Each year Swansea University’s School of Law and Department of Criminology run a work placements scheme for undergraduate students. This summer over 60 students will be taking part in the scheme joining 18 organisations including local barristers’ chambers, solicitors’ firms, Swansea Police, Swansea Crown Court, Swansea Youth Offending Service and local authorities.

In the scheme’s first year in 2008 a total of 29 student placements took place in different organisations in Swansea. The scheme has grown every year since, with students completing 55 placements in the summer of 2012 across 12 different organisations.

Feedback each year from students who have taken part in the placement scheme has been extremely positive, with many not only gaining new skills and experiences but also feeling more able to make decisions about their future careers.

Swansea University student Vickie Evans said: “ Last year I applied to the work placement scheme and was privileged to be offered a two week placement with Swansea Police. During the fortnight I had an opportunity to visit many of their departments including Hate Crime and the Headquarters of South Wales Police in Bridgend. I thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity and would recommend it to others. It was a unique and very interesting opportunity which would not have been available it if was not for Swansea University.”

Fellow student Dexter Stevens said; “ I participated in the work placement scheme last year and was privileged to be offered a placement at Angel Chambers. Any student who is seriously considering a career in law should apply particularly if they have a specific interest in criminal law. The experience I had at Angel helped affirm my ambition to become a barrister. I learnt a great deal about the whole criminal justice system and the specific role of the barrister within the system.” 

Graham Fay, Swansea Youth Offending Service said: “ The student placement scheme has been of mutual benefit to both the University and the Youth Offending Service. It extends the knowledge base of students as it offers experience of law and justice in practice involving young people. The continued expansion of the scheme will be a positive step forward and one that the Youth Offending Service fully endorses.”   

Graham Jones, Smith Llewelyn solicitors said: " We are proud to support this excellent scheme. In today's job market it gives students a valuable opportunity to develop new skills, increase their employability and make informed decisions about their future careers".

Picture (left to right) Vickie Evans and Dexter Stevens.

•  Swansea University Law School offers a complete legal education in its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, including the Legal Practice Course and Graduate Diploma in Law. In addition to its Single Honours LLB the School offers 11 Joint Honours LLB programmes and has recently also developed a specialist LLB in Law (Crime and Criminal Justice). This wide range of undergraduate programmes offers students the greatest possible opportunity to find a course that matches their interests and career aspirations. 
   
•  Swansea University’s Department of Criminology offers a Single Honours BSc degree in Criminology and Criminal Justice and Joint Honours degrees in Law & Criminology and Criminology & Social Policy. The Department specialises in the application of criminological knowledge to the workings of the Criminal Justice System and this is strongly reflected in the exciting range of diverse and cutting-edge modules on offer. In 2012 the Department won the British Society of Criminology’s National Award for Teaching Excellence.