How to gain work experience while studying
Whether you’re in sixth form choosing your degree path or already at university preparing for graduate life, gaining work experience while studying can make all the difference. It helps you earn, build skills, stand out on applications, and figure out what career actually fits you before you commit to it.
From part-time jobs to virtual insight weeks, this guide covers how you can start building real-world skills, even with a packed academic timetable.
Together, we'll cover:
Different ways to gain experience while balancing your studies, from paid roles to passion projects.
Where to find opportunities like placements, virtual internships, and part-time jobs.
How to turn any experience, including a weekend job, into a compelling story that stands out to employers.
Working while studying is often the norm
Our recent research revealed that over three-quarters of state-educated students hold jobs while studying, with working-class students disproportionately affected: 84% rely on paid employment to meet basic needs.
At non-Russell Group universities, the strain is even greater, with 92% of working-class students employed, and over a third juggling multiple part-time jobs or a full-time role alongside their studies.
Evidently, the balancing act between academic attainment and meeting basic financial needs is one most individuals from working-class backgrounds can relate to.
However, it does mean that, for working-class students especially, the idea of getting involved in societies, volunteering, or doing unpaid internships—things that help boost your CV and build connections—can feel completely out of reach.
It’s hard to think about long-term career goals when you’re constantly worrying about making it through the month.
With that in mind, we’ve also curated a handful of tips to help you turn those part-time gigs into real, impressive skills you can showcase in the corporate world.
Types of work experience you can gain while studying:
1. Placement years
A placement year, sometimes called a "sandwich year", is a structured work experience programme built into your university degree. You typically spend a full academic year working in industry before returning to complete your final year.
Placement years give you deep, hands-on experience and are highly valued by employers. In fact, many students return with job offers already in place for after graduation, and a better idea of the type of role they’d like to specialise in.
You should begin applying for placement years during your second year at University, as many will have a lengthy application and assessment process, including many of the stages you’d typically be expected to complete when applying for graduate roles.
Where to find them:
RateMyPlacement: a website where you can find thousands of placements and internships across industries and read honest reviews from students who’ve been there. Check it out.
Gradcracker: a website specialising in STEM opportunities and perfect for engineering, tech, and science students looking for targeted placements. Check it out.
Handshake: A platform used by many UK universities to list jobs and placements, allowing students to apply directly and get alerts tailored to them. Check it out.
Career fairs: Your university career fairs are a great opportunity to identify companies actively trying to recruit early career talent and ask questions about opportunities in-person.
Company websites: If you know which companies you’d love to gain experience in, check their early career pages regularly for the latest placements and internships. You can often set alerts, too.
2. Virtual work experience
Virtual work experience (VWEX) has exploded in popularity, especially since it lets you explore careers from anywhere, at any time.
These programmes simulate real job tasks through online platforms and often include webinars, challenges, and mentorship. They’re perfect if you want to try out different industries without committing to long placements.
Many big companies offer free virtual work experience in sectors like law, finance, media, and engineering. Although they’re usually unpaid, they provide certificates and can be fantastic to include on your CV. Plus, they help you understand what a typical day in the role looks like.
Where to find them:
Springpod: an organisation that offers a wide range of free virtual work experience programmes across many sectors, including law, finance, healthcare, engineering, and creative industries. Check it out.
Forage: a learning provider that partners with leading global companies like Goldman Sachs, Allen & Overy, and BCG to provide virtual internships that simulate real work projects. Check it out.
UCAS: the admissions service that also partners with Springpod to offer a variety of virtual workplacements, including with employers like Amazon, Barclays, Airbus and more. Check it out.
BrightNetwork: a careers website that offers a four day virtual internship annually in partnership with several employers. Check it out.
3. Part-time jobs
Part-time jobs are one of the most accessible ways to gain work experience while studying, and often, they’re necessary to simply get by.
They help you develop essential skills like communication, time management, and teamwork, which employers highly value, even if the job isn’t directly related to your career goals. Balancing a part-time job with your studies also shows future employers that you’re responsible and can manage multiple commitments effectively.
Where to find them:
Indeed & Totaljobs: These are two of the UK’s largest job boards where you can search for thousands of part-time roles across all sectors. Check it out.
University job portals: Many universities have dedicated student job portals that list part-time roles specifically for their students. These might include on-campus jobs, student ambassador positions, or flexible roles with local employers.
Student Union job boards: Your university’s student union often advertises part-time jobs on campus or with local businesses.
4. Volunteering
Volunteering is a fantastic way to gain meaningful work experience while giving back to your community. It helps you develop leadership, communication, and organisational skills, all of which are highly regarded by employers.
Whether you volunteer at a local charity, help organise events, or support a community project, you’ll build your confidence in a formal setting and meet new people.
Volunteering is especially useful if you’re unsure about your career path or want to explore sectors like healthcare, education, or social services. However, it is most rewarding when it is a reflection of a cause you’re passionate about or personally connected to.
Many employers also value volunteering because it shows initiative, empathy, and a willingness to work hard even without financial reward.
Where to find them:
Do-it.org: the UK’s largest volunteering database, offering thousands of roles across the country. You can filter by cause, location, and time commitment. Check it out.
University volunteering offices: Most universities have teams dedicated to connecting students with local charities and community projects. They often organise student-friendly volunteering programmes and offer reimbursement for expenses incurred along the way.
Volunteer centres: Local hubs that help match volunteers with charities and community organisations. They provide advice and support for first-time volunteers.
Charity websites: If you’re passionate about a specific cause, check individual charities’ websites for direct volunteer vacancies.
5. Internships and insight days
Internships are short-term, structured placements that give you a taste of what working in a particular industry is like. They typically take place during the summer or winter breaks and range from a few weeks to a few months.
Insight days (or insight weeks) are even shorter—usually just one to five days—and are often aimed at first or second-year university students.
They’re designed to give you a sneak peek into a company or industry through workshops, talks, and networking events. It’s a great, low-pressure way to learn more about what a job is actually like, get in front of people doing that job day-to-day, and decide if it’s a path worth pursuing.
Where to find them:
TargetJobs & Prospects: These platforms offer internship listings across a wide range of industries.
Company websites: Most large organisations have a dedicated “early careers” or “students and graduates” section.
LinkedIn: Follow companies and set job alerts. Many post internship and insight opportunities here first.
University careers services: These often have exclusive partnerships with employers, giving you a head start on opportunities that aren’t advertised widely.
6. Your own projects
Not all experience has to come from traditional employment. Creating your own opportunities can be just as impressive, particularly if you can articulate what you’ve learned as a result.
Above all else, starting your own projects demonstrates genuine passion, and that passion often drives people to learn faster, solve complex problems, and stay committed even when things get tough.
Examples include:
Running a blog, podcast, or YouTube channel about a subject you care about. This shows initiative, creativity, consistency, and communication skills.
Freelancing in design, writing, tutoring, or coding—great for building a portfolio and gaining real clients.
Starting a small business or side hustle like selling handmade items, offering a service, or launching a digital product. It shows entrepreneurial thinking and self-motivation.
Organising an event or leading a society at university or in your community. Project management and leadership experience like this translates really well to the workplace.
Don’t underestimate the value of these kinds of projects. Employers are increasingly interested in what you do, not just where you’ve worked.
Turning part-time work into experience that stands out
If your CV feels full of cafe shifts, retail jobs, or bar work, you’re not alone. And more importantly, that doesn't mean your experience is any less valuable.
The key is learning how to frame your part-time work in a way that highlights your transferable skills, professionalism, and growth mindset.
Here’s our advice:
Focus on what you learned, not just what you did: Instead of listing tasks, highlight how you added value or developed key skills.
Identify transferable skills: Think about what your role taught you that applies to any workplace (communication, teamwork, problem-solving, reliability, etc).
Use the STAR method in interviews: Structure your answers around Situation, Task, Action, Result to clearly show what you did and why it mattered.
Showcase career-readiness: Make it clear that balancing work and study proves your time management, resilience, and ability to prioritise.
Highlight achievements or results: Quantify your impact where possible and know that even small wins count.
Be confident in your story: Be willing to share why you decided to take on that particular role at that point, and why it makes you the person you are today.
Talk about your experience with pride: Part-time jobs show grit, responsibility, and real-world experience that employers value, so own it.
Next steps
Gaining work experience while studying doesn’t always look the same for everyone—and it shouldn’t have to. Whether you’re working long shifts to support yourself or managing a passion project in your spare time, it all counts.
The key is recognising the value in what you’re already doing and learning how to communicate it clearly on your CV, in interviews, and when networking. There’s no “one right way” to prepare for life after uni. However, being intentional, proactive, and reflective about your experiences will always put you a step ahead.
Remember, it’s not about having the most prestigious placements. It’s about what you learn, how you grow, and how well you can tell that story.
