Experience is an incredible asset in the world of work. This is one of the reasons why many students choose the internship route for their studies. Having an insight into future jobs allows students to find a balance between theory and practice. But how exactly do these jobs work? We tell you everything you need to know about being an intern.
What Exactly is an Internship?
Internships allow you to work while continuing your studies. The internship contract is a type of job that allows students to spend time in the classroom and time in a company in order to put their knowledge into practice. This form of contract, should not be confused with other common types of jobs that are available for teens and young adults.
There are three main types of contracts available for young people in the UK. Regardless of whether you’re in England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, you will have these three types of jobs available for you if you are between the ages of 14 and onwards. These three contracts are:
- Internships
- Apprenticeships
- Traineeships
The internship contract is quite different from the other two types of employment. Internships are typically medium to longer-term commitments that typically do not last more than one year.
Employers looking to hire interns are typically looking for university-age students or those who have recently graduated. However, this doesn’t mean that you can’t be an intern if you’re over a certain age.
The most typical examples of internship contracts are listed below.
- The summer internship: usually an intern that attains a summer internship has a contract that lasts about 2-4 months
- The most common internship: usually an intern that attains an internship contract works for about 6 months
- The longer-term internship: internships that require a greater time commitment are usually 1 year long
The Age Required for an Internship Contract
The internship contract is possible for students at least 16 years of age and is typically not seen for those over the age of 29. However, exceptions are possible, in particular for older people who have great qualifications and great reasons for looking into internships, such as changing their careers later in life.
Some people may also choose an internship contract if they’re over 30 because the experience they will gain will allow them to obtain a higher level of qualifications than the one they have simply from a university degree.
Other cases of exceeding the age limit are also possible. This can happen, for example, if a contract has been terminated for reasons beyond the person’s control. In this case, that employee can sign a new contract to continue his or her internship, even if he or she is over 30.
It is important that employers respect the minimum age of hire, which is 16 years old. Regardless of whether it is a summer internship in England or an internship recommended form a university professor – internships are considered to be like any other job with a few differences.
What this means is that if someone wants to be able to benefit from things like receiving minimum wage and other workers’ rights, they have to ensure that they are being hired by a trusted employer. If you ever wondered why younger children can’t participate in an internship, it’s exactly because of these laws that ultimately protect children from work exploitation.
What are the Working Hours for Internships?
Internships are like any other type of employment. This means that regardless of whether you’re a university student or are 16 and looking for your first work experience, internships are subject to employment rights and pay that are the same as any other job you would get.
The great thing about internships is that they can be more flexible depending on your situation. For example, there are some employers that can give you a day off in order to attend your classes or to take exams. This is why this type of employment is quite suitable for people who are still in school.
This balance of working and studying makes learning effective. Interns can then put into practice what they have learned in class once they are in the company.
The internship contract will allow any student to work full-time, which means a maximum of 45 hours a week.
International Students
International students are typically the exception to these rules. If you have a Tier 4 Student visa you are allowed to work full-time in the UK but only under certain conditions.
If the work placement or internship is an integral part of your programme and is not more than 50% of the length of your programme, then you are fine to work full-time as long as you remain an enrolled student at your University.
If you want to take on a work placement or internship that’s not an integral part of your studies, you can still do so however only under these working hours:
- Part-time (20 hours a week) during term time
- Full-time during vacation periods
Interns Also Have the Right to a Holiday!
Just like an ordinary employee, an intern is also entitled to have vacations and the employers must respect these rights. This means that you are entitled to 5.6 weeks of paid holiday per year. However, this may be reduced if you only work part-time. This can also include public and bank holidays, so you should make sure to check your contract beforehand.
Average Internship Salary UK
One of the biggest advantages of an internship contract is that you can earn a salary while you study if you are a student or a recent graduate. This can help many students to pursue higher education or a degree that they would not have been able to obtain without this financial support.
Many people interested in internship vacancies, whether they are recent graduates or are interested in studying abroad in the UK, are often interested in the salary that an intern earns.
This can be one of the most important factors when looking for careers or opportunities involving an internship role. If you’re wondering what the average salary is for someone in an internship programme, you’re not alone.
However, this is often not the easiest question to answer. The first factor you should take into consideration is the location of any of the internship opportunities you’re interested in. London, for example, will have a higher cost of living than many other cities in the UK.
This means that regardless of the internship vacancies you’re looking at, London internship opportunities will most likely have a higher average salary than many other opportunities in different cities in the UK.
While location is the most important factor in determining the average salary in the United Kingdom, the type of careers you’re interested in will also determine your salary.
One of the best things you can do is look at either the job application to see if they have a range for the salary or look at online review websites like Glassdoor that publish salary information for free.
How to Find a Great Internship
Whether you’re just starting your job application or are only just starting to look at job vacancies in your area, finding a great internship can be hard. However, we’re here to help with some tips on how to find the perfect internship opportunities.
The first thing you should determine is the location and cost of living of the city your internship is taking place. While London has one of the biggest job markets in the United Kingdom, the cost of living can be quite high, especially for students studying abroad in the UK.
The next most important factor in finding a great internship is to seek reviews for the job vacancies and careers you’re thinking about interning in. You can reach out to recent graduates who have been in your role previously to understand the intern position better.
There are also many review websites for companies available for free online. Reviews for a company can be super important to look at before you send an application to a company. They can tell you the benefits and disadvantages of different types of careers in different offices for any company.
One important thing to remember is that not only is doing an internship free but you are getting paid to learn! This is your time to get help in your career. So whether you’re a graduate studying abroad in the United Kingdom or are simply looking to switch careers, don’t put too much pressure on your internship experience.
How to Make Your Internship Application Stand Out
If you’re located in one of the more competitive job markets in the United Kingdom, like London, it can be hard to make your application stand out. However, getting help is completely free online. One of the best resources for getting job help is ACAS.
ACAS is an organisation in the UK that can help you with everything and anything job-related. Be sure to check them out for tips on how to make a great application as well as dozens of job-related templates.
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