Work experience

There are a number of different ways of gaining work experience whilst at university:

Temporary work

Working on campus in a temporary position can look good on your CV, as employers will be impressed that you are able to both study and a manage a job. Temporary positions are often flexible, enabling you to work around your lectures or exams, plus they are paid so can help you to manage your finances!

You can find out more about temporary work experience positions and opportunities by contacting your university Careers Service. Many UK universities have their own Unitemps service which provide part-time or full-time temporary paid work assignments – anything from one-hour shifts to full-time work for several months.


Volunteering

Volunteering is an ideal way to gain experience and skills, alongside contributing your time and energy to support an organisation or project and the local community.

As well as giving back to society, volunteering is also a great way to get to know the local area, meet new people and gain experience in a very different setting to that of a UK university.

Employers value the benefits of volunteering, as very often the projects you will be involved and the skills you develop, can easily be transferred to the work place.

“In a competitive job market, prospective employers want to see what makes you different from all the other candidates, and volunteering is a great way of standing out from the crowd. By demonstrating that you take part in meaningful activities in your spare time, you will show an employer that you are a well-rounded person with some interesting life experience.” Employer

Many UK universities have a team dedicated to supporting student volunteering. Find out more if your university offers volunteering opportunities and look at the types of projects you might enjoy being involved with.

Here are some of the benefits of volunteering shared by students:

“Being far away from my family has been extremely hard for me. Getting back into volunteering gives me joy that can decrease the amount of loneliness I'm feeling”

“I gained confidence in talking to people of different ages and from different backgrounds”

“Insight into a new career path that I now want to embark on!”

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