Internship Experience UK

Bright Network is a free careers platform connecting students and recent graduates with the opportunities and advice to make the best career choices and progress as the workforce of tomorrow. We work with 280,000+ members and 250+ world-leading employers.

Who is eligible for Internship Experience UK?

The internship experience is open to everyone over the age of 18. The content of the experience is tailored best to those who are about to finish college/sixth form, current university students and recent university graduates. To apply, you'll require Bright Network membership which is free and takes about a minute to sign up for.

How do I apply and will I be accepted?

You can apply for Internship Experience UK just here. To join the experience there will be a light pre-screening stage to ensure commitment to the programme. This will consist of basic data capture and a short 100 word answer on why you want to take part. All fully completed submissions will be given access to the internship experience.

What does an Internship Experience UK programme consist of?

The virtual experience has four core parts across the three days:

Core skills sessions - delivered by career experts
Sector focused upskilling sessions - delivered by leading employers in that sector
Project work which simulates real work an intern would complete
Networking with fellow participants and the leading employers

Why is the internship experience live, rather than something you can take in your own time?

We believe having a live experience replicates an internship more effectively, because:

you can network with employers and your peers
you get extra support from employers during the three days
there's a realistic deadline for the work sample you're set

That being said, if you're unable to attend the live dates, all sessions are recorded and you can access them in your own time. If this is you, head to the 'On demand' page and fill out the application form and we'll send you the materials when they're ready.

What is the time commitment required to complete the internship experience?

An internship experience runs across three days. The hours (all in BST) are broken down like so:

Day 1: 9:00am - 5:30pm
Day 2 - 9:00am - 4:30pm
Day 3 - 9:00am - 2:00pm

There are plenty of breaks in each day. A significant proportion of days 2 and 3 involves a self-led project which participants can do flexibly.

To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to give peer-to-peer feedback which we foresee taking approximately 30 min-1hour.

What is the application deadline?

There are individual deadlines for each stream, which are around 3 working days before the stream begins. To find the deadlines, head to the Internship Experience UK hub.

Do I need any prior experience to apply for the programme?

Not at all. The programme caters to everyone and there will be introductory sessions in the first morning to bring you up to speed. This is a chance to gain experience to put on your CV and explore different career options.

Is there a limit on the capacity for the internship experience?

No. With the platform we’re using (Hopin), an unlimited number of students can access the experience.

How much does Internship Experience UK cost?

The internship experiences are completely free. They are designed to provide access to opportunity during this period of uncertainty, regardless of circumstance or background.

Will I be paid?

Unfortunately, you won't be paid to complete the internship experience. The experience you complete is designed to upskill you, build your connections and boost your employability. During the programme, you won't be working for any of the sponsoring firms or Bright Network, and therefore not contributing economic value to them.

I can't make any day of the experience I want to do. Can I still access the opportunity?

Yes, all the content from Internship Experience UK will be recorded and will become available online, allowing you to access it in your own time. If this is you, head to the 'On demand' page and fill out the application form and we'll be in touch when the content is ready. However, you will unfortunately miss out on some elements of the live experience, including the networking opportunities.

I have a full time job. Can I still take part?

Yes, all the content from Internship Experience UK will be recorded and will become available online, allowing you to access it in your own time. If this is you, head to the 'On demand' page and fill out the application form and we'll be in touch when the content is ready. We want to ensure everyone can access the opportunity and don't want you to miss out if you'll be at work.

I'm unavailable for parts of the internship experience I want to do. Can I still do it?

To complete the live internship experience, you will need to be at the sessions and complete the project work sample. If you feel you're unable to do this in the set dates, the recordings of sessions and sample will be available online after for you to access in your own time. If this is you, head to the 'On demand' page and fill out the application form.

Who is delivering the sessions during internship Experience UK?

The sessions in each internship experience are run by a mixture of leading employers, industry experts and the Bright Network team. Bright Network will work with all session leads to ensure it is relevant to those taking the course and is high quality.

Will I receive feedback and how will that work?

Yes. For submitted simulated work samples, participants will receive feedback on how they performed and areas for improvement through peer-to-peer marking based on model answers and score sheets. Submissions will be randomly shared with a participant for marking and re-submission to Bright Network for moderation. To receive your certificate of completion, you will need to complete the work sample AND also provide peer-to-peer feedback on another participant's work sample.

Can I apply to more than one internship experience?

You can apply to as many as you wish. However, do check the schedule as some programmes overlap and therefore you won't be able to complete them both.

Will I get a job at the end of Internship Experience UK?

There's no guarantee that you'll get a job on the back of completing an internship experience. The skills and experience you develop though should support your applications to leading employers.

What do you do with my data?

Your data is very important to us. To better understand how we collect and process data, read our terms and conditions and our privacy policy.

Can international students do Internship Experience UK?

Absolutely. The opportunity is open to international students, regardless of visa status or right to work.

I go to school/university abroad. Can I do Internship Experience UK?

Yes. The opportunity is open to all. However, the content is tailored best for those pursuing graduate careers in the UK.

Should I put internship experience on my CV and LinkedIn profile?

Definitely. When you complete an internship experience, you will receive a certificate of completion. Employers want to see that you've been proactive, developed your skills and completed projects based on real work scenarios.

I've applied to Internship Experience UK. When am I likely to hear back as to whether I've been accepted?

We aim to get back to applicants within 2 working days to confirm their place on the experience. This will sent directly to your inbox.

What equipment or technology do I need to complete the internship experience?

The programme is fully virtual. You can access the sessions in your web browser from your laptop or computer. There's no requirement to download software to take part.

If I have accessibility requirements, what should I do?

We want to enable as many students as possible to complete this internship experience. If you have accessibility requirements, please get in touch with the Internship Experience UK team at IEUK@brightnetwork.co.uk and they will be able to support you.

If it’s open to all, how will the networking work?

On day 2 of each internship experience, you’ll have the opportunity to join “booths” which have firm representatives, Bright Network alumni and the support team in. You’ll be able to type questions which will be answered live (on screen).

With other participants, there will be opportunities to virtually meet some of them on video calls throughout the experience.

We also encourage participants to reach out to those they “meet” in the booths on LinkedIn - the more proactive you are, the more you can gain from the experience.

Can my application be rejected for Internship Experience UK?

We have unlimited spaces and want to accept as many people as possible onto each experience. However, we look for people who are committed to their career development. If an application form isn't filled in with due care and effort, there's a chance you'll be rejected from the programme.

Will I get a certificate from the programme? Even if I do the On Demand experience?

Yes, everyone will receive a certificate by completing all the sessions and submitting the sample work. This is also the case for the On Demand experience.

Internship Experience UK - FAQs

General

Eligibility

About the programme

Accessing the opportunity

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