Here at the University of Suffolk, we know how important it is that students and graduates have access to high quality work experience opportunities. We recommend that students check our Job Board at least weekly to stay up to date with the newest opportunities. We are connected to a wide variety of local, national and international organisations to ensure part time jobs, internships, volunteering opportunities and graduate jobs are advertised to the University of Suffolk community.
In 2022, we relaunched our Internship Programme, with brand new funding available to local employers to enable them to recruit current students or recent graduates into part and full time internships. Here at the University of Suffolk, we know that rewarding students for their work is essential, and will only promote paid internships.
If you are a student or recent graduate (within 3 years), please complete our Expression of Interest form to stay up to date with the newest opportunities.
Please note that these internships are open to current University of Suffolk students and recent graduates who have studied or are studying in the following locations: Ipswich, East Coast College, Suffolk New College, and West Suffolk College. Students at other Partners should contact their designated Careers or Student Services Teams for targeted support.
Our students and graduates have been successfully offered opportunities at a wide variety of organisations in Suffolk, across the UK and beyond. Suffolk County Council, Adnams, the BBC, Ubisoft, Willis Towers Watson, Camp America, and British Council opportunities in China are just a handful of examples. We also run the Micro-Placement scheme which provides paid internship opportunities here at the University, exclusively for our students. These opportunities have enabled students to gain a first-hand insight into industry across a range of business areas to enhance skills and attributes, boost confidence, and provide those essential opportunities to gain experience to give them a competitive advantage as a graduate.
What's the benefit of completing an internship or work experience for a student?
- Allow for self-discovery and self-learning
- Ease the transition from study to work
- Increase skills and knowledge
- Improve understanding of a particular job or industry
- Introduce other roles that may not have previously been considered
- Gain insights into the way organisations operate and challenges they face
- Networking opportunities and connections
- Real work examples to use in future job interviews
- Experience in a desired career field
What's the benefit of internships to businesses?
- Bring fresh, new ideas and perspectives to the table.
- Provide a different viewpoint to support problem solving and finding new solutions to recurring issues.
- Minimise workflow interruption by easing the workload of current employees, or pursuing the project that has been put on hold due to business pressures.
- Opportunities for existing employees to develop their supervisory, management, mentoring and training skills
We are currently offering a limited number of internships which are 100% funded by University of Suffolk, up to the value of £1500. Our internships are flexible and can be offered to both current students on a part time basis or recent graduates on a full-time basis. If you are a business, find out more here.
Our current Summer internships can last either four or eight weeks.
Scroll to the end of the page for some recent case studies from our students and graduates on why their internships and work experience were so beneficial to their future.
Contact
The team is available for information, advice and guidance.
T: 01473 338840
For regular updates:
Twitter: @UniofSuffolkCareers
Facebook: /UniofSuffolkCareers
Bronyck Stokes Horrigan, Part-time Practice Lead-Advanced Analytics Consultant at Aramar Solutions and was BA (Hons) Business Management student.
Aramar are a business analytics consultancy, delivering financial reporting, analytics, planning and performance management solutions. We are proud to be a growing company that is trusted by organisations of all sizes and industries to help them plan for, understand and control their business performance and make better decisions as a result. Find out more.
The business need for this internship was in two parts;
- Short term need to develop an internal subject matter expert for a data discovery tool.
- Long term need for internally developed consultants with the right soft skills.
Quote from the business
‘Bronyck has shown that internships can create value by investing in growing a knowledge pool within the organisation by introducing a new perspective, and the ability to learn without the distraction of an embedded role. The engagement of an internship also has the great potential to find talent in those that have not been recognised before they graduate.’
Quote from the student
‘Completing my internship whilst at university has not only led to continued employment, but I have been able to apply the skills I have learnt on my course in a real life scenario, as well as giving context to issues discussed in lectures and seminars. It has been really helpful to talk to people who have been in a business environment for many years, and every day spent at work provides a chance for development in terms of career and personal growth. I enjoy working alongside my studies, and it has made me better at managing my time.’
Cara was successful in being offered a 3 month internship with Suffolk Archives in Ipswich.
I was extremely lucky to be offered a position at the Suffolk Archives. I came into this role quite open; I have always had an interest in history and local heritage. One of the main reasons I applied for this internship was because I did not have a direct plan for my future. But when this role was suggested to me by my Careers Advisor, I was extremely grateful as it seemed like the perfect role. Although not a permanent role, I thought getting some experience would be valuable for me and it would also give me a chance to think about my future in more depth.
This internship required me to undertake some research, which was one of the main reasons why I thought it would be a great opportunity for me. From studying for my English degree, as well as undertaking a work experience placement where I researched for a local heritage project, I believed I had some good experience. My main role was heading up a research project, planning an online resource for the Suffolk Archives to be used in their school programme. Within this, I conducted background research on the national curriculum, local schools, local heritage sites, online distribution channels, textbooks and visiting local schools as well as researching the archives when choosing some documents to use in an example resource pack/activity. I especially enjoyed visiting the local primary schools to talk about the future school programme – asking the types of resources they’d like, what they are currently using and the curriculum for KS1 and KS2. I was also tasked with creating an example school resource, which would be used for structure and content after my placement ended. I finished my internship by writing a report on what I had discovered in my research.
One thing that surprised me about this internship is how it inspired me to search for some future roles in the education sector, especially as throughout my degree I wasn’t set on one career. From speaking to some teachers and being in the school environment, I felt more drawn those school roles. In September I will be going to a Graduate Internship with a local secondary school as a Teaching Assistant. Although quite a contrast to this internship, I believe it will be a great opportunity for me to gain some experience in a school and to see whether a career in education is right for me.
This internship has been a valuable and interesting opportunity for me, I have had the chance to work with some great people and to demonstrate even to myself the lengths of my strengths. I am grateful to everyone that I have worked with and who helped me during this time.
Nathan graduated with a first class BA (Hons) English and History degree, and was successful in being offered a 3 month internship with Suffolk Archives in Ipswich.
During the three-month summer internship with Suffolk Archives I have been tasked with developing educational resource packs for KS2 students, focusing on Ipswich and the Home Front during World War II, and the experience of living in a rural Suffolk village during the Victorian period.
The task has involved searching the archives for a range of primary sources – maps, letters, council meeting minutes, government leaflets – that will engage primary school students; broaden their understanding of these two key moments in British history; and allow the identification of similarities and difference between local and national experience.
Seminars at UoS involved interrogating primary source material. Most of the written sources, however, were either transcripts or photocopies. I have really enjoyed delving into the archives and getting my hands on ‘real’ documents – the excitement of not knowing what each record will reveal. Uncovering unexpected, humorous accounts, events and characters has been particularly rewarding! I have also enjoyed conducting self-guided research and being responsible for my own time. The task has sharpened my research skills – I’ve become more confident in identifying suitable lines of enquiry and being given the responsibility to manage my own time has further developed my organisational skills.
The internship has given me the opportunity to consider future plans whilst utilising the research skills developed during my undergraduate studies. Having been accepted to study MA History at Essex University, I have decided to defer further academic study, for the time being, and look for employment opportunities within the local heritage sector – a decision that was partly inspired by my experiences whilst on this placement.
The community engagement and voluntary team with whom I have worked alongside have been fun, friendly and supportive, making the past three months the most enjoyable experience – I cannot think of a better way to spend the immediate post-degree months (holiday in the Caribbean aside!).