Work while you study

Placements

Placements offer you the opportunity to put your skills into practice, build up your professional network, develop your commercial awareness and potentially be fast-tracked to a graduate job.

A placement year is a structured work experience opportunity that can be integrated into your studies and is recognised within your degree title. Many organisations offer placement opportunities, and they are a great way to boost your employability, strengthen your academic performance and demonstrate your strong work ethic to potential employers.

Placement years are open to most undergraduate students, including those on courses with an integrated Masters year. They are designed to build your confidence and self-awareness as well as your insight into the workplace. You'll develop your skills during, and by reflecting on, a minimum of nine months experience in an organisation.

Before starting a placement that forms part of your course, you are likely to be asked by the placement provider to sign a confidentiality agreement. This is to ensure that you do not disclose any information that is confidential to the placement provider.

Year in industry

Some departments offer a year in industry as part of your degree, giving you the chance to gain hands-on industry experience specific to your area of study.

Search for a course with a year in industry

Internships

Internships, work experience and virtual internships offer the opportunity to enhance your knowledge and gain insight into a particular job or industry. We offer paid project-based internships with local employers, exclusively for York students, through our York Internships.

Past internships have included developing a marketing strategy for Castle Howard, and working with the National Bee Unit at the Food and Environment Agency.

What our students say

Our blog is full of stories from different students sharing their experiences of being on a work placement.

Part-time paid work

Part-time work is a good way to gain experience, expand your skills, earn money and meet new people while studying.

Finding work on and off campus

York offers plenty of opportunities to find work at the University or around the city.

There are opportunities that directly complement your degree. You could:

• assist or participate in university research
• become a paid Student Ambassador
• share your experience of York at Open Days
• engage with our alumni community.

There are also various opportunities on campus in the shops and bars, in catering, in library and administrative support and in cleaning.

The city of York also offers unique and exciting job opportunities: you could join the team of actors at York Dungeon, become a city tour guide, or channel your inner Viking at the JORVIK Viking Centre.

It is easy to think that working in shops, bars or restaurants won’t be valued by graduate employers, but this isn't true. Employers are looking for candidates who thrive in any work situation and value the transferable skills you will develop: customer service, time management and communication skills, plus commercial awareness.

As a student, you will have access to Handshake, our digital careers platform. Here, we advertise all part-time and temporary job vacancies, and internships that we receive notice of, both on campus and in the local area.