Work experience and internships
"I got [my] job offer because of my internship with the company which I heard about through the Careers Service and you were kind enough to give me some interview training which secured me the position. I really appreciate all your help." Student Laurence Mackenzie-Platt, International Relations 2011.
‘Placement’ is just one of the terms used to describe a period of work based learning that boosts a student’s employability and complements their academic studies.
Here is a quick guide* to the most common definitions:
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Internship – a structured period of employment, usually initiated by the employer, in which students contribute to and learn about an area of work which may or may not be relevant to their course of study. Duration and hours will vary depending on the employer and sector.
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Work Placement – similar to an internship, but usually directly relevant to the course of study and often an assessed part of that course
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Extra Mural Year/Industrial Placement/Sandwich Placement/“Year in Industry” – a year-long period of employment, usually undertaken between the penultimate and final year, and almost always an assessed or mandatory part of the course of study
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Work Shadowing – a chance to observe an area of work, rather than contribute directly, and usually lasting a much shorter time than internships/placements.
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Work Experience – an umbrella term encompassing all of the above; basically any opportunity that gives experience of the work place.
It all counts. So why do you need work experience and how can you get it?
Finding work experience through JobOnline
JobOnline advertises a range of work experience opportunities from employers who are specifically looking for students and graduates. Getting work experience can help you 'test out' different jobs, gain an awareness of potential future careers and develop insight into what aspects of work you find rewarding – this is particularly important if you have little or no idea of what you want to do after graduation!
Attend a 'How to...' session
In the Careers and Employability Centre we run a number of different 'How to' sessions, one of which being on internships and work experience. This is a great opportunity to listen to advice from a Careers Consultant on how to obtain that valuable experience and why it is so important for when you come to apply for jobs. Take a look at the events listing for the next session.
Attend the Vacation and Internships Fair
Also on our events pages you will find information about the fairs we run, which includes the Vacation and Internships Fair; where we have a number of employers attending wanting to attract King's students to work for them. This is a great opportunity to network and gain some insight information on hwo you can obtain a placement.
Do your research using Careers Tagged
Search for useful websites and resources on Careers Tagged from The Careers Group. Tip: enter tags such as "employer" or a type of work; you can combine the results with other tags such as "internship" or "vacancies".
There are also hard copy resources available in the Careers and Employability Centre such as:
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Helpsheet on 'Internships, Vacation Work and Work Experience'
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Vacation Opportunities Booklet
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Target Work Experience
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Prospects Work Experience
Graduate Internships
There are some national programmes such as the STEP work experience scheme - a highly regarded work experience programme run every year. Our colleagues in The Careers Group provide a regional hub centre for Graduate STEP (paid internships for graduates).
Timing your applications will be important. If you are looking for a summer job, it is best to start looking before Christmas, when they are first published. For Christmas and Easter holiday jobs, you should start looking early in the autumn term. However, not all employers will fill their vacation jobs so far in advance and it is sometimes possible to find last minute jobs.
Note that if you are going for one of the major employers' annual vacation work schemes, please be aware these are often very competitive and have early closing dates - so start investigating these early in the autumn term of your penultimate year.
* Apart from some specific exceptions, employers should pay at least the minimum wage for work experience. Further information about the minimum wage is available from the Department for Business Innovation & Skill