Internships, placements and other work experience

Internships are structured, sometimes project-based, work experience opportunities lasting anywhere from weeks to months. Many happen over summer, but some are available at other times of the year.

They are available across different job sectors, but they are particularly popular with large organisations. Many summer internships are targeted at students between their second and third years, but some are open more widely.

We run York Internships which advertises paid, project-based internships around York that are exclusively for York students. Last year more than 100 students completed one of these internships.

You may occasionally see internships advertised as 'placements', so read the description carefully to make sure it's what you're looking for.

Unpaid internships

While many internships are paid, some are unpaid. If you are thinking about taking an unpaid internship, make sure you understand the law. TARGETjobs information on unpaid internships covers your legal rights and the current debate around them.

If you are considering taking an unpaid internship, consider these questions:

• Who is the internship with? Can you find reviews from people who have done an internship with them before? Try RateMyPlacement and Glassdoor for company reviews.
• What value does the internship offer you? Will it give you an experience that would be difficult to find elsewhere?
• Is it clear what you are expected to do? Remember, if the internship looks a lot like a normal role in a company, it’s likely you’d be classed as a worker and by law should be paid.
• Are the financial arrangements clear? Will you be paid expenses for your travel and lunch?
• Is there a clear end date? We recommend that unpaid internships should be no longer than four weeks.

An increasing number of employers are contributing to programmes offering virtual work experience. These offer you the chance to:

• gain an insight into an industry sector and specific organisations
• experience companies you might not normally get access to
• develop and practise skills in a safe environment
• get involved in realistic tasks and activities, simulating the "real world" of work
• explore possible options to inform your career decisions
• add some valuable and recognised experience to your CV

Find out more at

• Forage - programmes designed to simulate real world experience; leading companies are involved from a range of sectors including law, accounting, finance, tech consulting, marketing and engineering. There is flexibility to complete the courses in your own time, and you can get a sense of the different companies in a given sector.
• Barclays Life Skills - virtual work experience on real world projects, and a virtual work experience hub for more tools and tips.
• Bright Network's Internship Experience UK for students and recent graduates offers virtual experience in a range of sectors.
• Handshake blog: Making the most of a remote internship
• TARGETjobs article: Student's guide to virtual internships

Work or job shadowing is where you observe an employee for a short period, observing the day-to-day activities that make up the job. This can help you understand more about what a particular job is actually like and whether you could see yourself doing it in the future. It’s also a good way to meet people and make contacts to help you find work experience or jobs in the future.

You might find some work shadowing opportunities advertised online, but most students organise it by sending speculative applications to organisations where they want to shadow people.

Some employers will advertise 'work experience' opportunities that are not exactly internships or placements. For example, they could be one or two week paid or unpaid opportunities. Many students will try to organise their own work experience by sending speculative applications to potential employers.

Insight days are usually run by large organisations, and offer the chance to learn more about a company or particular job sector. They may include presentations, workshops and tours of workplaces. Some insight days are run exclusively for first year students. They are particularly popular in law and finance, but can be found in other industries. You may also see 'insight weeks' advertised, which offer the same opportunities spread over a week.

You have opportunities to develop your enterprise or commercial awareness skills while studying. This isn't just for students who want to start a business; commercial awareness is highly valued in many industries and will help your job applications stand out. Read about the enterprise opportunities available through Careers and Placements.

A lot of students work part-time while studying. For many, the money earned is essential income. But part-time work or vacation work can also help you get a graduate job in the future. You can use it to help you identify your strengths (what are you good at? what parts of your job do you particularly enjoy doing?) and, whether you realise it or not, you’ll develop skills that will help you in the future. For example, you could be dealing with difficult people and improving your negotiation skills or developing excellent attention to detail by doing repetitive tasks.

General websites

• Prospects work experience and internships
• TARGETjobs internships and A-Z of employers offering work experience
• Milkround
• Bright Network
• Instant Impact
• Inspiring Interns
• Rate My Placement
• E4S first year internships
• Student Ladder

Volunteering

• NCVO: I want to volunteer
• Charity Job volunteering opportunities
• Do IT (a volunteering network with opportunities across the UK)
• Timebanking
• VSO International (volunteering opportunities abroad)
• Zooniverse (volunteer to help with online research projects)