York Futures
Stand out from the crowd and enhance your career prospects through a series of activities and opportunities.
Contact us
Careers and Placements team
careers@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 322685
94% of York graduates were in employment or further study six months after graduation
Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey 2016/17 (HESA) (full-time UK students)
Second in the Russell Group for the proportion of graduates in work or further study three years on
Department for Education, Graduate outcomes report 2017
In the top 20 universities targeted by the largest number of leading employers
The Graduate Market in 2019, High Fliers
Shape your future
During your time at York we offer you the chance to develop your skills, strengths and leadership qualities. You can build a rich portfolio of skills and experiences to enhance your CV, impress employers, set up your own enterprise or prepare you for further study.
Our employability programme, York Futures, will help you understand your options, reflect on your experiences and make plans for moving toward a career you'll thrive in. Our unique approach starts in your first year. It gives you the time you need to explore your options and take full advantage of our broad range of personal development opportunities.
Activities include:
- York Strengths Programme
- placements, internships, and part-time work
- study abroad opportunities
- societies
- volunteering
- enterprise
These activities will help you make friends easily and get to know York.
Each Autumn, we invite more than 50 recruiting employers to each of our three careers fairs. The fairs kick-start the annual employer events programme and provide access to work experience opportunities in your first and second year, as well as graduate roles in your third year.
York Strengths Programme
Our three-stage York Strengths Programme helps you make sense of what you could offer to employers.
Year 1
- Use our online exercise, York Strengths Discovery, to identify personal strengths
- Join a York Strengths Development Day to help identify and articulate what you're good at and how to develop these strengths
- Get support accessing placements, internships and volunteering
Year 2
- Reflect on experiences and strengths through applying for the York Award
- Develop leadership skills alongside employers and alumni with York Leaders
Placement year
- Optional placement year between your second and third year
- Pursue local, national or international work
Final year
- Prepare your employability story by applying for the York Award Gold
York Award
The York Award is an employability certificate awarded by the University that recognises and rewards your contribution to activities and communities at York.
US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour was the star guest of Northern Youth, a student-led fashion show in aid of the refugee crisis. Projects like this can go towards your York Award and help you gain valuable work experience.
Global programmes
Add an enriching dimension to your studies, enhance your CV and explore the world with an international experience.
Language courses
Whether you want to study for fun or improve your career prospects, we offer a wide range of flexible language courses.
Work while you study
Gain valuable work experience while you study on a placement year or other work-related opportunity as part of your degree.
Student societies
Indulge in your interests, meet like-minded people and develop skills valued by employers by getting involved and joining a society.
Volunteering
Broaden your leadership and organisational skills and make a difference to other people’s lives through our extensive volunteering programme.
Enterprise
Connect with experts, get involved with enterprise, gain financial backing and develop your skills at competitions and activities throughout the year.
Engage with top employers
Meet top employers looking to target our students for work opportunities at careers fairs, workshops, presentations and networking events.
Benefit from a scholarship
Each year we offer additional scholarships which you can apply for when you start your studies at York, including scholarships to enhance employability and leadership skills.
The Laidlaw Undergraduate Research and Leadership Scholarship
The Laidlaw Scholarship equips you with the skills, knowledge and behaviour to become a leader of tomorrow, and to make a significant impact in your chosen occupation.
York Futures Scholarship
Offering 106 awards in 2018/19, the York Futures Scholarship provides funds for you to access opportunities that give you a head start in the job market.
The Laidlaw Scholarship programme is offering 25 scholarships in 2017/18.
Workshops and events
Access hundreds of workshops, skills sessions and networking events to enhance your career prospects, strengthen your CV and develop key transferable skills. Employer talks, recruitment fairs, departmental events, and careers workshops offer regular opportunities to network with potential employers, explore your options and get help and advice.
Online case studies
You can learn about successful York graduates' career journeys through talks, online case studies and mentoring schemes.
Our expert careers advisers will help you make the most of your time at university and fulfil your aspirations.
The Working In events provide an opportunity to talk to professionals working in areas that you're interested in.
York Alumni Association
Our global network of 116,000 York alumni work in organisations such as Twitter, the United Nations, Accenture, BBC, Deutsche Bank, European Space Agency, Microsoft, BMW, NATO, BP, Diageo, Google, and J P Morgan.
Many of our alumni visit campus, share their stories and are there to offer you support and advice through York Alumni Association.
My internship at TSYS was about understanding the consumer perception around mobile payments. I designed an online survey and analysed the data using a statistical program which I learned to use during my Masters at York. What I did during the internship was linked so closely to what I studied throughout the academic year.
Lucio, MSc Global Marketing
Contact us
Careers and Placements team
careers@york.ac.uk
+44 (0)1904 322685