How to Find Engineering Work Experience

How to Find Engineering Work Experience

If you want to become an engineer, getting work experience can be a vital first step in building your career. Whether you’re a Year 12 student looking for a pre-university placement, or an undergraduate preparing for your first full-time role, practical experience makes all the difference.

But finding engineering work experience is challenging. This guide takes you through your options and offers advice on how to apply for a placement. If you’re interested in construction and design, you might find our guide to architecture work experience useful, too.

We also discuss Dukes Plus’s own Young Engineer Summer Experience, an incredible opportunity for students aged 15-18 to experience a career in engineering and earn a UCAS-accredited work experience qualification.

Why do work experience for engineering?

There are various benefits to work experience for budding engineers:

• Experience what it’s like to work as an engineer, and find out if it’s for you
• Network with professional engineers, gain their advice and mentorship
• Improve your university application
• Build out your CV and enhance your career prospects

You can learn more about the benefits of work experience here.

Ways to Get Engineering Work Experience in Years 10-12

Through your school

If you’re looking for engineering work experience in Year 12 (or even Year 10 or 11), it may be best to start by approaching your Head of Careers and explaining the type of work you are interested in. Many schools have connections with local firms and may be able to help you find a placement.

Corporation placement schemes

Some large engineering firms run work experience programmes. For example:

Organisation	Ages	Location
MDBA	School students	Stevenage, Bolton, Bristol
Rolls Royce	Year 10-13	Virtual and in person (Solihull, Derby, Bristol, Inchinnan)
Leonardo	Year 10-12	Virtual and in person (Basildon, Edinburgh, Luton, Southampton, Yeovil)
BAE Systems	Ages 14-18	Virtual and in person
Mott MacDonald	Years 10-13	In person

These all have their own unique application processes and may be very competitive, so we recommend applying through some of the other routes we’ve listed here as well.

University summer schemes

Some universities run their own summer schools or work experience placements. For instance:

• Imperial College London (options for Years 9-12)
• Cambridge

As with the work experience programmes at big engineering firms, these are likely to be intensely competitive, so you should explore other options in addition.

Work experience schemes and platforms

Some charities, non-profits, or other organisations help arrange engineering placements, usually with other providers. Often these are available to underserved communities, though some do have broader eligibility. For example:

• In2Science – arranges STEM work experience placements for students from low-income backgrounds
• Nuffield Foundation – can provide STEM work experience to A Level students
• The STEM Exchange – this platform helps match students aged 14 and over to STEM experiences offered by employers (including work experience and webinars)

Local companies

Research local engineering firms and approach them directly, even if they do not advertise a work experience programme. For many students, this is the most effective route as competition is lower and you have more of a chance to make a personal impression.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that engineering firms aren’t the only place to apply. Many other types of organisations employ engineers and may be able to offer work experience:

• Mechanical: manufacturers, defence companies, energy firms, transport operators, robotics businesses, companies involved in industrial machinery or product design
• Civil and structural: construction consultancies, local authorities, transport organisations, utilities, property developers, and environmental consultancies
• Aerospace: aircraft manufacturers, airlines, defence companies, airport operators
• Electrical and electronic: electronics manufacturers, telecommunications companies, defence or aerospace companies
• Chemical: pharmaceutical companies, food and drink manufacturers, energy businesses, water companies, chemicals producers
• Automotive: vehicle manufacturers, motorsport teams, component suppliers, battery and electric vehicle companies

Read on for more tips on how to apply for engineering work experience.

Virtual Engineering Work Experience

Virtual engineering work experience allows you to explore the profession and develop relevant skills without attending a workplace in person. Programmes are usually completed online and may include video introductions from engineers, workplace case studies, interactive tasks, quizzes and engineering design challenges.

Some programmes are self-paced, so you can complete them around your schoolwork. Others take place on set dates and include live workshops, group projects, or Q&A sessions with engineers.

Here is a selection of virtual engineering programmes:

Organisation	Ages
Rolls Royce	Year 10-13
Leonardo	Year 10-12
BAE Systems	Ages 14-18
Airbus	All ages
Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)	Ages 13-16
Via UCAS	Varies
Industrial Cadets	Ages 14-18
Via Springpod	Varies

Does virtual work experience count?

The major advantage of virtual work experience is, of course, that it is particularly useful if you cannot find a suitable placement near you or cannot travel. Depending on the type of programme, places may be unlimited, which also means you can take the experience without applying. You can include it on your CV and discuss it in university and apprenticeship applications, or even applications for in-person work experience.

Virtual work experience can be valuable, but it is not usually a complete substitute for spending time in an engineering workplace.

Engineering takes place in the real world, so an in-person placement gives you a better sense of the working environment. You’ll have the chance to observe how engineers work day to day and how projects are practically carried out. You also have more opportunities for informal conversations and networking – not to mention the chance to get hands on yourself and help out.

Tips on Applying for Work Experience

If you’re applying ‘on spec’ to a local firm for engineering work experience, you will want to make the best impression possible. Here are some tips to improve your application.

1. Research the firm thoroughly. Understand exactly what they do, and tailor your application accordingly. Do they specialise in a particular field of engineering, or work closely with particular industries? What types of products do they produce?
2. Write a cover letter. Take the time to write a unique letter for each firm you approach – it really is worth it. Start by introducing yourself, and explain your background, academic qualifications, and ambitions. Use the information you learned from your research to explain why you want to work at this specific company. It’s best to be conservative in what you ask for: don’t demand a full 2-week placement; instead, suggest that you could shadow someone for a few days. Once you’re in, if your work ethic and personality impress the company, you may be able to extend your stay.
3. Prepare your CV. One page should be sufficient to cover your academic qualifications and any other work experience you have. Include your name and contact details, but not a photo. Keep the layout clear, concise, and readable.
4. Approach a specific, named person. Find the best person to contact on the firm’s website and address your cover letter and email to them. If you can’t see who would be best, call the company up and ask.
5. Follow up. If you don’t hear back – and you might well not – after around two weeks, send a polite follow-up checking whether they have received your application, or if there is anyone else you should direct it to. If you don’t hear back after this, it’s best not to send any further follow-ups. Smaller firms might not have the bandwidth to respond to you, and you may only irritate them through repeated contact.
6. If you’re unsuccessful. Politely ask if they could give you any feedback. Is there anything you could have done differently, or does the firm simply not take on work experience students?

Other Ways for School Students to Get Relevant Experience

Formal work experience is not the only way to build relevant skills or demonstrate your interest in engineering. If you cannot secure a placement, you still have options. Consider the following:

• Complete an independent engineering project
• Join a robotics or coding club at your school or in your area
• Enter a STEM competition (e.g. The Big Bang Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, STEM Racing, UKROC, or the TeenTech Awards)
• Take an online course in an area such as CAD, electronics or programming

Practical hobbies can also be valuable. Depending on the area of engineering that interests you, this might be building models, repairing anything from bicycles to electronics, using a Raspberry Pi, or experimenting with 3D printing.

What matters is that the work interests and challenges you, requiring you to develop problem-solving and technical skills. Keep notes, photographs, or designs so that you can refer to what you did and how you did it in future applications or interviews.

For more alternatives, explore our guide to computer science work experience.

Dukes Plus Engineering Work Experience

Our Young Engineer Summer Experience is an incredible opportunity to experience a career in engineering.

Designed for students aged 15-18 and based in London, you will explore Europe’s largest Supercar facility, dismantle a petrol engine under the guidance of a mechanical engineer, and learn from aeronautical engineers in a flight simulator.

With the opportunity to earn an accredited work experience qualification and UCAS points, it can boost your university applications and career prospects.

Engineering Work Experience for University Students

Engineering work experience at university is usually more formal and technically demanding than school-level work experience. Rather than simply observing engineers, students will be expected to make meaningful contributions to the work of the organisation. This might include design, testing, modelling, manufacturing, data analysis or project delivery.

Year in Industry

Some degrees include work experience as a formal requirement or optional credit-bearing module. This may take the form of a year in industry, also known as an industrial or sandwich placement, which usually lasts nine to twelve months. A longer placement can provide substantial professional experience and may count towards accreditation requirements or support progress towards professional registration.

Summer internships

Summer internships or placements are shorter, typically lasting six to twelve weeks between academic years. Well-regarded programmes are offered by employers such as Rolls-Royce, Arup, Airbus and BAE Systems. These opportunities can be an important route into graduate employment: strong interns may be invited to return for another placement, fast-tracked through later recruitment stages or offered a place on a graduate scheme.

University students should also use their department’s careers service, employer fairs, academic contacts and placement office. Applications often open in the autumn for roles beginning the following summer or academic year, so it is worth researching opportunities early.