Q-Step Internships

a student viewing Careers Service info on a tablet device

 

Internships:

We are committed to delivering high quality, bespoke internships/work placements to our students in a variety of organisations (Governmental and Non-Governmental as well as the private sector) and UoG research units. Work Placements are part of our mission to grow and support our students. Internships specialize in utilising data to gain insight into social science phenomena across a broader range of topics.

  

What does an internship involve?

Internships run all year round in a variety of host organizations specializing in data analysis, problem solving and social change. Internships are paid at the Scottish living wage and are typically six weeks long on a full time basis.  The internships are either full-time during the summer or part-time during term time.

During the internship students usually work on a small-scale data analysis project; students may also offer administrative support to the host organization, assist with the development of applications or other online tools and/or organize and deliver skills and software training sessions. At the end of the placement students are expected to produce a report and submit it to the host organization.

 

Eligibility:

Internships are only open to students studying Q-Step courses. The year group eligibility criteria will vary for each role and will be advised clearly at the point of advertising. Please make sure you check the eligibility criteria before applying.  Normally, students who have finished their second year of lectures (first year of QM lectures) at the time of application are eligible to apply.  However, the internships require different levels and types of skills.  Therefore, certain internships  may be only open to students who have finished their third year of lectures (second year of QM lectures).

 

How to Apply:

All eligible students will be sent an invitation to apply for available internships via email. This can be at any point during the academic year, depending on the needs and capacities of the hosting organizations.  Applications are made via the University of Glasgow Internship Hub within the Careers Service. You will submit an online written application and following the closing date the Internship Hub will review this and pass shortlisted applications directly to the internship provider.

 

After Applying:

Your application will be forwarded to the prospective employer, who will decide whether or not to offer you an interview. This may take some time.

If your application is not shortlisted, you will receive personalized feedback from the Internship Hub as to why and will be encouraged to follow up with a Careers Manager in a one-to-one appointment for further support. [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/careers/login/]

If you are shortlisted, the internship provider will decide if they wish to interview you or not, and the Internship Hub will be in touch to set this up. If you are offered an interview, you will be expected to attend in order to support your application. The Hub can support you with interview preparation and advice. If you are offered an interview, you will be expected to attend in order to support your application. The Hub can support you with interview preparation and advice.

Again, if you are not selected you will receive feedback.

If selected for interview the Internship Hub will fully brief you before hand and you can view lots of online advice on how to prepare. [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/careers/cvsandapplications/interviews/]

If you are offered an interview, you will be expected to attend in order to support your application. The Hub can support you with interview preparation and advice.

 

If you are offered an internship:

You will sign a contract offered by the organization employing you, which will outline the length of employment, your hours of work and your tasks. Time frames and work patterns can be agreed between you and your employer in order to facilitate your studies, if your internships runs during term time. The Internship Hub can facilitate this process.

 

If your application is unsuccessful:

Don’t worry you will still be eligible to apply for other opportunities through Q-step, as they become available.  You may also check the Internship Hub for other available internships and work placements beyond Q-step.

The Internship Hub places over 330 students university-wide into a range of on and off campus opportunities. Typically Social Sciences students secure around 50% of these opportunities. While some of these are general roles open to all degree disciplines, the hub also facilitates more targeted on-campus roles within the college and off-campus roles like the John Smith Centre Parliamentary Internship programme. The best way to ensure you hear about all internships that may be open to you is to sign up for a weekly email update from the Internship Hub. [https://www.gla.ac.uk/myglasgow/careers/findingjobs/internships/signupforinternshipalerts/]

 

Other Useful Skill Development Resources

Check out the Inside Sherpa, an open access platform offering virtual work experience programmes. It contains a series of resources and tasks designed to simulate the real world experience of starting a career. This is not an Internship, but rather a skill development programme simulating real world tasks. Participating companies do not benefit from the completion of these tasks.

Inside Sherpa