Work Experience

Finding out about work experience opportunities

As more people than ever are studying at degree level, the competition for graduate positions is increasingly strong and you will need to stand out from the crowd when applying for jobs. Employers increasingly want new recruits to be able to add value to their company straight away. If you can demonstrate that you have already achieved a certain level of competence, you will be far more likely to get the job you want.  Remember your top priority in your final year will be your coursework, so you need to look at your first couple of years to gain work experience.

The Careers Service or the Job Shop cannot place you in a work experinece opportunity directly, however we will do all we can to provide you with information and advice to help you in your search. We have information on work experience opportunities, placements and vacation work. At the beginning of each academic year we receive a supply of free magazines the content of which is devoted to work experience/placements.

Call in to collect your own personal copy but please remember when they are gone they are gone! Reference copies will however still be available. We also have a reference book, "Into work experience – positive experiences of disabled people" - Published by Skill National Bureau for Students with Disabilities.

There are long running schemes such as Shell Step which can offer you help in finding suitable work locally and the Leonardo Da Vinci project which can help you find a work placement abroad and improve your language skills.

News and Events

4Talent's Work Experience Scheme - In 2010 this scheme provided 80 one to two week placements to 14-19 Greater London students. We worked with over 200 schools and saw over 450 students during our 3 recruitment open days. As part of our commitments at Channel 4 to inspire, train and develop the widest and most diverse range of talent we are planning on building on our scheme by extending the number of placements we are offering with our independent partners across the UK. We are also increasing the age range to 14-25 years old who are interested in pursuing a career in the media industry. This scheme will form an important part of our commitment to new entrant talent development which also includes activities such as Inspiration on the Road and our Internship/Apprentice ship programmes. To find out more about all our activity do visit our website www.channel4.com/4talent|. If you are interested in the scheme and would like more information, please contact our 4Talent Coordinator Lauren Mollyneaux at Lmollyneaux@channel4.co.uk|.

Volunteering

This is a very useful way of gaining relevant experience and for some sectors is the usual way of addressing lack of experience. Some students may want to gain or use their existing volunteering experience as evidence for work based learning modules. Check information on www.bolton.ac.uk/volunteering|

If you are interested in supporting people in the community, e.g working with homeless people, ex-offenders, people with addictions, children in care, people with learning difficulties or mental health needs, then it is very useful to contact voluntary organisations who work in these areas. There is a useful website set up for homeless people that has a comprehensive list of agencies who work supporting people http://www.homeless.org.uk/helplines-and-websites| .  You may be able to get voluntary work that will support your degree course and subsequently paid work in this sector.

Useful websites

• Prospects Work Experience - a one stop resource for all your work experience needs. Search for placements and find everything you need to know about how to get work experience.
• Graduate training jobs and undergraduate placements -made available to us by University of Cumbria
•  www.shellstep.org.uk Gives information on the Shell STEP Programme. It is a paid work experience programme which usually takes place over an eight week period in the summer, however there are some projects available on a part time basis throughout the academic year. STEP is open to second or penultimate year students only, and as its intention is to give a taste of the working world then you are unlikely to have had extensive work experience. Applications can be made on-line. Although applications are accepted all year round the bulk of the summer opportunities are dealt with from March onwards.
• www.work-experience.org. National Council for work experience. This site is useful, however it usually features placements with large companies. 
• www.do-it.org.uk Volunteering opportunities searchable database using your postcode.
•  EuroPlacement (www.europlacement.com)
  This organisation is a global platform for internships, (work)placements and graduation assignments on an international level, not just in Europe.
• Fledglings (www.fledglings.net)
  You need to register. Useful listings of placement vacancies.
• GTI (www.gti.co.uk)
  GTI are the publishers of the annual Guide to Work Experience - see the Jobs section of the site.
• www.europeantrainingservices.com - Leonardo Da Vinci scheme for 10 week placements in Europe that can be used by graduates.

• The United Euro Bridge is a voluntary organisation providing work experience for university graduates. We have a large number of work experiences available in enterprises throughout Europe. The placements last 24 weeks and are all funded by Leonardo da Vinci-part of the Lifelong Learning programme. The placements available are advertised on our website: www.unitedeurobridge.org/J/index.php| 

•  http://www.summerjobs4u.co.uk/

• http://www.visionandmedia.co.uk - for students looking to work in the digital creative industries.

• www.itjobsforgraduates.com a specialist job board for IT graduates in the UK who also advertise IT internships and graduate schemes/ programmes and training.

• Work Experience USA - CCUSA can find you a job based on your skills for the summer or find your own using the website provided. Most jobs are seasonal retail, restaurant or hospitality, national parks, amusement parks or other tourist destinations.  

• http://www.employ-ability.org.uk EmployAbility is the not-for-profit organisation that manages and facilitates the attraction, selection and recruitment of disabled students and graduates for blue-chip 'disability inclusive' employers. It offers both internships for undergraduates (summer placements) and graduate training schemes.

• If you are interested in obtaining a TEFL qualification to enable you to teach English abroad then the the attached link will give you userful information.