Preparing you for your future career
From the moment you arrive at York, you'll be encouraged to prepare for your future career. We have a wide range of opportunities available to develop your skills, and we'll ensure you're equipped to compete with the brightest graduates for the best jobs, all over the world.
York graduates are sought after by major employers across the globe, in a wide range of career routes. Latest figures show that 9/10 of our students go into work or further study within six months of graduating.*
Your career
Careers services and activities
You can seek careers help online or in person at any stage during your studies. We offer projects, training, volunteering, work experience and events to help you get ahead in the job market and we'll help you work out what you want to do when you leave.
Study or work abroad
Studying or working abroad during your degree can be a life-changing experience. It broadens your cultural and social perspectives, develops language skills and increases your employability in the global market. As a leading university, York has links with top institutions and employers all over the world, where you can take part in a study exchange or internship.
Free language training
Learning a foreign language is a fantastic boost to your CV. Whether you want to improve your career prospects, prepare for an international placement or study for fun, we give you the chance to take a course in a foreign language alongside your studies.
Skills for life - The York Award
You will have the opportunity to apply for The York Award, unique to the University of York. The York Award is a certified programme of skills training, work experience and volunteering delivered in partnership with leading private and voluntary sector employers. It's designed to ensure you leave York with the key skills and experience that are highly sought after by employers.
Volunteering
Volunteering is an excellent way of developing valuable transferable skills and knowledge and a worthy addition to your CV. We can help you find volunteering opportunities, placements and internships with organisations across York. You can use your skills on a specific project or create your own project with our support.
Promoting enterprise
If you aspire to be the next Steve Jobs, we can help you on your journey to entrepreneurial success. Our Student Enterprise Space provides professional hot-desking facilities for fledgling businesses. You can meet fellow entrepreneurs, share ideas and gain contacts. We also run a programme of workshops to help you understand the processes of business planning and management, with mentors and business advisers on hand to help you realise your ideas.
Benefit from our alumni networks during and after your studies
While you're at York, Professional Connect is your opportunity to put questions to a panel of professionals from your chosen sector, to get an insight into current issues, career paths and roles available. After graduation, you will be welcomed into a worldwide network of more than 102,000 York alumni across 172 countries and you can take part in wealth of networking opportunities, at events and online.
* Destination of Leavers of Higher Education survey 2013, Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). It includes Home/EU, full-time and first-degree students who graduated from York in 2013.
Wise words from our graduates
Megan: Law graduate
Business Development Assistant at Pinsent Masons
"At interviews I spoke about the skills and experience I gained, such as my involvement with the York Award. I regularly attend Alumni networking events to help move my career in the direction I want it to go."
Miles: History graduate
Now works at the American Embassy
"By getting experience not only do you prepare yourself for leaving university, but it helps you decide what you want to do when you leave university. Go out, get some experience in your summer holidays or on Saturdays, go out and do some voluntary work.”
Alex: History graduate
Assistant Producer at BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra
"Being part of the Alumni Network is a great way to meet people for your next move. I’ve made lots of valuable contacts through the network and events."
Abisola: Philosophy, Politics and Economics graduate
Barclays Investment Banking Graduate Scheme
"Make the most of the connections available through the alumni network, not only in London and the UK, but across the world!"
Ian: Economics and Statistics graduate
Director of Internal Audit for HMRC
"I made some very good friends at York who I’m still in contact with now and it’s just proven to be one of the best platforms I could have had before I started working."
Graduate profiles
Find out what our graduates are doing now.
