Jasmine Nicholls

• Placement role: Marketing Account Executive
• Placement organisation: Fusion

What were the benefits of undertaking a placement year?

The opportunities for academic and personal growth, to develop my skills in areas that can’t be taught but learned, and the possibilities that can come from this. After being at my placement organisation for only eight months, I was in conversations with Kia UK about a summer internship within their marketing department, developing key marketing skills from one of the UK’s leading manufacturers.

A placement can boost your career in ways that can’t be matched by completing your final year straight away. It provides you with new connections to industry professionals and is a great place to build your portfolio and reach your truest potential – really getting ahead of your peers. It isn’t just to tick boxes though, or for the decoration on your CV – it’s a time for personal development, pushing yourself outside your comfort zone, proving how talented you are, and figuring out who you can be with that mindset.

What employability skills have you developed from your placement?

I’ve obtained skills that I never knew I lacked – using portals, data analytics, professionalism, effective communication, crisis management, ensuring responsive and reactive actions, and catering to client needs when it seems impossible.

From being on-site at high-scale events like Goodwood Festival of Speed, I built up resilience and determination and discovered how far I can push myself to achieve and deliver. The skills that you learn, even soft skills, are the building blocks that employers are looking for. Making yourself different and going against the grain will ultimately reward you for all that you’ve sacrificed to be in the position of a placement student.

What advice would you offer students applying for a placement?

Ensure you have personality – I was largely involved in going to careers fairs, sitting in virtual interviews and reviewing applications and personality goes a long way. If you lack enthusiasm and passion for what you’re applying for, it doesn’t reassure employers that you will provide your best work – they want to see that you’re passionate about the business, industry, and line of work.

In summary, set yourself apart from the rest, arrive at your placement being your usual bubbly yet dedicated self and prove why you deserve the role above the many other applicants in the same position.

What do you feel was the biggest achievement/highlight of your placement year?

My biggest achievement is completing the placement. I know it sounds simple but the number of students who secure a placement can be low, so to be one of the ones that does is the biggest step towards setting yourself apart and being desirable to employers.

This year I’ve travelled across the UK for back-to-back weeks, lead the charity committee, missed dance/horse riding classes, worked overtime, and asked for feedback on my performance throughout, so I could constantly evolve what I was doing through what I had learned. I showed up every day, even on the days I found challenging, and faced it head on – something I couldn’t have proven to myself without trying and putting myself out there.

Ultimately, this led to me achieving The Resilience Award and The Placement Student of the Year 2026 Award at the University’s Faculty of Business and Law Undergraduate Placement Awards. I’ve never been prouder and more confident within myself, and I feel truly ready for the future.

How do you feel your placement year will help you in the future?

My placement year has already had a positive impact on my future as I have a summer internship lined up as well as another potential opportunity – all before returning to university for my final year!

My successes this year have also improved my academic outlook. Through the proactivity I’ve learned and the constant eagerness to grow that I developed during my placement, I feel evermore confident to supply the best work for my final year. The knowledge I now have, the skill set I’ve developed, and the people I’ve met have created a strong foundation to help me achieve my future goals, and for that reason I’d say the placement year experience is too valuable to pass up if you have the chance.