STEM Placements and Internships

We are keen to hear from any business or organisation that would like to explore the idea of taking on placement year or internship students from any of our STEM subjects (Computing, Engineering, Environment, Built Environment, Sciences, Product Design and Maths).

We work with first, second and postgraduate year students to obtain:

  • insight days/weeks
  • summer internships
  • placement years.

We have established a strong track record of working with employers in the STEM sector throughout the UK and are looking to expand our reach by working with new providers.

Register your interest

If you would like to talk to us further, please email us on stemplacements@brighton.ac.uk

FAQS

Taking a student on placement

A number of STEM courses incorporate a placement year after the second year of study. During this period, students are employed on a full-time basis in a role that complements their course.

We also have Postgraduate students on MSc Data Analysis and MSc User Experience Design courses that look for a placement year after their Masters year of study.

Partnerships between employers and students are of mutual benefit:

  • Students will have the opportunity to gain practical experience of the industry in an area that relates to their course, while employers are able to meet staffing needs in an innovative, flexible and low risk way.
  • Placement students can often raise awareness within businesses of the developments and advancements within certain sectors, and across various technologies that reflect the continually updated content of their degree course.

Our students have previously been on placements with a wide range of national and local companies such as Airbus, BBC, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, Eschmann, Gatwick Airport, Glyndebourne, National Grid, Nestle, Network Rail, Rolls Royce and Southern Water.

Placement students are keen, want to learn, want to make things better and can teach older people, like me, new ways of doing things.

Mick Gray, Mechanical Engineering Manager, Eschmann.

See how a placement student worked for Eschmann.

How does a placement year work?

When can the placement year start?

Typically, students commence their placement year any time between June and September after completion of their second year of study or after their Masters study year.

How long do STEM placement years normally last?

The required length of a placement year differs for each subject area, however, many organisations do tend to offer a simple 52 week contract.

Can the student complete shorter placements at multiple organisations to make up their placement year?

Students on all STEM degree disciplines, apart from Product Design, must complete a single placement with one organisation.

Product Design students are required to complete a minimum of 32 weeks which can be made up of a series of shorter placements and freelance work.

Interested in offering a short term experience as a summer internship or insight week? Check out the FAQs below.

Which STEM degrees involve placement years?

Below is a list of STEM degrees that involve placement years. The number of weeks in brackets are required to be completed by a student in order to graduate with a placement year as part of their degree.

  • Built Environment (40 weeks) - degree disciplines include Architectural Technology, Building Surveying, Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management for Construction and Quantity Surveying.
  • Computing (40 weeks) - all computing disciplines including Business Computing Systems, Business Information Systems, Computer Science, Computing Science with AI, Computer Science with Cyber Security, Digital Media and Software Engineering.
  • Engineering (48 weeks) - all engineering disciplines including Aeronautical, Automotive, Electrical & Electronic and Mechanical.
  • Environment (32 weeks) - degree disciplines include Earth and Ocean Science, Environmental Science and all Geography and Geology courses.
  • Maths (48 weeks) - all Maths degrees (please note Accountancy and Finance courses are covered in the Business section).
  • Sciences (48 weeks) - degree disciplines include Biological Science, Biomedical Science and Ecology.
  • Product Design (32 weeks) - all Product Design degrees.
  • MSc Data Analysis (24 weeks)
  • MSc User Experience Design (24 weeks)

For general information regarding placement years, please visit our placements page.

How do insight experiences/internships work?

When can insights/internships start?

Typically, students commence insights or internships in their summer vacation period between June and September. Insight days/weeks are taken between the first and second year of their degree and internships between the second and third year of their degree.  

How long do STEM insights/internships normally last?

An Insight experience for first year students can last anything from a day to two weeks.

A Summer Internship for second year students can last from one to three months.

Which STEM degrees involve insights/internships?

All STEM degrees can involve insight experiences or internships.