A work placement can be a real turning point in your university journey – a chance to put your learning into practice, gain industry experience and even land your first job. In this section, our students share how their placements helped them grow in confidence, build practical skills and take real steps towards their career goals.
“Doing a placement year at Westminster was one of my best decisions. It gave me valuable industry connections and hands-on experience in fashion and commercial photography, giving me a fresh perspective for my final year and helping me produce work I’m proud of.
I spent eight months in the Art Department at Supa Model Management, taking model headshots and creating visual assets like pitch decks, model cards, and social media content. This taught me how agencies operate, the skills needed for different roles, and allowed me to network at fashion events, including photographing London Fashion Week.
In May, I joined photographer Lillie Eiger as a photography and creative assistant. This smaller-scale role aligned more closely with my goals, offering experience in lighting, client pitching, and shoot production.
Overall, my placement year gave me first-hand industry insight and directly contributed to a highly productive and rewarding final year.”
“As part of my three-month work placement with the RAF Museum and the National Cold War Exhibition at the RAF Museum Midlands site, I supported the updating of information kiosks through targeted research on Cold War themes – including military strategy, armaments and international politics. This research was uploaded to the Museum’s online collections portal, supporting both internal research and providing accessible content for visitors engaging with Cold War artefacts.
My research centred on Cold War-era British, American, and Russian armaments, particularly nuclear missiles, fighter jets, nuclear submarines, together with naval warships. This focus supported my interest in these two pivotal eras whilst providing ideas for my dissertation topic. Working with archival sources and primary documents deepened my understanding of conducting effective and productive research, a useful tool for successful essay writing, whilst also providing an insight into curating exhibitions.
The guidance I received from my project leader was instrumental in helping me to face the challenges of engaging in research within various archives and interpreting a wide range of sources. Reflecting on the experience, I felt that my contributions not only helped the Museum but also enhanced my confidence and skills in conducting research for my studies. Importantly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, providing me with the opportunity to gain insight into my future career choices of archival research and museum curation.”
“During my placement year, I worked as a Marketing Intern for Westminster Business School. I managed the school’s social media platforms, sourced and edited student blogs and helped set up and capture content at key events like Open Days. I was also involved in a wide range of projects, from video shoots and student profiles to writing quarterly reports and supporting community management across our channels.
One of my biggest takeaways was learning to manage my time effectively while juggling multiple creative projects. It also took a lot of creativity to ensure our social media channels were consistently active – following trends, aligning content with the university cycle, and knowing what to post and when throughout the academic year. The experience helped me grow in confidence, adapt quickly, and maintain a high standard across everything I worked on. I also feel incredibly lucky to have been part of such a supportive and inspiring team – my manager and co-workers made stepping into this role not only smooth but genuinely enjoyable. ”
