Getting work experience can be tough, either when you’re at school or after you’ve left. You often have to go through an interview process, and before that you have to decide if the opportunity is right for you.
We’ve put together a list of leading and national employers that are offering work experience this year. Remember, lots of companies are offering virtual work experience now as well. Therefore, don’t count yourself out just yet if you don’t live as close to the location as you’d like.
HSBC
HSBC offers a UK specific work experience programme, where you can find out what it’s like working at an international banking organisation. You’ll have the chance to get practical experience you won’t get anywhere else.
The programme is aimed at people aged 18 or under, in years 9-13. It is also a hybrid model, meaning you will work days in an office, and other days at home.
Did you know?
HSBC stands for The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited. Make sure you remember that if you ever have an interview there!
MBDA
MBDA is a defence company that specialises in missile systems. They have sites across England, with their main bases being in Bristol, Stevenage and Bolton. Their work experience programmes aren’t just for people interested in engineering either! You can do a programme in things like business and software as well.
Their programmes are often for one week, so if you’re looking for some short-term work experience this could be perfect for you.
Thales
Thales is a global organisation that works in aerospace, defence, transport, security and electronics. One of their key functions is to to create electrical systems, but the large scale of their business means there are lots of different roles you could be doing as part of a work experience programme there!
They offer virtual insight days for those aged 16-19 across six different sites, with over 150 different placements every year. Their two main sights are in Crawley and Cheadle.
IBM
IBM (International Business Machines Corporation) is one of the biggest tech companies in the world. It was founded in 1911, and now specialises in computer software and hardware.
They offer virtual work experience days and sessions for students interested. This is great for people who can’t travel to their locations. As part of National Work Experience Week 2023 we are hosting a one hour session on Monday 24th April at 3PM.
Join us and find out more about their different opportunities this year!
Did you know?
IBM was involved in landing the first person on the moon. Its computers were assigned to the Apollo missions to help track the astronauts.
BT
If you live in the UK you’ve likely seen or heard of BT, they might even be your broadband provider. They’re looking to get young people involved in the world of work, and are offering a Work Ready programme to help prepare them for the future.
They’ve already helped over 3,000 18-24 year olds get into work, and they want to reach even more! Their programmes are a great gateway into the digital working world, and it’s all part of their mission to help young people thrive.
Royal Mail
Royal Mail is one of the UK’s longest-standing institutions, and was founded in 1506 (over 500 years ago!). They are one of the biggest logistics companies in the world, and delivered around 1.4 billion packages last year in 2022.
There are lots of different ways to get work experience with Royal Mail. They offer apprenticeships (working while studying for a qualification), and also summer internships.
Want to know more? We’re hosting an event with Royal Mail as part of National Work Experience Week on Wednesday 26th April at 3PM.
PwC
You might have heard the name PwC, but not be sure about what exactly they do. They are one of the ‘Big Four’ accounting firms in the world, and generate billions of pounds in revenue each year. Their UK headquarters are in London, but they have bases across the UK.
PwC offers a couple of different work experience programmes. The first one is Career Launch Work Experience – mainly based in Belfast or Manchester – where you can join their team in the office and experience what life is like working in their different departments. These programmes are aimed at Year 12s in Manchester, and Year 13s in Belfast.
They understand that not everyone lives a commutable distance away though, so they also offer Virtual Insight Programmes. These sessions offer you a virtual view into the different areas available, including tax, technology, and consulting.
We have an interactive session coming up with PwC on Thursday 27th April at 5PM as part of National Work Experience Week.
BAE Systems
BAE Systems is a defence company that has bases across the UK and beyond. They provide work experience placements for 14-18 year olds, which involve working on exciting projects.
Their placements normally last around a week, and can cover a range of different industries apart from just engineering. However, they do also offer taster weeks for those who are specifically interested in engineering for those aged 16-18, so if this is something you’re interested in it’s definitely worth checking out.
Local companies
There are likely to be lots of local companies near you that can offer work experience, even if they don’t know it yet. You can email, call, or even visit them in person if you’re interested. This is also a way to guarantee that you’ll be able to work there in person, as you’re more likely to be local to them.
We’ve got lots of sessions with some of the employers above as part of National Work Experience Week 2023! Check out our events page and sign up to our sessions 24-28th April 2023.