office will short list potential candidates based on the employer organisation’s requirements (as detailed on the Placement Information/Request form) and student preferences and will forward a selection of CVs for review, subject to suitable candidates being available.
Interviews are then organised for the candidates and can be facilitated on or off campus as well as virtually if required.
Placement offers are made to the successful candidate(s) who can then liaise directly with the host organisation to agree on a placement start date and other practicalities.
Students out on work placement are assigned a Placement Tutor from the College, typically a member of the Arts Faculty, who will link in regularly with both the student and placement provider and act as the main point of contact for the duration of the placement.
The MIC Placement Tutor will make contact with both the student and Placement Provider once the placement has commenced in order to check in with both parties and to arrange an interim assessment visit.
The staff of the Placement Office are also on hand to address any queries or issues the students or their host might have and we welcome feedback on any aspect of the programme.
Host organisations are expected to have appropriate employer liability insurance in place and to insure students on placement against accidents in the workplace in accordance with national law (usually arranged at no additional cost).
Further information and FAQs regarding insurance and students out on placement.
All students embarking on placements which may involve substantial, unsupervised access to children or vulnerable adults are required to be Garda Vetted through the College in Year 2 i.e. the year prior to going out on placement.
Students must provide their host organisation with a copy of their Garda Vetting clearance letter before commencing their placement.
Further information regarding Garda Vetting and the College Garda Vetting Office.
Both existing and potential work placement providers can view - Guidelines for Work Placement Providers (MIC Faculty of Arts).pdf
Please do not hesitate to contact a member of the Placement Office team should you wish to further discuss any aspect of the programme.
Testimonials
| English Language Testimonials |
|---|
| "This is my 5th year involved in this programme, I cannot praise it highly enough. When I am choosing PME students, my first preference is always students who have done this programme as I can see how they mature over the year and all the skills they learn that cannot be obtained from theory. Skills such as developing good relationships with all the staff and students. Developing presence and authority on the corridor and the classroom. Learning all the aspects of school life, and how a school is run. We are very impressed with the calibre of students that you send to us, they are an absolute credit to your programme and College..." |
| “The Off-Campus Programme provides students with valuable real-world experience, allowing them to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. It fosters the development of professional skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and time management. For many students, it serves as a meaningful bridge between academic study and future employment, helping them clarify their career goals and enhance employability.” |
| “I believe the programme is excellent and students are given a real taste of local government and a large organisation. The skills they develop and the network they can grow is excellent for them and gives them real exposure to the workplace before they finish their studies and will help them to make informed career choices.” |
| "[Our placement student] has everything it takes to be an asset to any employer. His integrity and honesty sets a high standard for other employees. He is really flexible and has helped out so many staff over the last few months with IT issues, policies, procedures, marketing and general day to day issues..." |
| "The placement students have skills in social media and technology and can inject new ideas and methods of doing work more efficiently..." |
| "Excellent rapport, empathy and understanding of school environment, student and teachers. Diligent in all tasks undertaken in the school, willing to participate in any task assigned/given to him. Lovely engagement in the staffroom with peers…" |
| "The Off-Campus Programme is an overall great opportunity and experience both for the student and the host organisation. Giving students the opportunity to engage and work with organisations outside of their university ecosystem and in different countries is a rewarding experience for everyone involved…" |
| Taithí Teanga Gaeilge |
|---|
| "Ba mhaith liom aitheantas a thabhairt don na micléinn atá liom i láthair na huaire. Tá siad den scoth, iad ar fad! Chomh deas is chomh cabhrach. Is ionadaithe iontacha den Choláiste iad agus ba mhaith liom go mbeidh sibh ar an eolas sin. An méid a thug siad don scoil i mbliana agus iad chomh cneasta leis na páistí. Molaim go hard na spéire iad..." |
| “Is clár iontach é a tháinig taithí faoi leith do na mic léinn a bheith ag obair i suíomh a bhfuil spéis acu ann amach anseo. Tugann sé seans dóibh siúd a bhfuil suim acu sa Ghaeilge a bheith ag obair leis an teanga go laethúil.” |
| “Is deis mhaith í an clár seach-champais do mhic léinn taithí a fháil i réimse oibre ina bhfuil suim acu.” |
| “Tá caighdeán na rannpháirithe ag teacht chugainn ó Choláiste Mhuire Gan Smál le moladh agus caithfear aitheantas ar leith a thabhairt dóibh as ucht an tréan iarracht a dheineadar i mbliana. Chuir sí go mór le heispéiris na bpáistí le linn na bliana agus táimid that a bheith buíoch aisti agus ucht an clár.” |
| “Tá an clár eadrainn agus Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál ar fheabhas. Cabhraíonn na mic léinn go mór linn agus is brae linn na scolairí a fheiceál ag feabhsú a gcuid Gaeilge agus ag fás agus iad ag obair anseo linn comh maith le taithí luachmhar a fhail.” |
| "Tapaim an deis seo chun mo bhuíochas a ghabháil libhse as ucht triúr mac leinn den scoth a chur inár dtreo. Bhí siad thar a bheith toillteanach cabhrú, foghlaim agus tacú linne mar fhoireann, agus liomsa mar phríomhoide. Caitheadh isteach iad i mbunscoil iad i lár paindéime agus thacaigh siad linn an strúchtúr nua foghlama a chur i bhfeidhm. Bhí siad gealgháireach, cineálta agus tuisceannach leis na páistí ar fud na scoile. Tá féith na múinteoireachta le feiceáil go soiléir ins an triúr acu agus beidh an tádh dearg le aon scoil ina mbeidh siad ag obair. Tháinig feabhas dochreidthe ar a gcaighdeán Gaeilge agus chuardaigh siad agus ghlacadar le ceartúcháin na múinteoirí. Chuireadar go mór le caighdeán Gaeilge ár bpáistí féin agus chabhraigh siad go mór linn an chultúr Gaelach a chur chun cinn anseo…" |
- About
- FAQs
- Testimonials
