Unsurprisingly, open and transparent communication is a critical succes factor in the context of work placement. As a work placement coordinator, you should communicate your expectations to the host organisation beforehand. This Education Tip offers an overview of useful communication strategies.  

Use Documentation

• write a concise and clear introductory text for the benefit of the host organisation, in which you present the study programme and work placement objectives. Students can also use this text when looking for work placements themselves .
• draft a concise work placement manual or guide that brings together all practical information about the work placement, containing the following elements:
  • the responsibilities of the work placement supervisor and work placement mentor in terms of supervision and assessment;
  • the work placement objectives; 
  • the assessment criteria; 
  • the formal aspects of the work placement, such as the work load (number of working hours), the arrangements in case of absence, insurance, health monitoring, risk assesslent, and possibly a work post sheet;
  • the training agreement.

Set Up a General Meeting or Individual Consultations 

• Consider setting up a general meeting to which you invite host organisations and potential trainees so they can get in touch with one another. Introduce the expectations, objectives and practicalities of the work placement and let host organisations introduce themselves. 
• Of course you can also arrange individual consultations between the study programme and the host organisation. This allows you to contextualize the study programme and explain the role/function of work placement in the curriculum in a more personal way. The aim of such consultations, is to align both parties' expectations.