Employer engagement opportunities: Internships and placements

Supporting future talent through internship and placement opportunities
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Employer engagement opportunities: Internships and placements

Supporting future talent through internship and placement opportunities
Whether you're interested in offering an internship, placement or other short work experience opportunity, our Employer Engagement Team can help you advertise opportunities, connect with University of Plymouth students and develop mutually beneficial projects.
For more information or to discuss your recruitment needs, contact our Employer Engagement Team:
 

Internships
An internship is an excellent development opportunity for our students, enabling them to develop their skills, confidence and knowledge. We can support with micro and summer internships. Read on to find out more about our internship programmes.

Micro-internships
Each year we deliver our micro-internship programme open to undergraduate students from all courses and stages. Launched in 2019, these popular bite-size, voluntary work experience opportunities last between 3–10 days (up to 37 hours per week) and can be delivered remotely, in person or in a hybrid format, with an individual student or a small group.
Micro-internships provide businesses with an opportunity to benefit from talented students who can support a short project or a collection of defined tasks. In turn, students gain valuable experience, explore different sectors, build confidence and enhance their employability skills before securing a placement year or graduating into the world of work.
Got an idea for a project and want to chat through the next steps? Email Lois at internships@plymouth.ac.uk who will be happy to talk you though the onboarding process.

Micro-internships dates for 2026/2027

Winter cycle: 23 November – 18 December 2026 (the deadline to receive projects is 8 October, part-time only, max. 20 hours per week)
Spring cycle: 15 March – 2 April 2027 (the deadline to receive projects is 28 January 2027)
Summer cycle: 1 June – 13 August 2027 (the deadline to receive projects is 28 January 2027)
To allow for students to plan for their summers we advertise the Spring and Summer cycles together.

Summer internships
Keen to recruit students over the summer or have a longer project in mind?  We can help you advertise and promote paid summer internships, connecting you with our motivated students ready to make a positive impact.
Paid summer internships can last for up to 12 weeks, offering a flexible way to bring additional resource into your organisation during busy periods or to support short-term projects. Whether you're looking for help with a specific piece of work or simply add extra capacity during peak demand, a summer internship can deliver real value to your business.
Students bring fresh perspectives, up-to-date knowledge, and enthusiasm, while gaining valuable industry experience and developing their professional skills. It's a great opportunity to support emerging talent while achieving your business objectives.

Eligibility

To be promoted through the University of Plymouth Careers Service, internships should:
  • last 2–12 weeks
  • be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (or National Living Wage, where applicable)
  • offer students meaningful work that supports their skills development and employability.

How we can support you

Our Employer Engagement Team can:
  • support you with vacancy advertising and advice on using our online system, myCareer
  • provide advice on advertising, recruitment and best practice
  • help you maximise student applications by promoting opportunities at key times of the year and through targeted student communications
Whether you're recruiting for a short-term project or looking to build your future talent pipeline, we're here to help.
Contact us to discuss your summer internship opportunity and how we can support your recruitment.

Top tips from team internships
Explore some of the most popular project ideas and discover our top tips for designing a project that is achievable, engaging, and delivers real value for both your organisation and your student intern.
Please note: projects should not involve primary research.

Popular project ideas

@  Data analysis and evaluation
@  Social media strategy and content design
@  Digital media and graphic design
@  Market research within a defined sector
@  Event project support
@  Technical research and report writing
@  Illustration and creative design
@  Software development
@  Office administration and business support

Best practice tips

6  Keep it achievable
Micro-internships last 3–10 days, so make sure the project has a clear scope, realistic objectives, and a deliverable that can be completed within the timeframe. 
If you're offering a Summer Internship (up to 12 weeks), consider breaking the work into clearly defined phases or milestones to provide structure, maintain momentum, and give the intern opportunities to reflect on their progress and achievements.
6  Start with a conversation
Arrange a short informal meeting before the internship begins.  This gives your intern the opportunity to ask questions, understand expectations, and get off to a confident start.
6  Design for learning
Internships both micro and summer, are designed to provide meaningful work experience.  Create projects that are structured, accessible, and allow students to develop valuable skills (new and existing) while making a genuine contribution.
6  Stay connected
Regular communication helps interns stay on track and feel engaged.  Whether through short meetings or email check-ins, frequent contact will improve the overall experience for both you and your intern.
6  Consider accessibility
If your internship is in person and you can contribute towards travel costs, be sure to mention this in your opportunity.  It can make your internship more accessible and appealing to a wider range of students.
 
 

Placements
A placement year (also known as a sandwich year, year in industry or work placement) offers a unique opportunity to bring talented undergraduate students into your organisation for an extended period of up to one year.
Many organisations use a placement year as an effective way to identify future graduate talent for their business, while others benefit from the additional resource, fresh perspectives and specialist knowledge that students bring to their teams. 
Whether you're looking to strengthen your talent pipeline or gain support on a short-term basis, hosting a placement student can deliver real value to your organisation.

Why host a placement student?
  • Identify and develop future graduate talent early.
  • Bring fresh, innovative ideas and creativity into your business.
  • Gain a new perspective on projects and challenges.
  • Providing valuable additional support during busy periods or on key projects
  • Raise your organisation's profile among University of Plymouth students.
  • Developing connections with future talent in your sector.
  • Supporting continuity, students can work part-time during their final year of study.

What does the placement year involve?
Recruiting a placement student is a simple and flexible process. 
The information below explains placement durations, key recruitment timelines, the support available from the University, and how you can promote your opportunities to our students.

Placement duration

Placement durations vary by degree programme and last between:
  • 24 weeks
  • 36 weeks
  • 48 weeks
During this period, students take a year away from university studies to gain meaningful, degree-related industry experience.

Placement timelines and the recruitment process

Students begin searching for placement opportunities from October in their second year of study and continue applying throughout the academic year.
To attract the strongest candidate pool, we recommend advertising opportunities:
  • October to November: Ideal timing for maximum student engagement
  • February onwards: Strong recruitment period for various employers (particularly SMEs)
  • May to June: A valuable opportunity to engage students who have completed exams and are refocusing on their placement search.
Most placements begin between July and September, following completion of the academic year.
We encourage employers to use their standard recruitment and selection processes. This provides students with valuable real-world experience while helping you identify the right candidate for your organisation.

Ongoing University support

Every placement student is assigned an academic Placement Tutor who maintains contact with both the student and employer throughout the placement period. The Placement Team is also available to answer queries throughout.

Promote your opportunities

Connecting with University of Plymouth students is simple and cost-effective.
You can:
  • Advertise placement opportunities free of charge through myCareer, our online careers platform.
  • Attend our careers fairs and employer events throughout the year. Visit our employer engagement opportunities page for more information.
  • Raise your profile with students across a wide range of disciplines.
  • Build awareness of your organisation as an employer of choice.

Work with us

Our dedicated team connects employers with talented students who are eager to learn and gain real world experience.
If you would like to discuss recruiting a placement student as part of their degree programme, we'd be delighted to help.
Email: placements@plymouth.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0) 1752 586007
 
 
 
 
 
 

Hear from our hosts and students

Hosting a micro-intern at the Devon Chamber was a win–win: we gained fresh ideas and great outputs in days, and the recruitment process was quick, clear and hassle-free. We’d recommend it to any organisation looking for impact without heavy admin.’

Ronnie Carter, Devon Chamber, summer 2025 micro-internship host

My experience during the micro-internship was very valuable, as it gave me the opportunity to work on a real business challenge and apply my academic knowledge in a practical setting. I particularly enjoyed conducting market research and developing pricing and sales strategies that could be directly used by the organisation. The experience also helped me build confidence in my communication and problem-solving skills, especially when engaging with a real client and delivering work that added tangible value. Overall, it was a great learning opportunity.

Prince Ajeh, BSc (Hons) Business Management student
 

Get in touch

Contact one of the team today to discuss how we can support your internship and placement recruitment needs, or how we can help you raise the profile of your organisation on campus.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Employer engagement opportunities