About Internships

Why apply to do an internship?
Whether you are in your first or final year of your degree, it is never too early or too late to start thinking about your future career. But what if you are not sure where you would like your degree to take you? Or maybe you have an idea, but you would like to gain experience in the sector, before committing to a job. An internship is the ideal opportunity to combat both. In fact, there are plenty of reasons why an internship is the perfect choice for the unsure student or graduate…

You’ll find out whether the job is right for you
Completing an internship is a great opportunity to ‘test drive’ a potential career without fully committing to a permanent job. An internship allows you to affirm or discount a certain job or career sector, helping you to narrow down your options.

You’ll develop your skills and add experience to your CV
Either way, if you decide the role is or isn’t for you, you have gained valuable experience and you have developed key transferable skills. Employers looking to hire a graduate won’t expect you to have huge amounts of industry-specific knowledge, but they are on the lookout for certain key soft skills – like being a team-player, good communicator, leader, and problem-solver.

Increase your professional network
An internship gives you the opportunity to increase your contacts, expand your professional branding, and if you have performed well, strong references for a future employer.

You’ll discover the type of work environment which is best for you
Would you prefer to work within a large company or an SME, working as part of a team or alone, and whether you like being allowed more independence over your work or are more comfortable working closely with your manager. Finding out which work culture is better suited to you can help when deciding the type of career you would like to go into.

You may find your future employer
Undertaking an internship can open many doors to your future employment. Particularly if you are a graduate doing an internship scheme, these opportunities may lead to a permanent role – so take every opportunity you can!

Check out our helpful links page for links to job sites advertising internship opportunities.