Anna Chandler shares her unforgettable experience working with the DP World Tour, the leading men's professional golf tour of Europe, as her final year placement of her undergraduate degree
"Carrying out a placement year allowed me to develop my professional self, expand my skillset and build my confidence."
A new opportunity
Hi, I’m Anna- I'm a final year Business and Management student on the Festival and Events pathway. I carried out my placement with the European Tour Group between Summer 2022 and 2023, and worked within the Championship Management department. This team was responsible for managing the logistics and operations of the golf tournaments on the DP World Tour schedule.
Luckily, I had worked for the tour previously as a runner, which allowed me to build some connections prior to looking for my placement. When I started applying for placements, there were no roles available with the European Tour, so I went through the typical process of endless applications, online assessment centres and interviews, mainly using LinkedIn and Indeed. All the while, I kept in touch with members of the Tour, and was lucky enough to be offered a junior role supporting the team!
My biggest advice when looking for a placement would really be to consider who you know, not what you know. That saying really is so true in these situations! Also, make sure you’re taking volunteering opportunities where you can to build connections. Make the most of your network and the contacts available through the University when searching for a placement role.
New countries and new experiences
The work I did on my placement was extremely varied, mainly because the events industry is so fast-paced, and constantly developing. Our team were responsible for liaising with suppliers and external stakeholders, coordinating timelines, managing the logistics, and ensuring everything was running smoothly. I would personally oversee the building of hospitality structures and grandstands, communicate with our suppliers, manage deliveries, and help coordinate the external teams. There was always something new and exciting to get involved in.
I was also lucky enough to travel internationally which was one of my highlights whilst in the role because I love travelling! My favourite place I visited was definitely Dubai.
A new self
Carrying out a placement year allowed me to develop my professional self, expand my skillset and build my confidence. It also gave me the chance to connect with experienced professionals in my field. Naturally, it gave me an insight into what my career could look like post-university, and gave me an opportunity to explore a professional path that I was really interested in, to see if it was what I wanted to pursue.
"I would really recommend a placement year to anyone interested in the idea- there are so many positives!"
A new outlook
I returned to university after my placement with a completely different mindset. I could relate the content I was learning to industry examples that I actually experienced, which made what was I was learning a lot more interesting and useful! I am also far more disciplined with my time now, because I’ve experienced what it was like to navigate a full-time job, and feel far more motivated to study.
My future after university feels far less daunting, as now I actually know what working full-time is like from being exposed to the working life routine. So for those wondering if undertaking a placement year is the right path for them, my answer is simple: go for it!