Hallam teams up with big business to offer funded internships

27th May 2016

Sheffield Hallam University is working with national and local businesses to offer up to 100 funded internships to help students gain valuable work experience.

The innovative internship scheme provides students with a chance to develop skills relevant to their degree and get paid, with opportunities including digital marketing, prosthetics engineering and aerospace engineering. The SHU Internship Scheme offers students paid placements in partnership with businesses including national companies such as Alcoa, Capita, Arcadia and Diesel as well as local organisations including Merlinsoft, Cavendish Cancer Care and Sheffield United FC. Students are given financial support through a bursary to help towards living and travel costs while undertaking the internships. The scheme was launched in early 2016 for students to apply for funding to support internships they had sourced themselves. The funding covers 160 hours work, equivalent to four to five week's full-time employment over the summer or longer if working part-time. The University has funding for up to 100 paid internship opportunities and is working with employers to match fund the internships to allow the student to gain even more experience. Conor Moss, Director of Education and Employer Partnerships at Sheffield Hallam, said: "We're committed to the employability of our students and believe that internships can help a student or recent graduate make those first steps into managerial and professional roles. However some employers offer unpaid internships over the summer and it can penalise those students who simply can't afford to work for free in order to gain valuable experience. "At Sheffield Hallam we want to support students in gaining valuable summer internships and not have to worry about financial concerns. "The university is focused on ensuring students graduate with the best possible experience ready to develop their careers and match our talented students with employers." Taruka Srivastav is studying sports journalism at Sheffield Hallam and is currently doing a funded internship at Manchester United Football Club. Her work experience is with the digital production team with Manchester United's MUTV and she recently interviewed first team players ahead of the FA Cup final. Taruka said: "I am extremely grateful to the Employer Partnerships team at Sheffield Hallam for understanding my needs of financial support to pursue my dream experience. I feel privileged to study in an institution which provides such excellent opportunities for students."