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A graduate placement or internship can give you a valuable introduction to the world of work – and boost your future career prospects. You can search for internship opportunities online through Graduate Talent Pool.
Coming soon - national internship service
There are plans to offer an expanded internship service to undergraduates as well as graduates, with bursaries available for students on lower incomes
Graduate placements and internships are offered by a wide variety of organisations, covering a vast range of opportunities.
The terms ‘placement’ and ‘internship’ usually mean the same thing. However, some are paid and others are unpaid.
Every placement will be different, depending on the needs of the particular employer. But typically, you could expect to be given a specific piece of work, or a list of duties. Most placements last for a few months.
Internships and placements can give you the chance to:
One way of finding internships is through Graduate Talent Pool. This service is available for graduates who graduated in 2008 or 2009 with at least a first degree or Foundation Degree.
You can also find out about placement opportunities at your university careers service.
If you apply for a placement or internship, it’s a good rule of thumb to approach the whole application process as if you were applying for a paid job.
To find out more, see ‘Getting a graduate job’.
Internships are designed to give you a taste of working for an employer. You won’t necessarily be expected to have work experience already.
However, some placements may require graduates with specific experience - so check the role description before you apply.
If you’ve got relevant work experience – for example, from a ‘sandwich’ course or part-time job – this could strengthen your application.
Different organisations have different approaches. You may be asked to attend an interview (be prepared to discuss your longer-term career plans as well as the internship itself).
Some organisations run assessment days, where you’ll be asked to perform certain tasks to show that you’ve got the skills needed for the placement.
If you’re offered a placement, you’ll normally agree a contract with your employer. This will describe the duties you'll be expected to carry out. It can also include:
Some placements are paid, others are not. Whether you’re entitled to payment will depend on what you actually do for the organisation - not what your role is called. If you are performing as a worker, you must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. The exception to this is if your placement is part of a further or higher education course and lasts up to one year.
If you are taken on as a volunteer, you’re unlikely to receive payment.
Even if your placement is unpaid, it’s worth asking whether the organisation could cover your expenses, such as daily travel costs.
On a placement, it’s a good rule of thumb to behave as if you were a permanent employee. See ‘Getting a graduate job’ for advice.
If you’ve been receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA), you can continue to claim if your placement involves less than 16 hours’ work a week. For placements of 16 hours or more a week, you will not be able to claim JSA.
However, if you graduated in 2009 and have been receiving JSA for at least six months before starting an internship, from January 2010 you may be eligible to receive a ‘training allowance’ equivalent to your JSA. See ‘Training allowances on graduate internships’ to find out more.
If you are on a placement and claiming JSA or a training allowance, you must continue to look for work and be prepared to leave the internship if you’re offered a job.
Being asked to do more than you originally agreed could be a good sign: you may see it as an opportunity to prove your skills and increase your chances of future employment.
But if you feel that you’re being asked to do too much, talk to your employer. They may be willing to extend the internship, pay you more money, or offer you the chance to apply for a job.
There’s no guarantee that a placement will lead to a job. However, if a job does become available you’ll be in an excellent position to be considered.
If you apply for a job elsewhere that would start before your placement ends, you should tell the company you’re applying to about the notice period for your internship.
If you need to take time off for interviews, you’ll have to negotiate this with your placement employer. Remember that you may need a reference, so it’s worth handling this as professionally as possible.
Kick-start your graduate career: search for internship vacancies in England
