In our first blog post about work experience placements in the language services industry, we looked at five ways in which students benefit from spending time in a language services company.
This time, we have chosen five ways in which language companies gain from hosting college, undergraduate and postgraduate students.
1. You are exposed to a change of perspective and diverse viewpoints
Students have access to the latest academic knowledge in a field and experience of a wide range of subject areas. They may also come from many different backgrounds. Being newer to the industry, students are less constrained by established practices and companies benefit from the fresh ideas and alternative problem-solving skills they bring to the table, while at the same time gaining a deeper understanding of what might attract a wider range of people to work with them. Gathering feedback from students about their placement and experiences helps companies improve their training programmes and other areas of their business in a unique way.
2. You gain new and transferrable skills
University courses give students the chance to experience a wide range of different technologies and gain skills in many relevant areas during their studies. Students may also have worked in other industries before embarking on their course. This can be a big advantage for host companies looking to learn about new developments, tools, software and techniques, or to improve their understanding of particular areas of an industry.
3. You can identify and nurture new talent
Companies who are looking to hire new employees or identify which skills they would like to bring into their team can benefit from hosting students. A work placement gives those companies the opportunity to help students build the skills that they would need to work in similar roles in the future. This is particularly beneficial to small businesses as they can ensure potential new members of staff will be a good fit for the team. It also helps companies looking to recruit placement students after they have graduated because both the student and the company will already be familiar with each other and have a head start when it comes to induction.
4. You connect with academic institutions and build your profile among graduates
Hosting students is a great way for companies to forge links with academic institutions and other training organisations, and these links can lead to professional collaborations and partnerships between companies and academics. You can build awareness of your organisation among students, and gain a reputation as a good place to train and work. This is turn helps increase the number of applicants for any jobs you wish to fill and creates the possibility of contact with potential new clients.
5. You provide your employees with professional development opportunities
By being a mentor, supervisor or placement coordinator for work experience students, members of your team will build their leadership skills, engage with the translation community and catch up with recent academic developments in translation, interpreting and wider professional fields. They will also develop their communication skills and understanding of modern learning techniques. The requirements and structure of academic qualifications can change quickly, and staying abreast of them means that your training programmes can be best adapted to the needs of both the students and the company.
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