Placement years at StagWeb

Groupia is a specialist group tour operator and event management company based in Bath. The original business as the name "StagWeb" may suggest, was based on delivering services in organising high end, high value stag weekends. The founder was a bestman way back in 2000 and developed it from there. Over 15 years on and we're operating in over 80 destinations in over 20 countries. You can see a lot more on the "about" page which will also mention our other platforms including GoHen - our sister site for, you guessed it, hen weekends.

At first glance you may think stag and hen weekends may be seen to be a casual area but coming from a corporate event, hotel and hospitality pedigree we're a highly professional, standards driven company and we'd put ourselves up against any tour operator and event business. We've been a top 3 finalist in 2 major commercial awards in the last 3 years - competing against some very, very significant businesses. We employ 20 people and turn over in excess of £4 million per annum and commit to an industry leading voluntary code of contact. We were the first agency to become an ABTA member and offer market leading financial protection to all our clients - whatever they booked, and enjoy a highly professional reputation.

We have a specialism in a sector that's often sensationalised but as a highly functioning business we're very serious about being the most professional in our market, so in terms of a placement we'd recommend it as a good one. StagWeb is a great place to work and gain some invaluable experience, part of the attraction is definitely the audience profile, fun events, a dynamic young team and a relaxed environment. Placements are required to be very hands on and they're considered a key part of the team, with mature responsibilities and a high volume of events. Just keep in mind it's definitely not a free ride.

We've been taking placement students since 2003 and one of our original placement students (incidentally from he attended the same uni as the founder), is now MD. Successful placements are a win-win opportunity for both sides, if the fit is right, here are the three main reasons from the student point of view ...

The genuine benefit for the student is that they get real experience of business and an insight into professional delivery.
Your practical hands-on learning is accelerated massively it gives you.
Fluency and credibility when it comes to your post uni interviews (setting you apart from the pack).
You can earn a bit of cash.

And as an extra bonus ...

If you go well enough you'll probably be offered a role to come back to post university. We're fortunate to have a few here now who are all options holders in the business and will eventually take it over.

Here are some comments from previous placement students...

Steve Roddy (now MD)

"The company has grown massively since my placement year back 2005/2006. It's been amazing to be part of the transformation and witness first hand how a simple concept can expand into a multi-million pound business".

Emma Coates

"I started my year placement at Groupia (then StagWeb) in 2009, at the time the company consisted of only 8 people, since then it has grown to more than 20. It's a fantastic company to work for, with a young, vibrant team and expanding opportunities".

Jon Stainer

"My placement started at Groupia in 2006, and have to say I wouldn't be where I am without it. I've developed a fantastic amount of skills and knowledge while working in the creative side of the business".

Jennifer Green

"I thoroughly enjoyed my placement year with StagWeb in 2007. It gave me vital experience that others didn't have when I graduated university and searched for full time employment".

Richard Treslove

"My placement with StagWeb (Groupia) back in 2007 really gave me the building blocks needed to start a career in the travel and leisure industry".

Jamie Parlour (current)

"A year in the industry with Groupia has helped me to develop the fundamental skills needed to succeed in my final year of university and helped me to understand how SME businesses operate."

The benefit to us as employers is that we get some enthusiastic individuals that we can train our way, and that's really appealing. As an organisation we're dedicated to service at a higher level and client outcomes and we've got great systems to achieve that. We're committed to being the best quality, most professional company in our space, whichever new ventures we undertake.

So if you're interested please drop us a line or share this page with someone else.

In the meantime here are 7 tips to secure and get the most out of any placement interview ...

Apply early.
Do your research on the company.
Have a good story as to why you'd like to have / be ideal for the placement.
Be enthusiastic at your interview.
Bring up anything the company should be aware of in advance.
Don't expect the company to fit around you.
Follow up on your interview.

And 7 more for getting the most out of your placement ... even if it's not at StagWeb

Always be punctual, follow official and unofficial codes and try to fit in, remember there could be a job offer at the end of it - at the very least you'll want a really good reference.
Put in extra and you'll stand out, that includes listening intently and asking questions to help you get on.
Don't fear challenges and don't be afraid to put your hand up if you need help, either if you've done something you think is wrong or you don't quite understand. You'll be expected to make the odd mistake, especially to start with, so always keep in mind it's easy and more cost-efficient to put something right quickly. Just try not to make the same mistake again. And if something goes badly don't let it knock your confidence - see point 4.
Approach the placement as a learning experience, be committed to getting the most out of it. The more you put in the more you will get out.
Understand the theory of what you're doing in a business context, if you don't, get your manager to explain the whys and wherefores.
Try to cross reference your uni learning, and if you see any, offer ideas for improvement.
Remember why you're doing it & enjoy it!