TMC Academy provides students with the opportunity to complete Industry Attachments as part of the higher diploma courses, particularly in business and hospitality.
Industry Attachments, also known as internships, are structured, credit-bearing work experiences for students in professional settings. They provide an excellent opportunity for students to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in their course to a work environment with the support and supervision of staff and university lecturers.
Key Benefits of doing an industry attachment
There are many benefits to doing an industry attachment. These include:
1. Enhanced employability
Industry attachments provide practical work experience, which employers value. Many of TMC’s industry attachments last six months, allowing students to understand how their industry operates and the work skills and values that are important for success.
The practical experience gained ensures students are more competitive in the job market.
2. Skill development
With industry attachments, students can develop and refine essential skills and learn to adapt to workplace cultures and environments.
Some of the skills students must develop to be successful and which employers are looking for in job applicants are:
Communication skills involve conveying information and ideas clearly and succinctly. Communication skills also include the ability to listen to and consider other points of view. Good communication skills are crucial in any workplace.
Teamwork—Employers are looking for staff who can work well with others, collaborate effectively, and contribute to a team environment. Industrial attachments provide excellent opportunities for students to develop and fine-tune their teamwork and interpersonal skills to build effective relationships with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
Time Management skills. Most students learn time management skills by juggling the demands of assignments and studying, particularly if they also have to work part-time while completing their course. Doing an industrial attachment allows the student to apply and refine the time management skills they have learned in a workplace setting. Within a workplace, different factors can mean the person has to learn new aspects of time management skills. For example, a person may be waiting for a report from another company section before they can complete their task. This means their time management skills must factor in other people and timelines outside the individual's control.
Commercial awareness. Commercial awareness is understanding the industry, market trends, and the business environment to make informed decisions and contribute meaningfully. This commercial awareness can only be developed in the industry, so Industrial Attachments are crucial. They allow the students to build this commercial awareness. Speaking knowledgeably about the industry is invaluable when going for job interviews.
Technical skills. Specific technical skills relating to the role, such as proficiency in software or particular methodologies, may be essential depending on the industry and the company. Industrial attachments enable students to build their proficiency in these crucial technical skills.
3. Networking opportunities
Industrial attachments enable students to build a network of connections in the field that can be invaluable in several ways.
Networking is a skill that must be developed. Some people may have a more natural aptitude for networking than others. However, it is essential to remember that networking is a skill that can be learned, like other skills. The more we practice, the better we become. The industrial attachment provides an opportunity to learn and refine the networking skills you will utilise throughout your career.
Mentors. In the early days of a person’s career, mentors can be an invaluable source of support, assistance, and career advice. Very often, mentors come through the network of people we have developed.
Potential job offers will often come through the network of people who know us and how we work.
Industrial attachments allow us to build a strong network to assist us as we begin our careers.
Overall, industrial attachments help bridge the gap between academic learning and the practical skills required to be effective in the workplace.
Preparing for an industrial attachment
To benefit most from your industrial attachment, preparing for a smooth transition from College learning to the workplace is crucial. Things that can assist in making this transition include.
Observing and understanding communication styles within the workplace. Different workplaces have different communication norms. Some workplaces are more informal, and communication is more impromptu and keeping each other updated. Other workplaces may be more formal and require everything to be done via email. Observing and adapting these norms is essential, as this will assist in settling into the company and becoming part of the team.
Learn the decision-making process. Again, understanding how decisions are made in the workplace is essential. Many organisations are hierarchical and still have a top-down approach to decision-making.
Seek feedback. Constructively seeking feedback is a skill. If you constantly seek feedback, you can come across as needy and lacking initiative. It is about balancing showing initiative and taking action within your area of responsibility while staying open to correction and feedback.
The issue of mistakes and being corrected can be challenging. Naturally, you want to do a good job and make a favourable impression. When you make a mistake, it is easy to start negative self-talk and see yourself as a failure. It is essential to remember that mistakes
will be made with any new role or area of employment, particularly as you are learning what the job involves. When mistakes are made, and correction or criticism is provided, it is helpful to see this as a learning opportunity to improve your workplace skills and knowledge rather than taking it personally. Sometimes, receiving criticism and seeing it as a learning opportunity is not easy; however, learning how to do this in the industrial attachment is essential because it is a skill you will need throughout your career.
Build relationships. Building positive relationships with your work colleagues can make the work environment more enjoyable and provide you with a support network, particularly in the early days when settling into the industrial attachment. Your co-workers can also help you understand the workplace culture, communication style, and decision-making process.
Industrial attachments are valuable experiences for your career in both the short and long term. In the short term, they provide an excellent opportunity to gain knowledge, understanding, and experience in your chosen career. Depending on the needs of the organisation you are doing your industrial attachment with, you may be offered employment at the end of the attachment.
Even if the organisation does not offer employment, the experience provides you with practical examples of workplace situations that you can use in job interviews, and the knowledge of the industry gained during your attachment puts you in a strong position with other job applications.
While TMC Academy will continue to support you during your time with the company you are attached to, transitioning from a learning environment to a work environment can feel challenging. It is important to observe and learn and to stay positive and patient. Adapting to a new culture takes time, and giving yourself time to adapt to the work culture is essential.
TMC Academy has prepared a document outlining how the Industrial Placement operates. It is also crucial to speak with staff about any concerns or queries you may have about these placements.
You can contact the Academy here.
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