Students on paid placements with UK employers
If you are on a paid or long-term placement with an employer you will have a contract of employment. This means that you will need to discuss any change of circumstances with your employer.
You should carefully follow all guidance from Public Health England/Wales and the employer. Immediate changes are likely to include social distancing in the workplace, remote or home working or potentially ending the placement early. Your School or other University contact will be in touch with you regularly.
If you need to self-isolate, become unwell, or if your workplace closes, you need to follow your employer’s guidelines. If you decide you want to leave your placement early because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic you should discuss this with your employer/placement provider and your contact in your Academic School.
Your safety and well-being are our primary concern. If you are unsure about any aspect of your placement and cannot resolve concerns with your supervisor or line manager at the place of employment, please contact your Academic School or University contact for advice before taking any action.
We would also ask that you confirm your well-being and whereabouts by logging into SIMS Online and completing the 'Coronavirus 19 student form' on the top left of your screen.
Students on short-term and/or unpaid placements with a UK employer
If you are on a short-term or unpaid placement you should carefully follow all guidance from Public Health England/Wales and the placement provider.
If you are on a short term or unpaid placement it is unlikely you will have contractual obligations to your employer/placement provider.
Immediate changes are likely to include social distancing in the workplace, remote or home working or ending the placement early. If you and your placement provider decide to end your placement early you should let your contact at the University know.
You may wish to make other choices based on local information available to you and guidance from Public Health. If you decide to end your short term or unpaid placement early you should talk to the placement provider and the area of the University which helped organise your placement (usually the Careers and Employability Service or your Academic School) as soon as possible.
In the event your short-term/unpaid placement finishes early (or you do not undertake that placement at all) we will seek to work with you in the future to seek a similar opportunity after the current crisis is over.
What if I have incurred expenses and am unable to continue with my placement?
If you leave a paid or unpaid placement early because of the coronavirus (COViD-19) pandemic, we are aware that you may incur costs, such as funds paid in advance for local accommodation in order to be able to undertake a placement.
Your safety and well-being are our primary concern. If you incur costs, please keep a record of these with receipts etc. You may be able to gain financial assistance from the University Hardship Fund and should contact fapa@cardiff.ac.uk to discuss your circumstances. Please note that demand on this area is very high at the moment so you may have a wait for a response.
On-campus placements
Due to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis, all our On-campus Internships including research, learning and teaching and professional service placements for summer 2020 have been postponed. Find out more about On-campus Internships.