Placements, internships and work experience

Why to gain work experience

Work experience will allow you to develop skills, try out a career choice, and stand out from other candidates. Work experience can also earn some money alongside your studies.

Part-time work

Many students have a part-time job during their studies. While this is often necessary to have some extra money, it is also a great way to develop transferable skills. These skills can often help with applications in the future, even in a completely different field.

A part-time job can be in a variety of different sectors. While often these jobs are in the hospitality or retail sector, this is not the only possibility.

Our page on finding part-time work gives an overview of where to start looking. It is also worth speaking to a career consultant and checking CareerSPACE opportunities.

Internships

Often, companies offer paid internships that can last from a few weeks to a few months. These can usually be found on companies’ websites and often get recruited for months in advance.

Some organisations might also try to offer unpaid internships. Goldsmiths Careers Service does not recommend unpaid internships to our students. We strongly believe that all work should be paid. Internships should at least be paid the national minimum wage, but ideally the London living wage. No unpaid opportunities are advertised on our platforms.

Search for internships on CareerSPACE

Placements

Some of our courses offer a placement module as part of the curriculum. These are often in the second year of an undergraduate or part of a master’s degree and will typically last between 10 –16 days.

These are often voluntary, as the experience is credit-bearing and forms part of your degree.

Volunteering

Volunteering gives you a chance to gain valuable transferable skills while giving something back to an organisation or community that could benefit from your skills.

Various roles are available, from helping an organisation build their website, to organising a fundraising event.

Goldsmiths only recommend volunteering with registered charities.

Find out more on our volunteering pages.

Work shadowing

If an organisation cannot offer you a formal placement, you may be able to “shadow” a member of staff.

This involves spending a short period with them, watching their role and asking questions about their work.

These opportunities won’t be advertised, so think about the areas and organisations you are interested in and contact them directly. Think about whether anyone in your existing networks could help you.

Work shadowing should not include carrying out work for the organisation.

Virtual opportunities

Also known as remote, online or e-experience, more employers are offering virtual internships and work experience opportunities.

This is a great way to develop a range of skills from home through your computer. It can also mean you can gain experience with a company without travelling, potentially opening up a range of global opportunities.

For more information about virtual work experiences visit prospects.ac.uk.