Find out about internships and work experience, including Employ.ed on Campus, and internship agreements. What is an internship? An internship is a period of structured work experience. It can be a great way to build professional experience, gain insight into a sector and develop skills that may play a part in your career-planning decisions. Typically, you will: be offered training and may be assigned a mentor or buddy work on a specific area of work or assigned to a project work for between 6-12 weeks be encouraged to reflect and record your experienceMost large graduate employers have an internship programme aimed at second, third or penultimate-year students. This forms part of their graduate recruitment strategy – impressing on an internship may lead to a job offer after graduation. For internships taking place the following summer with major graduate employers, deadlines for applications can be as early as November. If you miss these deadlines, there will be other internships or work experience opportunities advertised throughout the year. Work experience It is important to consider all of the ways you can develop your work experience, as not all companies and roles will offer internships. Work experience is a broad term that can be applied to a range of development opportunities, including internships, work shadowing, summer research projects, part-time or vacation work, volunteering or extracurricular activities like sports clubs and societies. Explore a variety of options in our Sector Information and Build Experience sections of our website: Sector information Build experience Where to look for internships? Use MyCareerHub as your starting point. MyCareerHub (UoE login required)The Careers Service, in collaboration with partners, offers structured internship programmes exclusively for University of Edinburgh students. Find out more on our Employ.ed on Campus page: Employ.ed on Campus Besides MyCareerHub, use the following websites to find internships. Some advertise opportunities across all sectors, and others are sector-specific. Prospects Targetjobs Student job Inside Careers Gradcracker Bright Network Businesses in certain sectors rarely advertise internships. If you’re keen to get experience in these sectors, your best approach is to reach out to them yourself. The following page offers our tips on how to do that: Creating your own opportunity You can also find advice on getting work experience in specific sectors via our Sector Information page: Sector information | Careers Service Virtual internships Some leading companies have created programmes of hands-on tasks and modules similar to those you’d undertake during an internship with them. These aren’t paid, but they are a way to gain an understanding of different roles and sectors, and an insight into specific companies. Programmes typically take between 6-8 hours to complete. The Forage platform hosts a wide selection of these programmes, including Data Science, Software Engineering, Investment Banking, Design & Branding, Cyber Security, Engineering and Public Health. Some experiences are with US, Nordic, Middle East, UK and Australian companies, offering a real global focus. Forage The U21 Sustainable Micro-internships programme allows you to work with your fellow students from across the globe, sharing knowledge and expertise whilst immersing yourself in a commercial organisation. In your group, you will be tasked with providing a solution to a real-life SDG related challenge, which you will then pitch to senior stakeholders within the organisation at the end of the programme. Not only will you form quick partnerships with sustainability-minded students from a variety of academic disciplines around the world, but you’ll also challenge your abilities, whilst developing key skills enabling you to thrive in the modern workplace. U21 Sustainable Micro-internships When you're looking at opportunities of this sort, keep our advice in mind below: Top tips when considering virtual work experience Overseas internships Some students find internships in other countries. Use our advice on finding jobs outside the UK to help with this: Finding jobs outside the UK Some companies facilitate overseas internships, finding relevant experience for you in specific locations, and charging for this service. You’ll find many of these advertising on MyCareerHub. Researching overseas opportunities - what questions should you ask? Internships for international students If you're an international student looking for an internship, we recommend you start by reading the information and advice on the Student Immigration Service:Work placements and internships on a student visa Internships for widening participation students Saltire Scholars Programme The Saltire Scholars Programme is Entrepreneurial Scotland's flagship programme designed to find, grow and connect students with the ambition and potential of becoming future leaders for Scotland. The programme puts students on a year-long transformational development journey, culminating in an 8–12-week funded summer internship with host companies from all over the world. On this journey, students undergo a robust recruitment process, empowering personal development workshops and work on real commercial projects with their host company. Through this, students unlock their full potential, foster an entrepreneurial mindset, and feel empowered to drive growth and impact as they navigate their future careers. Saltire Scholars Programme Mitacs Mitacs Globalink Research Internship is a competitive initiative for international undergraduates. From May to October of each year, top-ranked applicants participate in a 12-week research internship under the supervision of Canadian academic institution faculty members in a variety of academic disciplines, from science, engineering, and mathematics to the humanities and social sciences. Mitacs Globalink Research Internships can offer you an international experience like no other. Canada features excellent universities, outstanding research facilities, cutting-edge industry innovation and unparalleled undergraduate training opportunities. Mitacs Globalink Research Internships Research internships Although some research internships might be advertised online, many students will secure research experience by approaching an academic or researcher from their area of interest directly. This involves contacting the individual and asking them about potential research internships in your area of interest. While these internships may be unpaid, you may be able to apply for funding through your supervisor. Employ.ed on Campus Learn about Employ.ed on Campus and how you can apply, including eligibility and application support. Internship agreement Learn what an internship agreement is and about the process of requesting one. This article was published on 2024-05-14
