Student Placement CV Example
A student placement CV is tailored to secure an industrial placement or sandwich year, highlighting your academic progress and eagerness to gain professional experience.
Recommended template: ExecutivePro
Key Skills to Include
Quick Tips
- Tailor your CV specifically to the placement role and industry you are applying for.
- Highlight relevant coursework and academic projects that align with the placement.
- Include any previous work experience, even if unrelated, to demonstrate professionalism.
- Show enthusiasm for learning and a clear understanding of what you hope to gain from the placement.
Ready to build your CV?
Start with the Executive template and customise it for your student role.
Upgrade to ProHow to Write Your Student Placement CV
A student placement CV should convince employers that you have the academic foundation, practical skills, and professional attitude to succeed in a year-long industrial placement. Employers offering placements understand that you are still learning, but they want to see evidence of relevant skills, genuine enthusiasm for the industry, and the maturity to work in a professional environment.
CV Structure
Use a reverse-chronological format with profile, education, any work experience, and skills. Place your education prominently, highlighting relevant modules and projects. Include any prior work experience, even if brief or unrelated. Tailor your CV to each placement application. Keep to one or two pages.
CV Format
Choose a clean, professional template appropriate to your target industry. Ensure consistent formatting and proofread carefully. Save as a PDF.
CV Profile Examples
Engineering Placement Applicant
Second-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Bath with a current average of 68% and strong CAD and analytical skills developed through design modules. Proficient in SolidWorks and MATLAB with a keen interest in automotive engineering. Seeking a 12-month industrial placement to gain practical engineering experience and apply academic knowledge in a professional setting.
Business Placement Applicant
Second-year marketing and management student at the University of Nottingham with a predicted 2:1 and experience managing social media accounts for a student society. Skilled in content creation, data analysis, and campaign planning. Targeting a year-long placement in a marketing or brand management team within a consumer goods company.
IT Placement Applicant
Second-year computer science student at the University of Sheffield with a strong academic record and personal projects in web development using React and Node.js. Experienced in Git version control and agile project management through group coursework. Seeking a software engineering placement to develop professional coding skills and industry experience.
State your degree, university, year of study, and current academic performance. Mention your key skills and the type of placement you are seeking. Show enthusiasm for learning and contributing.
Key Skills for Your Student Placement CV
Academic Knowledge
Applying theoretical knowledge from degree modules to practical problems and professional contexts.
Technical Skills
Using industry-relevant software, tools, and techniques developed through academic study and personal projects.
Problem Solving
Approaching challenges methodically, testing solutions, and refining approaches based on results.
Communication
Expressing ideas clearly in written and verbal form to academic and professional audiences.
Initiative
Taking proactive steps to learn, contribute, and add value beyond assigned tasks.
Adaptability
Adjusting to new environments, processes, and expectations with a positive, flexible attitude.
Time Management
Prioritising tasks and managing competing demands to meet deadlines consistently.
Professional Development
Actively seeking opportunities to develop skills and knowledge relevant to your chosen career.
Teamwork
Collaborating effectively with peers and professionals to achieve shared objectives.
Work Experience Examples
Include all relevant experience, whether paid, voluntary, or extracurricular. For brief work experience placements, describe what you observed, learned, and contributed. For society roles, focus on transferable skills such as project management, communication, and leadership.
Summer Engineering Assistant
Jaguar Land Rover, Gaydon
Completed a four-week summer work experience placement in the vehicle dynamics testing team, assisting engineers with data collection and analysis.
Responsibilities
- Assisted test engineers with setting up data acquisition equipment on prototype vehicles before test runs.
- Recorded and tabulated test data including acceleration, braking, and cornering performance measurements.
- Produced data summary charts in Excel for inclusion in the team's weekly test performance reports.
- Observed vehicle teardown and inspection processes, learning about component failure analysis procedures.
Achievements
- Received positive feedback from the test manager for accuracy in data recording and proactive approach to learning.
- Produced a comparison chart of tyre performance data that the team used in their quarterly supplier review meeting.
Society Marketing Manager
University of Nottingham Marketing Society
Managed the marketing society's social media presence and event promotion throughout the academic year.
Responsibilities
- Created and scheduled social media content across Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook to promote society events and workshops.
- Designed promotional graphics using Canva for events, recruitment campaigns, and speaker announcements.
- Tracked engagement metrics and produced monthly reports comparing reach, impressions, and follower growth.
- Coordinated with the events team to develop marketing plans for the society's flagship annual marketing conference.
Achievements
- Grew the society's Instagram following from 350 to 900 through consistent content quality and strategic hashtag use.
- The marketing conference achieved full ticket sales for the first time, with the events team crediting the social media campaign.
Education & Qualifications
List your degree with current average or predicted classification. Highlight relevant modules and any projects that demonstrate practical application of your studies. Include A-levels with grades.
Undergraduate Degree (In Progress)
A degree programme that includes an industrial placement or sandwich year option.
A-Levels
Advanced-level qualifications demonstrating academic ability and subject interest.
Industry Certifications (Optional)
Any sector-specific certifications that complement your academic study.
Driving Licence (Optional)
A full or provisional UK driving licence, useful for placements requiring travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I start applying for placements?
How do I tailor my CV for a placement application?
What if I have no relevant experience for a placement?
How important is a placement year for my career?
More Student CV Examples
Student CV
A student CV highlights your academic achievements, extracurricular activities, and transferable skills to secure part-time work, internships, or graduate roles.
A Level Student CV
An A Level student CV showcases your academic subjects, predicted or achieved grades, and any work experience or extracurricular involvement.
Accounting Student CV
An accounting student CV demonstrates your financial knowledge, analytical skills, and progress towards professional accounting qualifications.
Architect Student CV
An architecture student CV highlights your design portfolio, technical drawing skills, and experience gained through academic projects and placements.
Art Student CV
An art student CV showcases your creative practice, exhibition experience, and technical skills across various artistic mediums.
Biology Student CV
A biology student CV demonstrates your scientific knowledge, laboratory skills, and research experience gained through your degree programme.