Design Your Future: Ravensbourne University London placement year
Step into London's booming design, media, and tech sectors with a dedicated industry placement or sandwich course at Ravensbourne.
Updated 5 min read
Introduction to Placements at Ravensbourne
Located on the vibrant Greenwich Peninsula, right next to the iconic O2 Arena, Ravensbourne University London is a specialized, industry-focused institution renowned for producing digital media, fashion, design, and tech pioneers. If you want to break into London's notoriously competitive creative industries, theoretical knowledge is only half the battle. This is where the highly valuable Ravensbourne University London placement year comes in, giving students a distinctive edge in the employment market.
By integrating hands-on professional experiences directly into its curriculum, Ravensbourne ensures its students transition seamlessly from lectures to live studios. Whether you are aiming to design for high fashion brands, build next-generation applications, or produce broadcasting masterpieces, securing an industry placement during your studies acts as the ultimate launchpad.
The Structure of Work Experience at Ravensbourne
Ravensbourne offers multiple routes for students to acquire essential work experience UK credentials during their undergraduate studies. The university structures its degrees to align with industry expectations, providing flexible pathways to suit different career trajectories.
The Sandwich Course Pathway
For many undergraduate degrees, the most robust option is enrolling in a four-year sandwich course. On this pathway, you will complete your first two years of study, spend your third year working full-time in a professional capacity, and then return to campus for your final year. This structural gap year is heavily mentored, ensuring that you are not just making coffee, but contributing to live, high-impact projects.
Short-Term Internships & Micro-Placements
If you prefer not to extend your graduation timeline, Ravensbourne provides shorter internship program modules built into the second-year curriculum. These blocks of experience typically last between 2 to 12 weeks during term breaks or as credit-bearing modules. This structure is ideal for testing the waters of different agency styles before committing to a final career path.
"Completing my sandwich course at a major London motion graphics studio didn't just teach me technical animation skills—it taught me how to talk to real clients and work under tight agency deadlines. I was offered a permanent role before I even started my final year!" - Clara Evans, BA (Hons) Motion Graphics GraduateTop Placement Partners & Creative Networks
Due to its physical location at the heart of London’s Design District, Ravensbourne boasts unparalleled connections to premier employers. Unlike traditional multi-faculty universities, Ravensbourne is highly specialized, meaning top agencies actively look to recruit their cohort for creative roles.
Students consistently secure placements with globally recognized creative leaders, tech giants, and visionary design houses, including:
- Broadcasting & Media: BBC, ITV, Sky, and Walt Disney.
- Fashion & Luxury: Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen, VF Corporation, and Vivienne Westwood.
- Digital & Design: Ustwo, Pentagram, Apple, and landor & Fitch.
- Architecture & UX: Seymourpowell, Gensler, and various cutting-edge VR/AR studios in Greenwich.
| Creative Industry Sector | Typical Placement Duration | Average Estimated Annual Salary (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| UX/UI Design & Creative Tech | 9 to 12 Months | £22,000 - £26,500 |
| Film, TV & Broadcast Production | 6 to 12 Months | £20,000 - £24,000 |
| Fashion Design & Merchandising | 9 to 12 Months | £18,500 - £22,000 |
| Graphic & Brand Design Agencies | 6 to 12 Months | £20,500 - £25,000 |
How Ravensbourne Career Services Support Your Journey
You won't have to navigate the competitive London job market alone. The dedicated career services team at Ravensbourne—frequently referred to as the Ravensbourne Agency—works as an in-house creative recruitment consultancy. They connect talented students directly with external industry briefs, freelance work, and exclusive placements.
The career team offers dedicated, individual support throughout the academic year:
- Portfolio Clinics: Creative industries prioritize portfolios over simple CVs. Industry veterans critique your digital showreels, websites, and design sheets to ensure they meet professional standards.
- Ravensbourne Agency Jobs Board: A curated database of vetted internships, sandwich placements, and freelance roles tailor-made for creative tech students.
- Industry Networking Events: Regular guest lectures, agency visits, and industry nights where students mingle directly with creative directors and hiring managers.
Step-by-Step Checklist to Secure Your Placement
Getting a high-profile industry placement in London requires strategic planning and dedication. Use this targeted checklist to guide your search from year one onwards:
Your Placement Prep Checklist
- Curate a Digital Portfolio: Build a clean, professional, and easily navigable website featuring your best 3-5 academic or passion projects.
- Draft an Industry-Specific CV: Keep it to one page, highlighting technical skills (e.g., Adobe CC, Figma, Cinema 4D, Unreal Engine) alongside soft collaborative skills.
- Book a Session with Career Services: Get your resume and portfolio reviewed early in your second year to identify any skill gaps.
- Target Selected Agencies: Research at least 15-20 agencies or studios that match your stylistic goals and reach out directly with tailored speculative applications.
- Prepare for Interviews: Practice talking passionately about your design process, problem-solving abilities, and how you handle creative feedback.
International Students & UK Work Experience
Ravensbourne boasts a diverse, international student community. If you are studying on a Student Visa, navigating work experience UK regulations is crucial but entirely manageable. Under the standard UK Student Visa guidelines, a credit-bearing sandwich course placement year is legally permitted, as long as the placement is an approved, integral part of your academic program.
The careers team and international student advisors work closely to ensure all paperwork, placement agreements, and working-hour limitations comply perfectly with UK Home Office rules, leaving you to focus entirely on building your professional creative network.
Conclusion
Opting for a Ravensbourne University London placement year is one of the smartest career decisions a creative student can make. By bridging the gap between innovative academic modules and real-world commercial challenges, you will graduate not just with a degree, but with a highly impressive professional network, a polished industry portfolio, and a CV that stands out in any creative agency's inbox.