This section relates to a specific set of tasks which many PDP tutors are required to undertake; the briefing and debriefing of tutees in relation to work placements. 

As the number of those continuing to higher education has grown, so there has been an increasing emphasis on the role of universities in preparing students for future employment. Work experience plays a key role in developing employability. The workplace is a rich environment for learning but can be chaotic: to gain the maximum from their exposure to it, students need careful briefing and debriefing.

As well as offering students opportunities to apply their subject-related knowledge and skills, workplaces will almost certainly require good time management, will help them to develop communication and teamwork skills and may allow them to demonstrate initiative and reliability. Students need to be fully aware of the value of these experiences for use in future job applications and interviews.

Less obvious but equally important to employers (who frequently complain about students’ lack of business and commercial awareness), is the opportunity to learn about how organisations work and the business models they run on; whether they are profit-making private enterprises, public sector organisations or ‘third sector’ charities. Personal tutors do not need to be experts themselves: there are many simple exercises and questions to alert students to these aspects of their placement organisation.