Edinburgh Napier University

  Having relevant work experience, such as a placement or internship, is valued by employers in the technology sector and can improve employment outcomes for computing graduates (Shadbolt 2016). However, gaining good work experience positions is competitive; some applications are unsuccessful and some students do not apply; some students feel unable to do work placements due to personal or contextual constraints. This study explores the perspectives of computing students at two UK universities, in order to identify factors that might advantage some students over others. A qualitative approach focuses on students’ perceptions and circumstances, collected through free-text responses to a survey, combined with data relating to students’ ethnicity, social class, and their parents’ education. This approach highlights specific challenges faced by individual students. These individuals’ challenges are also instances of important factors influencing access to placement, with implications for institutions and policy makers interested in improving equality of opportunity.