Finding relevant work experience
Building relevant work experience during your time at Edinburgh Napier can support your personal and professional development. Work experience can help you learn about your strengths and skills and gain a better understanding of the role or industry you might want to work in. We also offer a range of student ambassador schemes.
What types of work experience opportunities should I consider?
Work experience can be in the form of:
Placements
We offer several different placement options for students studying a range of subjects at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. Placements are aimed at supporting your professional development and preparing you for the world of work with industry-based work experience to give you a taste of a potential career.
Placements can run from 20 hours to 12 months. Speak to your Programme Leader to confirm if a placement is possible as part of your programme.
The Student Futures placement team supports students with finding, applying for and preparing for a work placement.
Find out more about placements on myFuture.
For School of Health and Social Care practice placement queries please contact the SHSC Placement team by emailing sighthill.placements@napier.ac.uk.
Project work as part of your studies
Live project work can be offered as an alternative to a placement and is undertaken within your programme where you will collaborate with a host organisation or employer. Speak to your module leader to find out about project options in your programme.
Internships
An internship is a fixed-term role that usually runs over the summer months or after graduation. It is an opportunity that you organise yourself, outside your programme of study.
Some useful websites for searching for internships include:
Volunteering
Volunteering means giving up some of your time and skills in unpaid meaningful work, often with a non-for-profit or a charitable organisation.
Volunteer Edinburgh and Volunteer Scotland are good places to start searching for opportunities.
Part-time work
Part-time work is a great way to build experience as well as providing financial support for you during your studies. Edinburgh Napier's Student Ambassador scheme is a paid, part-time, casual work opportunity for students to work across the different areas of the University.
You can use the Student Futures opportunities board and the ENSA job page to assist you in searching for part-time work.
How to search for work experience opportunities
Searching for opportunities will depend on the type of work experience you are seeking. For more information on how to apply for opportunities, visit the CVs and applications page.
Applying for advertised opportunities
Use online job portals, employer websites, social media and professional bodies websites. You can also find out more on the MyFuture opportunities page.
Applying on a speculative basis
This means proactively reaching out to an organisation who are not currently advertising a vacancy. Some organisations create jobs, internships or placements for candidates who reach out to them on a speculative basis.
Approaching organisations on a speculative basis includes making contact through a phone call, an email or through social media like LinkedIn and perhaps sharing you CV and cover letter. Another useful way of securing an opportunity can be using your network of contacts, asking your friends, family or ex-colleagues to let you know of any opportunities they might be aware of.
Applying for an ENU Placement
You will receive information about opportunities via email or Moodle. You often submit a CV and cover letter to the placement team or directly to the host organisation. You may also be invited to interview.
Attending employer events
Our Graduate Recruitment team organises events throughout the year including jobs fairs, networking events and employer presentations. Visit MyFuture to view and book onto an employer event.
Student Ambassador Schemes
As an applied and inclusive University, a core component of our Graduate Recruitment agenda is our commitment to providing you with the opportunity of meaningful work experience while you study. Part of the way we do this is by giving you the opportunity of paid part time, casual work across the different areas of the University via our Student Ambassador Schemes.
This is a great way to not only earn as you learn, but also to develop and reflect on the skills and competencies required to be successful in the workplace after you graduate and to network with both staff and other students across the University.
We have a varied set of Student Ambassador Schemes available, you are free to apply for all schemes in which you meet the eligibility criteria. Being part of these schemes will give you experience of working in a wide range of University roles including helping with things such as open days, employer events, start of trimester activities, international airport welcome days, graduation days, data entry, professional social media activity, telephone campaign work and much more!
Our schemes offer competitive pay rates, real flexibility on the hours you work and access to excellent personal and skills development opportunities throughout the year.
See below for further details on each of our schemes and find out how to apply.
General Student Ambassador Scheme
More information will be provided here when our Student Ambassador applications open.
Please note that all Student Ambassador application progress will be sent to your student email, so be sure to check these regularly for updates.
If you have any questions please get in touch via studentambassadors@napier.ac.uk
Disability and Inclusion Student Ambassadors
The Disability and Inclusion Team recruit six student ambassadors each year to support and promote our work.
The ambassador scheme is open to all students, but we are particularly interested in hearing from students with experience of disability and with an interest in social media.
Recruitment opens in Trimester 1.
If you are interested in this role, please get in touch with Heather Armstrong, Disabled Student Engagement Worker on H.Armstrong@napier.ac.uk.
International Student Ambassador Scheme
Are you an international student who is looking for paid work that fits your studies? Would you like to meet new people from across the world? Would you like to gain valuable experience that looks great on your CV?
Then look no further - become an International Student Ambassador!
Edinburgh Napier's International Student Ambassador team helps us promote Edinburgh Napier as a student-focused university by giving prospective students an insight into student life. We are looking for enthusiastic and creative students who can talk passionately about their student experience.
Examples of responsibilities:
- Communicate with prospective students via telephone campaigns, video calls, webinars and social media
- Create engaging content for our Edinburgh Napier University International Instagram page
- Take part in campus events such as Open Days, guide campus tours and attend recruitment fairs
Applications are now closed - check back later when the opportunity re-opens.
Widening Participation Student Ambassadors
If you are a Widening Participation student or if you have a keen interest in WP and making a difference, then becoming a Widening Participation Student Ambassador is for you.
The Widening Participation team work to reduce barriers and promote fair access to higher education for groups that are under-represented at university. Our Widening Participation Student Ambassadors are passionate, motivated students. They play a crucial part in shaping the perceptions and experiences of the university to prospective students through their creativity, dedication and student voice.
If this sounds like you, get in touch! Contact us at wideningaccess@napier.ac.uk for more information or learn more about the Widening Participation criteria.