Types of work experience

• They provide an opportunity to gain a feeling of what it would be like to work full time in a particular industry.
• Demonstrates to employers that you have chosen to use your vacation constructively and start making decisions about your future career early on. 
• Develops practical skills which will be critical in your graduate employment.
• Provides valuable experience of a recruitment process.

• Generally they last between 6 to 12 weeks and are undertaken in a particular occupational or professional area. 
• Popular areas advertising internships include engineering, computer science, business and accountancy and finance.
• Employers use internships to 'test out' future graduates; many will use these schemes to recruit students for their graduate training programmes. 
• Internships are advertised at various points in the year. Make sure to find out the deadline for applications as soon as possible so you are not disappointed. 
• Internships are highly competitive and follow formal recruitment processes. Make sure your application stands out.
• Need funding to support your summer internship? Find out how we can help.

• Generally taken between your second and final year at University.

• Industry placements are typically paid, and salaries can vary according to location, role and company. The average salary is £20,300 across the UK. Working in London, it is on average £22,000 (source: Prospects, 2025)

• Large graduate recruiters advertise placements from early Autumn term through to the Spring term with some deadlines before Christmas.

• Small and medium sized companies tend to advertise year placements from Spring onwards.
• You will need to complete a project and possibly progress reports as part of the placement for the University.

• Enables you to develop a range of practical skills.
• Offers you a variety of challenging work situations.
• Employers often see volunteering as a reflection of your values and ethics.
• Gives employers an indication of your motivations and commitment to social and welfare issues.

• Volunteering is unpaid. However, travel and expenses may be reimbursed.
• The occupation you want to work in, the skills you want to develop, and the length of time you can commit will all be key factors in helping you decide and find the right volunteering opportunities.
• It's important to think about location too and how far you can travel for an unpaid position.
• Volunteering requires commitment and enthusiasm.
• The expectations will be just as high here as with any other type of work experience.
• Prospects provides further information about volunteering: Volunteering: what can you do and what are the benefits? | Prospects.ac.uk and NCVO: Find a volunteering opportunity | NCVO

• You have the chance to experience a role while being able to ask questions about the processes and issues involved.
• Opportunity to experience elements of work where you need to develop your skills and knowledge.
• Gain a better understanding of areas you would like to specialise in.
• Gives you a chance to enter highly competitive fields (TV, radio, clinical psychiatry etc) and gain experience where paid work experience positions are rare.

• Companies rarely advertise work shadowing; you should contact an organisation directly with a speculative CV and covering letter.
• Generally it takes place over a few weeks at a time, it can be as short as two or three days.
• It is rarely a paid option.
• The work you undertake is dependent on the individual/s and/or the company and what they can offer and time they can commit to you.
• You need to negotiate the content of your work shadowing with the organisation.
• Vacation time is the best time to undertake work shadowing. If you have the time available during the term you can experience this if you can manage study and other commitments alongside your placement.

• An opportunity to gain first hand exposure and experience on how an organisation operates, and the type of activities you may get involved in on a daily working basis
• Enables you to network with the employer and build a positive reputation for any future opportunities
• Sometimes insight programmes can lead to being fast-tracked through part of the application process for summer internships or extended work experience opportunities
• It can be a fun, eventful and interactive programme

• You will usually engage in a range of activities including workshops, presentations and site tours.
• An insight programme can last anything from a day to a week - or sometimes even longer.
• You may look for more information about insight programmes on Prepare for insights days and vacation schemes page

• Opportunity to gain valuable experiences and skills which will attract future employers.
• Provides additional income.

• It doesn’t have to relate directly to your course or future career aspirations.
• You should ensure your part-time work does not have a negative impact on your studies.
• Jobs in the Guild of Students offers vacancies for part-time work in and around Birmingham

• You can develop key skills such as team work, communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills
• If you are a committee member (or offer help to the committee), you can also organise, lead on, manage, or contribute to activity. E.g. organising a social, helping to generate new members or co-ordinating a competition with other universities
• You could start and run your own student group. Perhaps the current student groups that are available do not offer what you seek, and you have spotted a gap. Maybe you have a hobby to share, such as cooking or have a cause that you feel passionate about, and want to contribute?

• It doesn’t matter what society you join. It’s what you do and how you contribute to your student society that provides you with work experience 
• If there is not a society that appeals to you, could you create your own group!
• Student Group (Guild of Students)
• Start your own Student Group (Guild of Students)

• Builds transferable skills which employers seek
• Can fit around your studies 

There are lots of opportunities. Examples are as follows:

• The Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS) scheme at UoB involves higher-year students supporting lower-year students with their studies, in small groups
• The University's Outreach department recruit mentors to guide local Year 12 school/college students
• Volunteer with Coachbright (a social mobility charity) to offer academic coaching, helping young people in schools from disadvantaged backgrounds
• Volunteer with Zero Gravity where students mentor young people to get into top universities
• Tutoring roles are also available and can be found on Careers Connect

• Can be undertaken in your spare time, around your studies
• Enables you to develop new skills, shows initiative, self-leadership and other transferable skills
• Tests possible business ideas for the future
• Relatively simple to organise 

• Find out about hustle ideas from the Prospects link below and how much you can earn before tax.
• If you are an international student on a Tier-4 visa, there are visa restrictions. You are not allowed to run a business or be self-employed while studying in the UK. Check your visa requirements regarding paid work. 

Resources

• Side Hustles for Students - Prospects 
• Help for Hustles - Gov.UK Campaign

• You develop transferable skills that employers seek 
• You have the opportunity to gain funds and earn an income
• You are the boss, making decisions that could positively impact others! 

• You’re not on your own. Get support from the University. Visit B-Enterprising webpages
• If you are an international student with a business idea and wish to start in the UK, it is important that you ensure you have the correct visa to start a business. Read more info on Support for international students page. The team can support you in other valuable ways, such as: 
• 1-2-1 Start-Up advice appointments
• Intercampus Enterprise Competition
• UoB Elevate Start-Up incubator
• Enrol onto the B-Enterprising Canvas course