Bright Network

Core skills sessions - delivered by career experts
Sector focused upskilling sessions - delivered by leading employers in that sector
Project work which simulates real work an intern would complete
Networking with your peers and meeting graduates across a range of different companies

The experiences are completed over a four day period. See the agenda for more details.

1.2 What equipment or technology do I need to complete the internship experience?

The programme is fully virtual. You can access the sessions in your web browser from your laptop or computer and we recommend using Google Chrome. There's no requirement to download software to take part, but you will need a Zoom account.

1.3 What is the time commitment required to complete the internship experience?

One stream of Internship Experience UK takes place over four days and you'll need to be available for the times below:

June 17th - 9am to 4:45pm (BST)
June 18th - 9am to 5:45pm (BST)
June 19th - 9am to 2:30pm (BST)
June 20th - 9am to 2:45pm (BST)

Here are the stream dates - if you cannot complete the full stream of choice, we recommend the On Demand experience.

1.4 I did Internship Experience UK last year. Can I do it again?

Yes, we encourage it. It's a brand new experience with new companies involved, new sessions and a more in-depth look at the sector.

1.5 How much does Internship Experience UK cost?

The internship experiences are completely free. They are designed to provide access to opportunity, regardless of circumstance or background.

1.6 Will I be paid?

Unfortunately, you won't be paid to complete the internship experience. The experience you complete is designed to upskill you, build your connections and boost your employability. During the programme, you won't be working for any of the partner firms or Bright Network.

1.7 Will I get a certificate from the programme?

Yes, everyone will receive a certificate by completing all the sessions, submitting the sample work and completing the self-reflection worksheet. These certificates are recognised by graduate employers. Certificates will be sent out shortly after the experience by email - we will not issue hard copies, but you will get a downloadable link after completion.

1.8 Is there a limit on the capacity for the internship experience?

No. An unlimited number of students can take the experience. However, you do need to show passion for the sector in your application to get a place.

1.9 Can you fail Internship Experience UK?

If you complete the application properly and it articulates your passion for being part of the experience, you'll be accepted onto the programme. During the experience, there's no pass mark you need to achieve on the work sample, but you do need to submit everything and attend the sessions to receive your certificate. Submissions must be made before the deadline to be considered.

Section 2

2.1 Who is delivering the sessions during Internship Experience UK?

The sessions in each internship experience are run by a mixture of leading employers, industry experts and the Bright Network team. Bright Network has worked with all session leads to ensure it is relevant to those taking the course and is of high quality.

2.2 Will I receive feedback and how will that work?

For the work samples you complete on the experience, you'll have a session giving you insights and a model answer for the task. From there, you'll be asked to complete a self reflection task and you'll be paired with your peers to discuss what you can do to improve.

2.3 Will I be able to network with the companies involved?

During the second day, we have graduate office hours, where you can type questions to graduates at each of the companies to answer. There's no one-on-one networking with the companies, but Internship Experience UK can be great to make connections for the future.

Section 3

3.1 How do I apply and will I be accepted?

You can apply for Internship Experience UK just here. To join the experience there will be a light pre-screening stage to ensure commitment to the programme. This will consist of basic data capture and a short 100 word answer on why you want to take part - we want to accept as many people as possible to the experiences.

3.2 What is the application deadline?

The application deadline is 11th June. We cannot accept late applications to the experience.

3.3 Can I apply to more than one internship experience?

Unfortunately, you can't do more than one experience at a time because of the overlap. If there are more than one courses you're interested in, we recommend completing one live and the others On Demand. You can apply to more than one On Demand experience.

3.4 Can my application be rejected for Internship Experience UK?

We have unlimited spaces and want to accept as many people as possible onto each experience. However, we look for people who are committed to their career development. If an application form isn't filled in with due care and effort, there's a chance you'll be rejected from the programme.

3.5 I'm not sure which experience to do. How do I decide?

We recommend reading our Career Path Guides to get some more knowledge on each sector - see what might interest you. Also, you can find the thoughts of graduates who've gone into each of the sectors just here.

3.6 What happens if I get rejected?

Rejected applications are usually when the applicant does not fill out the form with care or effort and isn't demonstrating that they are fully committed to their career development. You can apply for other streams or the On Demand experience, but do ensure you take the time to fill out the application fully.

Section 4

4.1 Who is eligible for Internship Experience UK?

The internship experience is open to everyone aged 18 or over. The content of the experience is tailored best for incoming university students, current university students and recent university graduates. However, you do not need to be either to apply successfully. To apply, you'll require Bright Network membership which is free and takes about a minute to sign up for.

Please note, sponsorship opportunities with participating employers may be limited for attendees without the permanent right to work in the UK.

4.2 I'm under 18 years old - what shall I do?

The live experiences are only open to those 18 years or older. If you are going to be 18 when the course starts, but you are 17 when you are applying, you are free to apply. However, you must be 18 when the course begins. If you're 16 years or older, you can take part in the On Demand programme.

4.3 Do I need any prior experience to apply for the programme?

Not at all. The programme caters to everyone and there will be introductory sessions in the first lesson to bring you up to speed. This is a chance to gain experience to put on your CV and explore different career options.

4.4 Can international students do Internship Experience UK?

Absolutely. The opportunity is open to international students, regardless of visa status or right to work, but please note sponsorship opportunities for those without the permanent right to work in the UK with participating employers may be limited. Additionally, the experience will run during UK hours.

4.5 Will Bright Network sponsor my visa for Internship Experience UK?

Since Internship Experience UK is a virtual and fully remote opportunity, you do not need a UK visa to complete the experience.

4.6 I go to school/university abroad. Can I do Internship Experience UK?

Yes. The opportunity is open to all. However, the content is tailored best for those pursuing graduate careers in the UK. Please note, sponsorship opportunities with participating employers may be limited for attendees without the permanent right to work in the UK. 

4.7 What if I'm under 18 years old now but will be 18 when my experience starts?

If you are currently under 18, but you'll have turned 18 by the time your course starts then you are allowed to apply. The only condition is you must be 18 when the experience starts.

Section 5

5.1 I'm unavailable for the experience I want to do - what can I do?

That's no problem at all - we offer an On Demand experience for each of the streams. After all of the experiences, you'll receive a pack to complete the experience in your own time in a two week period. It's the same experience, but without some of the networking opportunities, and you'll receive a certificate on completion. Find out more and apply to your stream of choice here.

5.2 I have a clash during a part of the experience - what should I do?

We do encourage you to be at the full experience. Therefore, if there's a clash during the programme we recommend doing the On Demand experience. If you're going tomiss a skills session, there's no need to let us know. Your completion certificate is based on submitting your work sample and self-reflection worksheet.

5.3 I'm in a different time zone to the UK - how does this work?

You can do the experience anywhere in the world. However, there might be less favourable timings depending on what time zone you're in. The timings of the experience are in British Summer Time (BST) - we recommend Googling what times they will be in your country. The experiences run between 9am to 5pm (BST) on days one and two, then 9am to 4pm (BST) on days three and four.

Section 6

6.1 Will I get a job at the end of Internship Experience UK?

There's no guarantee that you'll get a job on the back of completing an internship experience. However, the skills and experience you develop should support your applications to leading employers.

6.2 What do you do with my data?

Your data is very important to us. To better understand how we collect and process data, read our terms and conditions and our privacy policy.

6.3 If I have accessibility requirements, what should I do?

We want to enable as many students as possible to complete this internship experience. If you have accessibility requirements, please get in touch with the Internship Experience UK team and they will be able to support you.

6.4 Should I put internship experience on my CV and LinkedIn profile?

Definitely. When you complete an internship experience, you will receive a certificate of completion. Employers want to see that you've been proactive, developed your skills and completed projects based on real work scenarios.

6.5 Can I use Bright Network as a reference?

Unfortunately, we can't provide a personal reference for Internship Experience UK. This is because we don't work with you personally, so can't accurately relay your working style to an employer. However, we encourage you to mention Internship Experience UK in your CV and include the skills you learned.

Section 7

7.1 What is Internship Experience UK On Demand?

The On Demand version of the experiences are the same as their live counterparts, but they can be done in your own time, using recordings and resources from the live course. You will undertake the same task and watch the same sessions, but without the time constraint of taking part live allowing you to do the course around your existing schedule between 10th July and 21st July. The networking is not included within the On Demand version. Find the On Demand homepage just here. You can also do multiple On Demand courses.

7.2 Does it differ from the live experiences?

The On Demand course differs from the live version in that you use recorded resources to watch the seminars and complete the work task. The On Demand course also does not have a networking function. So you do not take part in the 1-to-1 networking when sitting the On Demand version.

7.3 When does it happen?

Applications for the On Demand courses close on 26th June, 11.59pm. The On Demand course then begins on 1st July, where you'll have 2 working weeks to complete the work and submit the self reflection material, ending on 12th July.

7.4 Will I still get my certificate?

Yes, if you complete the required work task and submit your self reflection material before the allocated deadline. You will receive a certificate for taking part in the On Demand version. The certificates are the same as the live courses. We will not issue hard copies nor will they be downloadable, due to the amount of certificates produced.

Have a question or need advice?

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