SEPnet Summer Placements 2023- Employer Registration Form

Terms and Conditions - SEPnet Summer Placement Scheme 2023

HOW THE SCHEME WORKS
1. SEPnet placements are open to undergraduates in Yr 2 and Yr 3 (including final year BSc students) studying physics or maths within the SEPnet consortium. Yr 1 students may be eligible with permission of the Head of Physics/Maths at their university. Physics and maths PhD students are eligible to apply for employer-funded placements. EU/international students must check with their Student Services that they are eligible to work in the UK during their holidays.

2. Organisations are invited to submit projects suitable for a research or industrial placement. Projects include data analysis, programming, product-testing, modelling, website development or science communication.

3. The SEPnet placement should take place in the summer holidays. Students should work no more than a 35-hour week for a total of 8 weeks which may be non-consecutive. Start and finish dates to be mutually agreed by host and student. Term dates vary by institution. Host organisations can extend this period and stipulate this at the outset or by negotiation with the successful applicant, provided they are able to fund the additional time on a pro-rata basis and provide the student with a further employment contract.

4. Placements should be carried out at the workplace of an approved industrial host if possible.

5. The SEPnet board will review the placement projects and assess their suitability based on academic merit and potential for students to gain commercial awareness and transferable skills eg communication and teamwork. Projects which meet our criteria and are fully- or match-funded by employers will have priority.

6. Projects fully-funded by employers will be advertised to students at all SEPnet partner universities which can include current physics and maths PhD students. Current PhD students should be paid £3,300 for an 8-week placement. Match-funded placements will be advertised to students at universities with match-funding.

7. If a suitable student is not found projects will be advertised more widely across the SEPnet partner universities.

8. Successful students should be paid a minimum of £2,918 gross to work a 35-hour week for an 8-week period (£3,300 for PhD students). . Organisations are required to treat students as employees for the placement period, provide them with an employment contract and include them on the company payroll ensuring provision and payment of accruing holiday (even if they are funded by another source) so they are protected by employment law and by  employer's insurance and health and safety policies. Students should note that income tax and national insurance contributions may be deducted from their placement payment. The host organisation will advise on the amount deducted. Tax and NI contributions will vary based on the student's circumstances (student loan, other part-time work etc.) If an employer is unable to employ a student other working arrangements may possible on a case by case basis.

9. Placement supervisors are expected to assist students to produce a project poster and attend the SEPnet Students' Expo with their student who will present their work to employers, academics and peers. There is a contingency plan for commercially sensitive or classified work.

10. The project poster should be completed during the placement and financially supported by the host eg provision of materials, printing or related costs.

11. If a student is offered a research placement with a SEPnet partner university, SEPnet will honour additional charges incurred by the partner university where it is required to put the student on payroll, subject to discussion with the SEPnet Employer Liaison Director first.
 

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, SECURITY CLEARANCES AND HEALTH & SAFETYAll parties agree to abide by the intellectual property rights, security clearances and health & safety requirements related to the hosting of student placements and in compliance with relevant legislation.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
SEPnet embraces equality, diversity and inclusion and seeks to promote their benefits in all our activities.
Placement conditions must be compliant with the Equality Act (2010), ensuring equality of opportunity to all.  The Home Office:  http://homeoffice.gov.uk/equalities/equality-act/.  Employers should not to discriminate against candidates on the basis of their gender, identity, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion, disability or any other protected characteristics. We expect employers to recruit the best person for the job and that selection and interviewing processes are conducted fairly, objectively and without bias.

Students with disabilities
Students aren't legally required to disclose a disability. However, students shouldn't state that they don't have a disability if they do. Employers are not allowed to discriminate against candidates with disabilities and should make all reasonable adjustments to the working environment to accommodate the student.

Students who have disclosed a disability should explain to their placement supervisor how it affects them stating what they can and can't do in relation to the placement role. Students should explain any adjustments they would need the employer to make and the employer should make all reasonable adjustments to accommodate the student.

Projects carried out remotely
Both placement supervisors and students should keep in touch with their university’s Employability Adviser or Placement Tutor during the placement to make them aware of any issues or concerns.

Employers should:

• provide the student with an employment contract
• provide the student with all reasonable direction, support and, where necessary, equipment and technical supervision relating to the performance of the project
• communicate with the student via video or phone on an agreed regular basis to ensure he/she is clear about project goals and remains motivated
• agree regular objectives to be met to help the student to remain on target to complete the project and in order to highlight any problems early on.

PROCESS FOR ARRANGING A PLACEMENT
1. Organisations register placement details using the Placement Programme 2023 Employer Registration Form.
2. The SEPnet board reviews the proposed placements and selects projects based on the criteria above.
3. Contact details and placement descriptions are advertised regularly to eligible students by SEPnet Employability Advisers (EEAs) at SEPnet partner universities.
4. Students apply directly to supervisors or named contacts with a covering letter and CV unless advised otherwise by their EEA.
5. Supervisors review CVs and select candidates for interview. Placements are re-advertised until a suitable applicant is found.

SEPnet responsibilities:
1. Administration services and support with the application/selection procedure.
2. Internal advertisement of placements.
3. Match-funding for placements where employers have agreed to offer a 2nd placement or are unable to fully fund a placement up to £2,918.
4. A visit to, or meeting with, the placement host by a SEPnet representative during the placement to discuss the student’s performance and welfare.
5. Support for the employer and student during the placement. 
6. Organisation of the SEPnet Students' Expo.
7. Feedback forms.
8. Analysis of feedback.

Placement host responsibilities:
1. A placement that meets the SEPnet criteria.
2. Completion of relevant forms.
3. A fair selection/interview process for applicants compliant with the Equality Act (2010), ensuring equality of opportunity to all.  
4. Feedback on applications and applicants.
5. Confirmation of the selected student
6. Feedback on, and to, unsuccessful applicants.
7. Employment of the student (including students funded by a SEPnet partner), provision of employment contract, employer liability insurance and H&S compliance, payment of at least minimum wage, provision and payment of accruing holiday, adequate supervision/training.
8. Suitable support to conduct a placement (desk space, computer, lab facilities, materials, reasonable adjustments where necessary).
9. A meeting with a SEPnet EEA/Placement Tutor to review progress with the placement
10. CV references for the student if requested.
11. Support for the student and help with production of the final project poster to be completed during the placement. 
12. Participation and attendance at the SEPnet Students' Expo in November 2023.
13. Completion of the feedback form.

Student responsibilities:
1. Attendance and transport to/from the interview with the host as required.
2. Commitment to carry out the placement once an offer has been accepted.
3. Completed application forms.
4. Completion of IPR, security clearance and health & safety documentation as required by the host.
5. Payment of tax and national insurance contributions if employed by the placement organisation.
6. In case of sickness, or if requesting absence for other reasons, students should check their employer’s policy and contact their SEPnet Employability Adviser.
7. To dress in appropriate clothing for the office environment (if unsure of dress code please ask the placement supervisor).
8. A commitment to share any issues or concerns with the host supervisor or SEPnet contact.
9. Completion of the final project poster.
10. Participation in a placement site visit or meeting with the placement host and SEPnet contact.
11. Participation and attendance at the SEPnet Students' Expo in November.
12. Completion of a feedback form.

SEPnet  Summer Placement Timeline

Friday 10 February
Placement projects to be submitted to m.limbert@soton.ac.uk.

Friday 24 February
Employers are informed as to whether projects have been accepted by the SEPnet board and will need to confirm that appropriate liability insurance and H&S policies and procedure are in place.

Wednesday 1 March
Projects are advertised by SEPnet Employability Engagement Advisers (EEAs) to students via email and other departmental communications.

Mid-March
Employers provide feedback on number and quality of applications via the SEPnet tracking form

Thursday 31 March (midnight)
Closing date for applications.

1 – 30 April
Employers select and interview candidates.
Unfilled placements are re-advertised.

Monday 1 May
Deadline for positions to be filled. Employers inform SEPnet and successful and unsuccessful candidates.

Monday 8 May
All placements are filled.

June - September
Students carry out placements. Student prepare posters for Students' Expo. Placement visits with students and supervisors take place.

November
Students and supervisors attend SEPnet Students' Expo.