Welcome to ProspectSoft! 

In August 2017, we welcomed a new intake of placement students to ProspectSoft. Every year, ProspectSoft employs a several placement students, who take on a variety of roles including Development, Technical Services, Sales & Account Management and Marketing. This year, a total of 11 students from a range of Universities joined the team. Their first month of their placement involved a 4-week intensive training programme, as well as time in departments shadowing the outgoing placements.    

A brief history of the scheme 

Our placement scheme at ProspectSoft has been running for over 10 years now. Placement students are the cornerstone of the business, and are heavily relied upon to deliver excellent customer service and solutions to our client base. As an SME software business, we’re constantly adapting to technological changes. By employing placement students, year on year we’re able to remain at the forefront of technological advancements because of their fresh approach and innovative ideas. Not only that, but we’re able to implement the latest technologies, methodologies and languages in our development plan due to the transferable knowledge and skills that our technical students learn in their degree. 

The scheme is part of our business culture – it makes up a huge part of who we are and what we stand for. After all, 67% of our current employees did a placement year at ProspectSoft, 2 of which are now directors at the company!   

A team effort

Right from the beginning, our senior staff, including managers and directors, have put a huge amount of effort into the scheme, whether it be designing interviews and assessment days, or investing their time in mentoring and training our placements throughout the year. Our directors always reinforce how important the placement scheme is, and therefore continue to review and refine it each year. They’ve even been approached by other SMEs for advice on how to run placement schemes. 

Recognised on a national scale 

Since 2010, ProspectSoft has been shortlisted for and won several awards to recognise the hard work from both our company and placement students. We are the most prolific winner of the “Best Small to Medium–sized Undergraduate Employer” at RateMyPlacement’s National Undergraduate Employer (NUE) Awards, having now won this a record 5 times. ProspectSoft have also won awards from the National Council of Work Experience, and appeared in newspapers such as The Times and The Guardian promoting placement schemes. Our placement students have been winning awards too – several students over the years have won and been finalists in the “Best Student Contribution to an SME” category at the NUE Awards, and other students have been recognised for their contribution whilst on their placement year at University ceremonies including the Inspirational Students Awards held at Sheffield Hallam University. 

We look forward to seeing our 2017-18 placements taking on new projects and challenges, and hope that they thoroughly enjoy the year ahead!