Exploring widening participation student perceptions of the barriers faced in considering, sourcing, and applying for an undergraduate placement year

The purpose of this research study was to gain an authentic insight into the experiences and perceptions of students with widening participation characteristics on their ability to source and secure industrial placement experiences, endeavouring to understand both motivating and demotivating factors around the placement search and recruitment process'. The barriers that these student groups face during the process both perceived and experienced, with the aim of understanding how at a practitioner level we might best be able to support these students in undertaking valuable work-based learning opportunities in the future.

The findings demonstrated that support for widening participation students often stopped at the point of admission to University. It is during the student lifecycle in University that consideration needs to be given to how we can better support widening participation students to progress through university undertaking the opportunities available to them and removing any barriers they may face.

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