Over a year ago, I began my placement year as a Disney+ Production Management Intern at the EMEA Disney Head Office in London & it’s now been two months since I said farewell to the Haus of Mouse!

Firstly, what is a placement year? A placement year is when you take a year out of your studies to work in the industry for a minimum of 30 weeks. This is typically done after your second year of studies. At Bournemouth University, every course offers the opportunity to undertake a placement; for some courses, a short summer placement is mandatory, but for all, a year-long ‘sandwich’ year is optional.

At the beginning of my second year, we had a lecture with our placement coordinator—every programme has one. They are there to help with anything r

elated to placements. During this lecture, they explained everything we needed to know about doing an industry placement. It was then that I decided I wanted to take a year out to gain as much experience as I could. I knew that in previous years, other students from my course had completed their placements with Disney, and I was determined to secure that opportunity for myself.

The application and interview process took a total of five months, with most of that time spent waiting to hear back. In the end, I succeeded and worked as a 1 of 200 interns Disney took on out of 10,000 applicants! (I also made a “Day-In-The-Life” video that gives you a little sneak peek!). It’s important to get an early start on your application—ensuring your CV and cover letter are perfect. That’s where my placement coordinator was invaluable. They are there to help with your application, and they know exactly what hiring managers are looking for. They offer CV clinics, mock interviews, and anything else you might need for your placement applications.

Now, as I return to my third year of studies, having worked in the industry for a year, I feel extra prepared for what this year holds. It also gives me the chance to apply all the skills I learnt at Disney to my assignments before I move forward in my career.

For anyone considering undertaking a placement year, I highly recommend it. You’ll have the unique opportunity to learn first-hand from industry professionals before graduating. Not to mention, you get to explore a new city or town and build your network. This time next year, I will be graduating, and having put in the effort to network during my placement, I feel well-prepared for my future.

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