A Selfie (or Self-Employed Placement) is a pathway within the Year in Industry option which offers Stage 3 students the opportunity to run their own business rather than taking a placement within an existing business.
Support is offered during the year by the ASPIRE, with monthly group meetings and one-to-one advice from the Entrepreneurs in Residence team.
Selfies are assessed academically in exactly the same way as a traditional placement, with a report and portfolio of evidence.
Fees for the Selfie year are in line with all the Year in Industry options.
Why should I do a Selfie?
A Selfie gives you the chance to launch and run your own business. It might be an idea which you have or you can develop an existing business which you have already launched. It is an opportunity to try a new idea and see if your business can succeed!
The Selfie year will be incredibly challenging, but it is also very rewarding. You will need to be extremely self-motivated and prepared to work long hours to get the most out of the experience. But, you will get a feeling of satisfaction and achievement in developing your own business. Unlike some traditional placements, you will gain an understanding of every aspect of business, from finance to marketing, rather than one particular job role.
Who can do a Selfie?
Selfies are open to students who opt to do a Year in Industry during their third year. This means that students complete 4 years at university (3 years of study and one year in industry). The Year in Industry is taken after Stage 2 (Second year) and before the final year of study (Stage 3/Fourth year). Students wishing to do this can find out more and apply during stage 2. Please note that Selfies are not open to Tier 4 students.
It is preferred that you have completed the Business Start-Up Journey programme, but consideration will be given to students who have not done that but have a strong business plan or existing business.
Where can it lead?
Many students who have completed a Selfie year have gone on to run their own businesses. Others have taken the lessons and experiences they have learned and applied them within existing corporate and business settings.
To add a Year in Industry to your course, you need to complete a Change of Course form which can be obtained by emailing kbsugo@kent.ac.uk