The Agency Project: a Case Study

The Agency Project is a work placement module, where students are based in the workplace for 6 weeks, working on a real project, which is of use to the employer, and submitted for marking by the University. It has been running since 1991, and as many as 60 students can be placed in any one year. The success of the project for undergraduate town planners in their fourth year has resulted in the scheme being extended to include other undergraduate groups, namely those studying for joint degrees (architecture and planning; transport and planning), as well as postgraduate students in the field of town and country planning. This involves the support of at least three professional bodies: the Royal Town Planning Institute, the Royal Institute of British Architects/Architect Registration Council and the Institute of Logistics and Transport. Employer interest is high, and has increased to include virtually all employers in the immediate Bristol region, as well as others more distant. Job satisfaction among students is high, and the project is successful in promoting the subject of town planning to students of joint degrees, leading to higher numbers of students wanting to enter the profession. Relations with employers in the region have been enhanced, leading to a more meaningful understanding and exchange of developments in the field, employment practices and educational.