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Internships for First Year Students

By UCL Careers, on 23 October 2014

This post originally appeared on the QMUL Jobs Blog

At this time of year, we get a lot of questions from new students all about finding an internship. Now, it is generally more common for large organisations to seek interns who are in their second year of study. That being said, that doesn’t mean that you can’t find an internship for your first year – just that it might take you a bit of hunting around to do so. Ask your Careers Service if they know of employers who offer some experiences for first years, or talk to an adviser about using some of your own friends and family to help you out.

Internships

Spring Insight Weeks

You’ll may find employers offer ‘insight weeks’. Generally, these are shorter than full internships, and they involve spending a week or two, usually over the Easter break, finding out about what it is like working for a certain company or in a certain industry. Often, doing an insight week in your first year will then help you when you apply to do an internship in your second year, so take the time to have a look at what opportunities are out there.

Other Work Experience

Students often focus on internships because this is what you have heard about and you know they are important to getting a job after uni. However, internships are not the only way to get work experience. Any opportunity to work with employers, to gain an understanding of a certain industry or organisation and to improve your skills, will be of value to you. Volunteering, for example, is a great way of getting experience if you are interested in working in a charity, an NGO or any job in the third sector. Getting a part-time job in a theatre will help you to network and increase your chances of hearing about permanent graduate positions. Tutoring and working with youth groups will boost your personal statement if you want to apply for teaching. Your careers service may well be offering internship opportunities, ask through your students union, or hunt for part-time working using JobOnline.

The point is, have a think what type of job you will want after university, then research what skills and experiences employers are asking for, and then find the best way to get these skills and experiences – be that with an internship or through another way.

With thanks to Kirsti Burton at QMUL.