There are a wide range of different ways you can work with our students and the University of Derby. As a university we strive to be industry engaged. You can support us to achieve this vision by engaging in curriculum, delivering presentations or panels. There is also the opportunity to set our students live briefs within modules.
You can recruit our students on a temporary basis through year in industry placements, internships, volunteering, work experience or on a part-time basis via our Student Employment Agency.
Enquire about working with our students
Year in industry placements
A year in industry placement is a three-way partnership involving a student, your organisation and the university.
A placement allows a student to apply their skills and develop knowledge in the workplace. It also helps your organisation to develop your future talent pipeline and look for potential graduate hires.
The year in industry placement enables your organisation to recruit a university student (between the 2nd and final year of their degree) for between 9 and 15 months.
The student is a contracted, paid employee of your organisation for this period, and you will receive support from the university to help recruit and manage the student.
Watch Derby Business Management graduate Joel Boulter and Wincanton's Entry Talent Resourcing Manager Marieta Jones talk about the benefits of taking a student on a year placement
Please note: the University of Derby can generally only endorse and promote paid placements.
Internships
An internship is a paid period of short-term work experience that students or graduates can undertake for your organisation.
This could be a 6-week internship over summer, a fixed period of part time employment during term time or a work-based project that students or graduates can complete for your organisation.
Please note: the University of Derby will only endorse and promote paid internships.
Student Employment Agency
The Student Employment Agency (SEA) is the University of Derby’s agency to help you recruit our students and graduates. Whether you’re looking to fill full-time, part-time or casual vacancies, students can bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to your organisation. If you want candidates with high-level skills, fresh thinking, and huge potential, we’ll help you find them.
Students at our university study subjects as varied as business, education, sport, hospitality, law, marketing, engineering, and events management — so there is a broad range of skills available. Our students and recent graduates also have a passion for learning and self-development; an important attribute in any employee.
What we offer
We have a pool of diverse students who are eager to put their academic knowledge into practice in the real world. Our aim is to connect you with the perfect candidate through comprehensive recruitment support, including:
- advertising your vacancy
- searching and selecting candidates
- arranging interviews
- completing on-boarding and ‘right to work’ checks
- a full payroll service
Organisations across the UK are eligible to recruit through the SEA, but your roles should be suitable for University of Derby students and recent graduates. Your investment in recruiting a student or graduate is mutually beneficial, so we offer competitive rates and a reliable service.
Get in touch with the Student Employment Agency
Volunteering
Is your not-for-profit organisation or charity looking for volunteers? If so, we can help you advertise your opportunities to thousands of students and graduates who are often looking for ways to build experience and do something positive for their community.
Connecting in curriculum
We are always looking for employers to run insight, information and skills sessions in curriculum. These can be on campus, pre-recorded or held virtually.
These sessions help students gain knowledge, understanding of specific sectors and awareness of the skills they need for their job-hunting, recruitment processes and future careers as well as raising awareness of your organisation and opportunities.
Some of our programmes include embedded placements which are managed by individual colleges. These programmes ensure students meet the number of hours required for their professional qualification. If you want to host an embedded placement, we can connect you to the relevant academic team.
Work experience and work-based learning projects/live briefs
As part of the Learning and Teaching Strategy at the University of Derby, second-year students are required to complete a minimum of 30 hours integrated work experience.
We have two defined types of work experience, work experience placement and work-based learning project/live briefs:
Work Experience Placement – 30 hours (minimum)
For organisations and employers, work experience placements allow you to contribute to the development of the next generation of potential employees and experience the quality of our students.
A work experience student is a great way to get extra, short-term support into your business. Students could work on a small project to solve a problem, tackle low priority but impactful jobs or undertake research using their specialist skills and knowledge. There is no cost to your organisation hiring a work experience student.
Work experience placements are a fantastic way for our students to experience what their chosen area of study can lead to in terms of a career path.
Work-Based Learning Project/ Live Brief
Give us a real business problem and we can challenge our students to come up with creative ideas and solutions, while being supported by a tutor. We will work with you to see where your project can align with the module outcomes on specific programmes.
If you have the capacity, you may also wish to consider some of our other programmes of support that could develop from your Live Brief, such as an internship or a longer placement.
Recruitment support including use of our onsite facilities
The Derby Talent Team can offer practical recruitment support, whether this be uploading roles, shortlisting, support with interviews or just additional promotion of roles via our social media channels. We can book rooms free of charge for student and employer activity, and interviews or assessment centres.
Industry Advisory Boards
Colleges within the university have established Industry Advisory Boards. The intention of these boards is to work closely with organisations to develop the skills and attributes in our students that employers are looking for. These are ‘critical friends’ groups and have representation from a wide range of sectors and size of organisations.
Sponsorship of awards, events or places
There are a range of ways you can support and inspire our students and recent graduates and raise your organisations profile. Your organisation can sponsor a careers fair or conference and provide a keynote speaker or sponsor a Union of Student Employability award.
Contact us
To discuss any of the opportunities to work with our students in more detail, please get in touch with the Derby Talent Team below.
Enquire about working with our students
Alternatively, get in touch directly via email: derbytalentteam@derby.ac.uk or telephone: 01332 592939.
Wider business services
The University of Derby is a university of and for business; an applied university, committed to using our research and knowledge, expertise and resources to inspire and develop the organisations of today and tomorrow. Using technology, we offer learning and personal development, industry-shaping research and innovation, digital networking events and seminars along with support to nurture and recruit your workforce. For further information, learn about our growing innovation and business.
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