We provide paid internships for Black students and graduates through the 10,000 Black Interns programme, and paid internships for disabled students and graduates of all ethnicities, through the 10,000 Able Interns programme across a range of UK industries.
Here’s how our programmes work:
Our training programmes set interns up for success with pre-application, pre-interview and pre-internship sessions. Our training is always led by industry experts and will leave you feeling ready to begin your career journey with confidence.
In just 3 years we are already halfway to creating a community of 10,000 interns. Our programmes are designed to connect talented people to life-changing opportunities and this is just the beginning.
The number of applicants we’ve supported through training, development, networking, and mentoring opportunities.
The number of interns who would recommend our programmes to their peers
The number of organisations who pledged internships in our last programme cycle (2022/23)
The number of paid internship opportunities we’ve created since 2020.
Accounting & Finance is the process of recording financial transactions pertaining to a business. It is one of the key functions for almost any business, regardless of size. Accounting is a necessary function for decision-making, cost planning, and measurement of economic performance.
Internships under this workstream label can also include opportunities in Audit, Tax, Assurance.
Architecture is the art, technique and science of designing and building structures which are typically suitable to live in.
Architecture is not considered a fine art because it serves a functional purpose. The distinction is important because not all structures are architectural in nature – by choosing to use an architect to design a structure, people choose to engage an element of aesthetics over pure function.
Simply put, when we talk about architecture, we’re not just talking about planning/designing/making buildings that are structurally sound, we’re talking about designing buildings that are also nice to look at and experience!
The Automotive industry refers to all of the organisations and activities involved in the manufacturing of motor vehicles (for us at 10K, this includes those which are involved in the making of tyres, batteries and fuel although that is not always typical of the industry). It’s one of the world’s largest industries when judging by revenue and exhibits some of the highest spending for research and development globally. One in six businesses is dependent on the manufacturing, distribution, servicing or use of motor vehicles AND… it’s one of the fastest growing industries in addition to being pivotal to the functioning of our economy. Need we say more?
The automotive sector is overflowing with exciting career opportunities. Some of the existing automotive careers include design, mechanical engineering, machinists, paint technicians, service technicians and more. Excitingly, as the rapid development of technology and increased environmental concerns have pushed the evolution of the vehicles we drive, the careers available in this industry have also expanded to incorporate a highly digital and energy-conscience dimension.
The Built Environment industry employs almost 10% of the entire UK workforce. However, you should know that it’s more than bricks and mortar.
The Built Environment is a broad and varied sector. It encompasses all the elements that make up our towns and cities, including buildings, infrastructure, green spaces, energy networks and water supplies. The industry includes all life cycle stages of the process from planning and design, through to construction and into maintenance, and even demolition and renewal.
Such a varied and wide-reaching sector also calls for a broad range of skills, meaning a career in the built environment offers huge opportunities for growth and career diversity.
Alongside designing and constructing buildings and infrastructure, built environment professionals also manage the funding, planning, development and operation of the built environment. They not only direct how our spaces look but also how we interact with their day-to-day, contributing towards our health and wellbeing.
As a sector that is also focused on reducing our impact on the world, a career in the built environment can give you a unique opportunity to shape climate impact by reducing emissions related to construction and building use, maximising the use of renewable energy and advising clients to reach their net zero aims.
Chemical engineers design industrial processes that convert raw materials into valuable products, applying the principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering to design equipment and processes for manufacturing products such as gasoline, detergents, and paper.
Topical roles may include the energy transition away from fossil fuels, the need for sustainable food and water supplies as climate change occurs, and the provision of improved global healthcare solutions and therapeutics.
The discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment. Civil engineers design, create and connect up the world around us.
They help make our villages, towns and cities work for the people that live there.
Compliance & Legal Support refers to specific in-house legal teams within organisations which are responsible for ensuring that the organisation complies with both internal policies and procedures, and its external obligations.
Many organisations have such a function – for example banks, charities, technology businesses, and pharmaceutical companies. As such, the remit of your role could vary depending on the organisation’s overarching sector.
The consumer business refers to any business-to-consumer structure where companies sell products directly to the final consumer; whereas, retail generally refers to the channel through which those products are sold (think shopping centres vs online shops). Demand is identified through supply chain analysis and the final goods or services are sold to customers through multiple channels of distribution to make a profit.
These two, when combined, cover anything from restaurants to wholesalers as well as luxury goods.
This sector option provides an exciting opportunity to explore the complex interplay between consumers, competitors and suppliers.
At 10K examples of a Consumer & Retail internship include supporting teams in:
Research & Development, Merchandising, Product Innovation, Strategic inventory or layout changes to physical and digital stores, Using customer data to create special events and promotions, Under our programme, Consumer and Retail does not include hospitality roles, such as food service, bartending or portering.
Corporate & Investment Banks provide a range of financial services to companies, institutions and governments. You’ll manage corporate, strategic and financial products, including mergers & acquisitions, (where one company purchases or merges with another), bonds, shares and initial public offerings.
Traditionally associated with corporate finance, an investment bank might assist in raising financial capital by underwriting or acting as the client’s agent in the issuance of securities.
Creative, in our books, refers to industries and organisations which centre artistic expression.
We’re talking about the production of art, design, music, film/video, fashion and other creative expressions.
Culture includes any opportunities in cultural spaces & cultural organisations. These could be either commercial or state-owned. Here, the focus is on the sponsorship, display and distribution of cultural goods and services (such as exhibitions, sports events, books, & films).
Examples of these spaces could be art galleries, museums or stadiums.
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector. These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
Our Technology related internships include:
Data
Financial Services, Data & Technology
Technology (Technical)
Technology (Non-Technical)
Here in the UK, our education system is divided into 4 main branches: Primary Education, Secondary Education, Further Education & Higher Education. Each of these branches brings different career opportunities and requires a different set of skills. Roles in education may include teaching, streams of academia such as research, access to education, external examiner, head of a department and many more.
There are many interesting careers within education and the sector is so broad – for example, have you considered becoming a Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) expert, education welfare officer or even a career advisor?
Academic:
An academic career offers the opportunity to work at the cutting edge of knowledge in an area in which you are passionately interested. Careers in academia also offer flexibility and independence, whilst working in an intellectually stimulating environment.
Here in the UK, our education system is divided into 4 main branches: Primary Education, Secondary Education, Further Education & Higher Education. Each of these branches brings different career opportunities and requires a different set of skills. Roles in education may include teaching, streams of academiasuch as research, access to education, external examiner, head of a department and many more. There are many interesting careers within education and the sector is so broad – for example, have you considered becoming a Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) expert, education welfare officer or even a career advisor?
Non-Academic
Many of the opportunities we are providing within education are sector-specific roles rather than teaching roles. This means that you will have an opportunity to explore the fabric of what makes the sector so impactful and contribute to one of the most valuable facets of our society. Some of these roles may include admissions advisor, student services support, events officer, and more.
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector. These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
Our Technology related internships include:
Data
Financial Services, Data & Technology
Technoology (Technical)
Technology (Non-Technical)
Health Data Research is the process of gathering and analysing information about people in order to preserve their health. It enables us to understand diseases and health conditions through a better appreciation of their causes, symptoms and the kind of people who are most at risk of becoming ill. In turn, this allows us to diagnose diseases earlier and provide better, more efficient care and treatment. This is crucial to the improvement of healthcare for all!
By applying for an internship in this sector alongside some of the world’s leading experts on life-saving research either in individual organisations or as part of our partnership with the national institute for Health Data Research: HDR UK as part of the Health Data Science Black Internship Programme.
The overall aim of the Health Data Science Black Internship Programme is not only to continue to tackle the underrepresentation of Black people within the health data science sector but to also provide motivated candidates with the experience they need to kick-start their STEM careers. Click here for more information:
Organisations interested in joining the Health Data Science Black Internship Programme can contact Dona.Reddiar@hdruk.ac.uk
A key area of Health Data Research is Genomics. Genomics is the study of all of a person’s DNA, not just the sections containing genes. Today, it is most often used to help diagnose people with rare diseases and cancers, and to help decide what treatment will work best for them. However, we now have significant genomic data and analytic tools that are useful for investigating the genetic components of common diseases too – diseases like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and common cancers like breast, bowel and prostate cancer. These are the diseases that cause the most illness and place the greatest burden on NHS resources.
We can use these new genomic data and tools to identify people at higher risk of developing common diseases, many of whom are currently invisible to health systems like the NHS. These people can then be moved into some of the excellent prevention, screening and early diagnosis pathways we already have. That would result in better outcomes for those people and a more efficient use of healthcare resources.
Healthcare Management is the overall management and leadership of both public and private healthcare organisations. Its primary goal is to ensure that operations within the entire healthcare sector are seamlessly integrated and well-maintained. There are healthcare management roles for clinicians (Doctors, Nurses, Therapists, Pharmacists, etc.) but also many other functions and areas of expertise, including:
Human Resources’ fundamental aim is to allow an organisation to run smoothly. This is achieved by managing the employee life cycle: recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, and termination. Crucially, an HR professional will have a hand in maintaining a fair environment for all employees and ensuring their rights and wellbeing as well as the diversity and inclusivity of the workplace. Many organisations will have an HR department – or a member of staff – responsible for managing the employee life cycle and, sometimes, employee benefits. The purpose of HR is to support employees and sustain a work environment that works well.
The responsibilities of HR vary. They may support employees by offering training, providing career growth, and managing the impact of changes in staff’s personal or work-related circumstances. At the same time, HR might have to conduct disciplinary actions in order to maintain the equilibrium of the workplace. Other responsibilities can involve maintaining employee records, updating policies and processing payroll.
HR has the potential to contribute greatly to the overall success of an organisation.
Your HR internship may see you working in one or more of the following areas:
Your HR internship may also include the following tasks:
The Insurance & Long-Term Savings sector is made up of companies that offer different services that aim to increase their customers’ financial well-being. This sector is there to help individual consumers, businesses and also intermediaries. In an ageing and underinsured population, this sector has the aim of making sure its customers are financially resilient for whatever the future may hold.
The industry is now working harder than ever to help its customers achieve this resilience in a sustainable way. Professionals in this industry help customers protect the things that matter to them the most, for example, their home, belongings, car, or family and also help them to save for their future through work or personal pensions and investments.
Investment Management refers to managing the holdings within an investment portfolio, and the trading of them to achieve a specific investment objective. Investment management is also known as money management, portfolio management, or wealth management.
It aims to meet particular investment goals for the benefit of clients whose money they have the responsibility of overseeing. These clients may be individual investors or institutional investors such as pension funds, retirement plans, governments, educational institutions, and insurance companies.
When thinking about a career in law, many people imagine the role of a corporate solicitor, some may envision that of a barrister – but the career opportunities within the legal sector are much broader. Other positions include paralegals; in-house counsel; legal support staff; judges; magistrates; and roles within organisations such as the Civil Service, Bar Council, and Law Commission.
Law (In-house) working in the legal department of an organisation rather than an actual legal firm, representing one client, namely the organisation (or group) you work for.
When thinking about a career in law, many people imagine the role of a corporate solicitor, some may envision that of a barrister – but the career opportunities within the legal sector are much broader. Other positions include paralegals; in-house counsel; legal support staff; judges; magistrates; and roles within organisations such as the Civil Service, Bar Council, and Law Commission.
Law (Private practice) involves working for a legal firm that supports a variety of clients with the opportunity to interact with a wide array of clients and legal issues simultaneously.
Management Consulting (also known as business consulting) is providing “advisory and/or implementation services to the (senior) management of organisations with the aim of improving the effectiveness of their business strategy, organisational performance and operational processes”. It is the broadest area within the consulting industry covering up to 55% of that market.
Strategy consultants provide objective advice to senior members of organisations so that they can make high-level decisions. They use deep industry knowledge to help these organisations to deliver their best results.
Your Consulting internship may include the following tasks:
Markets (Sales & Trading) refers to the division of an investment bank responsible for making markets in stocks, bonds, and derivatives. Salespeople work with asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, and other buy-side investors to pitch ideas and to buy or sell securities or derivatives.
Sales & Trading is also referred to as the Markets or Securities Division, depending on the bank.
Market Research is used by organisations to learn about their customers, target audience, brand reputation, and other aspects of their business. It involves helping clients to gather & interpret information so that they can leverage their insights to shape marketing and sales strategies. It is, therefore, a critical part of many modern businesses.
Market researchers use a range of both quantitative and qualitative techniques such as interviews, focus groups, customer surveys, and data analysis. They use a variety of media for this purpose such as telephone, e-mail, social media, snail mail, and face-to-face interviews.
An internship in market research could take place in a market research agency, an advertising agency or even a specific department of any organisation. You may be sitting with a research director or manager, research analyst, fieldwork manager, and/or statistician/data processing workers.
Your Market Research internship may include the following tasks:
Marketing and Advertising are closely related. They all focus on generating an image or idea of an organisation, product or person within the eyes of the consumer, client or public, but they have slightly different functions and it is important to understand the distinctions.
Marketing is a broad area that entails strategy development, product development, consumer insights and understanding, data analysis, design, brand and both qualitative and quantitative market research. Marketing aims to gain an understanding of the marketing environment, develop and define products or services and prepare them for the market.
Advertising is focused on how marketers communicate information about the product or service to their consumers. Advertisers can work closely with individuals and organisations in the creative and cultural industries, creating content that appeals to consumers and encourages the sales of a product, service or experience.
Your Marketing & Advertising internship may include the following tasks:
Mechanical Engineering is the engineering branch which combines engineering physics, mathematics and materials science for the purpose of designing, developing and manufacturing mechanical objects/systems.
This covers everything from large-scale industrial machinery to trains, planes and cars as well as medical devices, mobile phones, bicycles, and even chairs.
Media is the main means of mass communication and spans broadcasting, publishing, and journalism. The media industry is, therefore, defined as a varied collection of organisations that produce and publish information (content). The way that information is communicated differs enormously, for example through traditional (newspapers, magazines, brochures, and pre-recorded broadcasts) and digital (web, social media, blogs, YouTube, podcasts).
The media industry is very extensive and present in every industry from food, entertainment & finance to medicine. The industry is constantly evolving, so it offers an exciting challenge.
The modern media industry includes any business that communicates information to an audience and is made up of individuals and organisations who finance, produce, distribute, exhibit, or retail media products and consequently, there are many different career paths within the industry.
Your Media internship may include the following tasks:
In a not-for-profit organisation, all income earned or received by the organisation is used in pursuing the organisation’s objectives and keeping it running. Hence, the organisation does not exist to make a profit.
Charities come to mind when we consider not-for-profit organisations. This is because a charity is a type of not-for-profit organisation whose activities are aimed at improving the lives in a community. However, there are other organisations which may not qualify as charities and are nevertheless not-for-profit organisations. These include community benefit societies, non-charitable housing associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) campaigning for changes in specific aspects of law, and non-charitable social enterprises which have social and commercial objectives, as well as not-for-profit universities. This sector plays a vital role in supporting communities at a local level, affecting policy, providing education, and producing lasting change.
Examples of the type of work you could be doing in such organisations are listed below:
Operations underpins everything that you see happening. Working in this area means ensuring that everything that is ‘front-facing’ is able to function to the best of its ability – you make sure that the ship is running smoothly.
Making sure the ship is running smoothly involves thinking about execution in alignment with your organisations’ or your departments’ strategic goals; designing, implementing and maintaining the environments for your processes to run in; and strategising the best ways to make sure it all feels seamless.
This type of role is for someone who enjoys exercising attention to detail and sees the beauty in the creation and maintenance of processes. A role in Operations is for someone who is willing to do what it takes to make everything work for everyone around them.
Your Operations internship may include the following tasks
The Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences sector is knowledge driven, requiring a highly skilled workforce and directly employs over 73,000 people, with over 23,000 of these in research and development.
The discovery, development, manufacturing and promotion of new medicines is a team effort combining the talents of many individuals. This means that there are a wide range of jobs available directly within, or relating to, the pharmaceutical industry.
Your Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences internship may include the following tasks
While the most obvious context for policy work is the Civil Service, employers of policy professionals can include central and local government, political parties, think tanks, pressure groups, charities as well as political strategy and public affairs consultancies. Simply put, policy professionals work to design, develop and propose appropriate courses of action to help meet key priorities and objectives.
In the public sector, policy officers conduct research, plan and develop services, and also have an advisory role. They often advise MPs & senior management on policy, planning and development. On the other hand, those who work within the voluntary sector and in consultancies try to influence and inform policy. They do this by building relationships with governmental organisations and with clients.
If you’re interested in a role in policy, you may have an interest in politics, public policy & international relations. Candidates who are skilled researchers and are able to synthesise large amounts of information into digestible content will also excel in this sector.
Your Public & Policy internship may include the following tasks:
PR is short for Public Relations. PR is the practice of communicating information about an individual or organisation with the goal of influencing public perception. This can vary greatly but includes crisis management, media relations, community relations, corporate responsibility and public affairs. Those who work in public relations are good storytellers. It is a role that would appeal to anyone who is persuasive, personable and good at influencing others. Public perceptions of individuals, brands and organisations often have a key influence on the individual, brand or organisation’s success.
Your PR internship may include the following tasks:
Real Estate & Property, consists of the purchase, hire and improvement of real property. This includes buildings, fixtures, roads, structures, and utility systems. This is a sector of great social significance.
From customer service to communications, marketing to maintenance, and property development to procurement, there’s a wide range of exciting roles available in this sector.
Depending on the team you work with, you may be doing anything from going out on inspections, researching the market and presenting your findings to property management teams.
If your internship is in property management, you may also be working on tasks such as proposals for sustainable materials for buildings or working on health and safety protocols.
In other areas of Real Estate & Property, you may find yourself working on Real Estate deals, and reviewing due diligence reports for potential real estate investments.
In the Recruitment sector there are two different types of organisations: Contingent Recruitment Agencies and Retained Executive Search firms. Contingent Recruitment Agencies work with employers who are looking for temporary staffing or permanent lower/middle-level roles such as graduates and mid-level managers. Retained Executive Search firms, also known as ‘headhunters’ work with employers who are looking for senior-level roles such as executive and non-executive roles.
Contingent recruitment agents create a link between clients and candidates and only receive a commission if their proposed candidate is hired. Essentially, they find people for jobs, and engage with candidates proactively seeking a new role. Clients will usually have multiple contingent firms working on one vacancy at a time, meaning that the project is not exclusive.
In a retained search, a portion of the payment is made up-front as clients have agreed to only work with one firm for the appointment; typically, an exclusive search. Here, typically firms find passive candidates for senior roles – candidates are not actively seeking a new position but are ‘headhunted’ by an Executive Search firm on behalf of a client.
Both areas will have Consultants or Agents who are the fee earners, responsible for revenue generation and client management. A critical team within Executive Search firms is the Research team, where Researchers scour the market for potential ‘passive’ candidates who could ultimately be presented to clients. Hundreds of candidates can be contacted just for one senior role. There are also other project management, support and executive assistant roles within both Agencies and Executive Search firms.
The role of Retail Banks (also known as high street banks) is to support individual customers and small businesses by providing a variety of financial services.
Retail banking is a way for customers to manage their finances, have access to credit and deposit their money securely. Services offered by Retail Banks include current and savings accounts, mortgages, loans and credit cards.
Sales is all about selling products and services to clients and consumers. The sales industry is one of the largest industries in the UK – roughly 1 in 6 employees in the UK work directly or indirectly in sales.
Door-to-door trading is commonly associated with the industry but is just one of many roles. Sales include negotiations between businesses as well as the sale of a product to the end consumer. The sales sector plays a crucial role within the economy as its core aims are to satisfy consumers whilst generating the highest amount of revenue possible. The industry is fast-paced, exciting and full of charm.
Your Sales internship may include the following tasks:
*For Sales and Trading roles (markets) please see Corporate & Investment Banking
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector.
These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector.
These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
The Bar, as a workstream choice, refers to opportunities relating to barristers. A barrister’s work focuses on (written and oral) advocacy as well as the provision of specialist legal advice.
They work mainly within the sphere of dispute resolution and of litigation. This means that, normally, their work has an element of contention or disagreement involved.
The Utilities sector refers to a category of organisations that provide essential amenities, such as water, sewage services, electricity, dams, and natural gas. This also includes any part of the supply, distribution or reticulation network operated by a Utility, including poles, pipes, cables, wires, conduits and tunnels, as well as rail and tram infrastructure.
An internship in the Utilities sector could involve you working in Customer Operations and Engineering, Technology, Finance and Human Resources.
You might try your hand as a Sustainability Analyst, working with supply chain and procurement teams to ensure the environment is at the forefront when making decisions about the materials sourced for networks. You may work on digital infrastructure and research ways to improve connectivity across the country.
Perhaps you’ll explore the world of HR & Recruitment, learning how to recruit the best, most diverse and most inclusive workforce, or maybe you’ll work with energy to scope out new sources of renewable energy. Whether you’re in a head office or out on site, there’s always plenty going on. The possibilities are (almost) endless!
Accounting & Finance is the process of recording financial transactions pertaining to a business. It is one of the key functions for almost any business, regardless of size. Accounting is a necessary function for decision-making, cost planning, and measurement of economic performance.
Internships under this workstream label can also include opportunities in Audit, Tax, Assurance.
Architecture is the art, technique and science of designing and building structures which are typically suitable to live in.
Architecture is not considered a fine art because it serves a functional purpose. The distinction is important because not all structures are architectural in nature – by choosing to use an architect to design a structure, people choose to engage an element of aesthetics over pure function.
Simply put, when we talk about architecture, we’re not just talking about planning/designing/making buildings that are structurally sound, we’re talking about designing buildings that are also nice to look at and experience!
The Automotive industry refers to all of the organisations and activities involved in the manufacturing of motor vehicles (for us at 10K, this includes those which are involved in the making of tyres, batteries and fuel although that is not always typical of the industry). It’s one of the world’s largest industries when judging by revenue and exhibits some of the highest spending for research and development globally. One in six businesses is dependent on the manufacturing, distribution, servicing or use of motor vehicles AND… it’s one of the fastest growing industries in addition to being pivotal to the functioning of our economy. Need we say more?
The automotive sector is overflowing with exciting career opportunities. Some of the existing automotive careers include design, mechanical engineering, machinists, paint technicians, service technicians and more. Excitingly, as the rapid development of technology and increased environmental concerns have pushed the evolution of the vehicles we drive, the careers available in this industry have also expanded to incorporate a highly digital and energy-conscience dimension.
The Built Environment industry employs almost 10% of the entire UK workforce. However, you should know that it’s more than bricks and mortar.
The Built Environment is a broad and varied sector. It encompasses all the elements that make up our towns and cities, including buildings, infrastructure, green spaces, energy networks and water supplies. The industry includes all life cycle stages of the process from planning and design, through to construction and into maintenance, and even demolition and renewal.
Such a varied and wide-reaching sector also calls for a broad range of skills, meaning a career in the built environment offers huge opportunities for growth and career diversity.
Alongside designing and constructing buildings and infrastructure, built environment professionals also manage the funding, planning, development and operation of the built environment. They not only direct how our spaces look but also how we interact with their day-to-day, contributing towards our health and wellbeing.
As a sector that is also focused on reducing our impact on the world, a career in the built environment can give you a unique opportunity to shape climate impact by reducing emissions related to construction and building use, maximising the use of renewable energy and advising clients to reach their net zero aims.
Chemical engineers design industrial processes that convert raw materials into valuable products, applying the principles of chemistry, physics, and engineering to design equipment and processes for manufacturing products such as gasoline, detergents, and paper.
Topical roles may include the energy transition away from fossil fuels, the need for sustainable food and water supplies as climate change occurs, and the provision of improved global healthcare solutions and therapeutics.
The discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment. Civil engineers design, create and connect up the world around us.
They help make our villages, towns and cities work for the people that live there.
Compliance & Legal Support refers to specific in-house legal teams within organisations which are responsible for ensuring that the organisation complies with both internal policies and procedures, and its external obligations.
Many organisations have such a function – for example banks, charities, technology businesses, and pharmaceutical companies. As such, the remit of your role could vary depending on the organisation’s overarching sector.
The consumer business refers to any business-to-consumer structure where companies sell products directly to the final consumer; whereas, retail generally refers to the channel through which those products are sold (think shopping centres vs online shops). Demand is identified through supply chain analysis and the final goods or services are sold to customers through multiple channels of distribution to make a profit.
These two, when combined, cover anything from restaurants to wholesalers as well as luxury goods.
This sector option provides an exciting opportunity to explore the complex interplay between consumers, competitors and suppliers.
At 10K examples of a Consumer & Retail internship include supporting teams in:
Research & Development, Merchandising, Product Innovation, Strategic inventory or layout changes to physical and digital stores, Using customer data to create special events and promotions, Under our programme, Consumer and Retail does not include hospitality roles, such as food service, bartending or portering.
Corporate & Investment Banks provide a range of financial services to companies, institutions and governments. You’ll manage corporate, strategic and financial products, including mergers & acquisitions, (where one company purchases or merges with another), bonds, shares and initial public offerings.
Traditionally associated with corporate finance, an investment bank might assist in raising financial capital by underwriting or acting as the client’s agent in the issuance of securities.
Creative, in our books, refers to industries and organisations which centre artistic expression.
We’re talking about the production of art, design, music, film/video, fashion and other creative expressions.
Culture includes any opportunities in cultural spaces & cultural organisations. These could be either commercial or state-owned. Here, the focus is on the sponsorship, display and distribution of cultural goods and services (such as exhibitions, sports events, books, & films).
Examples of these spaces could be art galleries, museums or stadiums.
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector. These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
Our Technology related internships include:
Data
Financial Services, Data & Technology
Technology (Technical)
Technology (Non-Technical)
Here in the UK, our education system is divided into 4 main branches: Primary Education, Secondary Education, Further Education & Higher Education. Each of these branches brings different career opportunities and requires a different set of skills. Roles in education may include teaching, streams of academia such as research, access to education, external examiner, head of a department and many more.
There are many interesting careers within education and the sector is so broad – for example, have you considered becoming a Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) expert, education welfare officer or even a career advisor?
Academic:
An academic career offers the opportunity to work at the cutting edge of knowledge in an area in which you are passionately interested. Careers in academia also offer flexibility and independence, whilst working in an intellectually stimulating environment.
Here in the UK, our education system is divided into 4 main branches: Primary Education, Secondary Education, Further Education & Higher Education. Each of these branches brings different career opportunities and requires a different set of skills. Roles in education may include teaching, streams of academiasuch as research, access to education, external examiner, head of a department and many more. There are many interesting careers within education and the sector is so broad – for example, have you considered becoming a Special Education Needs and Disability (SEND) expert, education welfare officer or even a career advisor?
Non-Academic
Many of the opportunities we are providing within education are sector-specific roles rather than teaching roles. This means that you will have an opportunity to explore the fabric of what makes the sector so impactful and contribute to one of the most valuable facets of our society. Some of these roles may include admissions advisor, student services support, events officer, and more.
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector. These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
Our Technology related internships include:
Data
Financial Services, Data & Technology
Technoology (Technical)
Technology (Non-Technical)
Health Data Research is the process of gathering and analysing information about people in order to preserve their health. It enables us to understand diseases and health conditions through a better appreciation of their causes, symptoms and the kind of people who are most at risk of becoming ill. In turn, this allows us to diagnose diseases earlier and provide better, more efficient care and treatment. This is crucial to the improvement of healthcare for all!
By applying for an internship in this sector alongside some of the world’s leading experts on life-saving research either in individual organisations or as part of our partnership with the national institute for Health Data Research: HDR UK as part of the Health Data Science Black Internship Programme.
The overall aim of the Health Data Science Black Internship Programme is not only to continue to tackle the underrepresentation of Black people within the health data science sector but to also provide motivated candidates with the experience they need to kick-start their STEM careers. Click here for more information:
Organisations interested in joining the Health Data Science Black Internship Programme can contact Dona.Reddiar@hdruk.ac.uk
A key area of Health Data Research is Genomics. Genomics is the study of all of a person’s DNA, not just the sections containing genes. Today, it is most often used to help diagnose people with rare diseases and cancers, and to help decide what treatment will work best for them. However, we now have significant genomic data and analytic tools that are useful for investigating the genetic components of common diseases too – diseases like heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis and common cancers like breast, bowel and prostate cancer. These are the diseases that cause the most illness and place the greatest burden on NHS resources.
We can use these new genomic data and tools to identify people at higher risk of developing common diseases, many of whom are currently invisible to health systems like the NHS. These people can then be moved into some of the excellent prevention, screening and early diagnosis pathways we already have. That would result in better outcomes for those people and a more efficient use of healthcare resources.
Healthcare Management is the overall management and leadership of both public and private healthcare organisations. Its primary goal is to ensure that operations within the entire healthcare sector are seamlessly integrated and well-maintained. There are healthcare management roles for clinicians (Doctors, Nurses, Therapists, Pharmacists, etc.) but also many other functions and areas of expertise, including:
Human Resources’ fundamental aim is to allow an organisation to run smoothly. This is achieved by managing the employee life cycle: recruiting, hiring, onboarding, training, and termination. Crucially, an HR professional will have a hand in maintaining a fair environment for all employees and ensuring their rights and wellbeing as well as the diversity and inclusivity of the workplace. Many organisations will have an HR department – or a member of staff – responsible for managing the employee life cycle and, sometimes, employee benefits. The purpose of HR is to support employees and sustain a work environment that works well.
The responsibilities of HR vary. They may support employees by offering training, providing career growth, and managing the impact of changes in staff’s personal or work-related circumstances. At the same time, HR might have to conduct disciplinary actions in order to maintain the equilibrium of the workplace. Other responsibilities can involve maintaining employee records, updating policies and processing payroll.
HR has the potential to contribute greatly to the overall success of an organisation.
Your HR internship may see you working in one or more of the following areas:
Your HR internship may also include the following tasks:
The Insurance & Long-Term Savings sector is made up of companies that offer different services that aim to increase their customers’ financial well-being. This sector is there to help individual consumers, businesses and also intermediaries. In an ageing and underinsured population, this sector has the aim of making sure its customers are financially resilient for whatever the future may hold.
The industry is now working harder than ever to help its customers achieve this resilience in a sustainable way. Professionals in this industry help customers protect the things that matter to them the most, for example, their home, belongings, car, or family and also help them to save for their future through work or personal pensions and investments.
Investment Management refers to managing the holdings within an investment portfolio, and the trading of them to achieve a specific investment objective. Investment management is also known as money management, portfolio management, or wealth management.
It aims to meet particular investment goals for the benefit of clients whose money they have the responsibility of overseeing. These clients may be individual investors or institutional investors such as pension funds, retirement plans, governments, educational institutions, and insurance companies.
When thinking about a career in law, many people imagine the role of a corporate solicitor, some may envision that of a barrister – but the career opportunities within the legal sector are much broader. Other positions include paralegals; in-house counsel; legal support staff; judges; magistrates; and roles within organisations such as the Civil Service, Bar Council, and Law Commission.
Law (In-house) working in the legal department of an organisation rather than an actual legal firm, representing one client, namely the organisation (or group) you work for.
When thinking about a career in law, many people imagine the role of a corporate solicitor, some may envision that of a barrister – but the career opportunities within the legal sector are much broader. Other positions include paralegals; in-house counsel; legal support staff; judges; magistrates; and roles within organisations such as the Civil Service, Bar Council, and Law Commission.
Law (Private practice) involves working for a legal firm that supports a variety of clients with the opportunity to interact with a wide array of clients and legal issues simultaneously.
Management Consulting (also known as business consulting) is providing “advisory and/or implementation services to the (senior) management of organisations with the aim of improving the effectiveness of their business strategy, organisational performance and operational processes”. It is the broadest area within the consulting industry covering up to 55% of that market.
Strategy consultants provide objective advice to senior members of organisations so that they can make high-level decisions. They use deep industry knowledge to help these organisations to deliver their best results.
Your Consulting internship may include the following tasks:
Markets (Sales & Trading) refers to the division of an investment bank responsible for making markets in stocks, bonds, and derivatives. Salespeople work with asset managers, hedge funds, insurance companies, and other buy-side investors to pitch ideas and to buy or sell securities or derivatives.
Sales & Trading is also referred to as the Markets or Securities Division, depending on the bank.
Market Research is used by organisations to learn about their customers, target audience, brand reputation, and other aspects of their business. It involves helping clients to gather & interpret information so that they can leverage their insights to shape marketing and sales strategies. It is, therefore, a critical part of many modern businesses.
Market researchers use a range of both quantitative and qualitative techniques such as interviews, focus groups, customer surveys, and data analysis. They use a variety of media for this purpose such as telephone, e-mail, social media, snail mail, and face-to-face interviews.
An internship in market research could take place in a market research agency, an advertising agency or even a specific department of any organisation. You may be sitting with a research director or manager, research analyst, fieldwork manager, and/or statistician/data processing workers.
Your Market Research internship may include the following tasks:
Marketing and Advertising are closely related. They all focus on generating an image or idea of an organisation, product or person within the eyes of the consumer, client or public, but they have slightly different functions and it is important to understand the distinctions.
Marketing is a broad area that entails strategy development, product development, consumer insights and understanding, data analysis, design, brand and both qualitative and quantitative market research. Marketing aims to gain an understanding of the marketing environment, develop and define products or services and prepare them for the market.
Advertising is focused on how marketers communicate information about the product or service to their consumers. Advertisers can work closely with individuals and organisations in the creative and cultural industries, creating content that appeals to consumers and encourages the sales of a product, service or experience.
Your Marketing & Advertising internship may include the following tasks:
Mechanical Engineering is the engineering branch which combines engineering physics, mathematics and materials science for the purpose of designing, developing and manufacturing mechanical objects/systems.
This covers everything from large-scale industrial machinery to trains, planes and cars as well as medical devices, mobile phones, bicycles, and even chairs.
Media is the main means of mass communication and spans broadcasting, publishing, and journalism. The media industry is, therefore, defined as a varied collection of organisations that produce and publish information (content). The way that information is communicated differs enormously, for example through traditional (newspapers, magazines, brochures, and pre-recorded broadcasts) and digital (web, social media, blogs, YouTube, podcasts).
The media industry is very extensive and present in every industry from food, entertainment & finance to medicine. The industry is constantly evolving, so it offers an exciting challenge.
The modern media industry includes any business that communicates information to an audience and is made up of individuals and organisations who finance, produce, distribute, exhibit, or retail media products and consequently, there are many different career paths within the industry.
Your Media internship may include the following tasks:
In a not-for-profit organisation, all income earned or received by the organisation is used in pursuing the organisation’s objectives and keeping it running. Hence, the organisation does not exist to make a profit.
Charities come to mind when we consider not-for-profit organisations. This is because a charity is a type of not-for-profit organisation whose activities are aimed at improving the lives in a community. However, there are other organisations which may not qualify as charities and are nevertheless not-for-profit organisations. These include community benefit societies, non-charitable housing associations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) campaigning for changes in specific aspects of law, and non-charitable social enterprises which have social and commercial objectives, as well as not-for-profit universities. This sector plays a vital role in supporting communities at a local level, affecting policy, providing education, and producing lasting change.
Examples of the type of work you could be doing in such organisations are listed below:
Operations underpins everything that you see happening. Working in this area means ensuring that everything that is ‘front-facing’ is able to function to the best of its ability – you make sure that the ship is running smoothly.
Making sure the ship is running smoothly involves thinking about execution in alignment with your organisations’ or your departments’ strategic goals; designing, implementing and maintaining the environments for your processes to run in; and strategising the best ways to make sure it all feels seamless.
This type of role is for someone who enjoys exercising attention to detail and sees the beauty in the creation and maintenance of processes. A role in Operations is for someone who is willing to do what it takes to make everything work for everyone around them.
Your Operations internship may include the following tasks
The Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences sector is knowledge driven, requiring a highly skilled workforce and directly employs over 73,000 people, with over 23,000 of these in research and development.
The discovery, development, manufacturing and promotion of new medicines is a team effort combining the talents of many individuals. This means that there are a wide range of jobs available directly within, or relating to, the pharmaceutical industry.
Your Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences internship may include the following tasks
While the most obvious context for policy work is the Civil Service, employers of policy professionals can include central and local government, political parties, think tanks, pressure groups, charities as well as political strategy and public affairs consultancies. Simply put, policy professionals work to design, develop and propose appropriate courses of action to help meet key priorities and objectives.
In the public sector, policy officers conduct research, plan and develop services, and also have an advisory role. They often advise MPs & senior management on policy, planning and development. On the other hand, those who work within the voluntary sector and in consultancies try to influence and inform policy. They do this by building relationships with governmental organisations and with clients.
If you’re interested in a role in policy, you may have an interest in politics, public policy & international relations. Candidates who are skilled researchers and are able to synthesise large amounts of information into digestible content will also excel in this sector.
Your Public & Policy internship may include the following tasks:
PR is short for Public Relations. PR is the practice of communicating information about an individual or organisation with the goal of influencing public perception. This can vary greatly but includes crisis management, media relations, community relations, corporate responsibility and public affairs. Those who work in public relations are good storytellers. It is a role that would appeal to anyone who is persuasive, personable and good at influencing others. Public perceptions of individuals, brands and organisations often have a key influence on the individual, brand or organisation’s success.
Your PR internship may include the following tasks:
Real Estate & Property, consists of the purchase, hire and improvement of real property. This includes buildings, fixtures, roads, structures, and utility systems. This is a sector of great social significance.
From customer service to communications, marketing to maintenance, and property development to procurement, there’s a wide range of exciting roles available in this sector.
Depending on the team you work with, you may be doing anything from going out on inspections, researching the market and presenting your findings to property management teams.
If your internship is in property management, you may also be working on tasks such as proposals for sustainable materials for buildings or working on health and safety protocols.
In other areas of Real Estate & Property, you may find yourself working on Real Estate deals, and reviewing due diligence reports for potential real estate investments.
In the Recruitment sector there are two different types of organisations: Contingent Recruitment Agencies and Retained Executive Search firms. Contingent Recruitment Agencies work with employers who are looking for temporary staffing or permanent lower/middle-level roles such as graduates and mid-level managers. Retained Executive Search firms, also known as ‘headhunters’ work with employers who are looking for senior-level roles such as executive and non-executive roles.
Contingent recruitment agents create a link between clients and candidates and only receive a commission if their proposed candidate is hired. Essentially, they find people for jobs, and engage with candidates proactively seeking a new role. Clients will usually have multiple contingent firms working on one vacancy at a time, meaning that the project is not exclusive.
In a retained search, a portion of the payment is made up-front as clients have agreed to only work with one firm for the appointment; typically, an exclusive search. Here, typically firms find passive candidates for senior roles – candidates are not actively seeking a new position but are ‘headhunted’ by an Executive Search firm on behalf of a client.
Both areas will have Consultants or Agents who are the fee earners, responsible for revenue generation and client management. A critical team within Executive Search firms is the Research team, where Researchers scour the market for potential ‘passive’ candidates who could ultimately be presented to clients. Hundreds of candidates can be contacted just for one senior role. There are also other project management, support and executive assistant roles within both Agencies and Executive Search firms.
The role of Retail Banks (also known as high street banks) is to support individual customers and small businesses by providing a variety of financial services.
Retail banking is a way for customers to manage their finances, have access to credit and deposit their money securely. Services offered by Retail Banks include current and savings accounts, mortgages, loans and credit cards.
Sales is all about selling products and services to clients and consumers. The sales industry is one of the largest industries in the UK – roughly 1 in 6 employees in the UK work directly or indirectly in sales.
Door-to-door trading is commonly associated with the industry but is just one of many roles. Sales include negotiations between businesses as well as the sale of a product to the end consumer. The sales sector plays a crucial role within the economy as its core aims are to satisfy consumers whilst generating the highest amount of revenue possible. The industry is fast-paced, exciting and full of charm.
Your Sales internship may include the following tasks:
*For Sales and Trading roles (markets) please see Corporate & Investment Banking
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector.
These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
The Technology sector has, in many ways, driven the development of most modern sectors across markets. It was already one of the most rapidly developing and dynamic sectors before the pandemic but now the growth in interest for careers in this sector is exponential. There has never been a better time to consider a career in Technology.
When considering roles in the technology sector, it’s easy to limit your imagination to the developer, engineer, data scientist or any other role requiring a technical background. However, this would be a big oversight as you would be missing out on the non-technical roles which don’t require any coding or core IT skills yet make up 43% of the jobs in the sector.
These roles are just as important, stretching and lucrative as the more technical roles. Examples of some non-technical roles include content management, product managers, Sales, Corporate functions (HR/Finance/marketing) and UX design.
As with many of our other sector options, this internship could potentially be in an organisation whose overarching business is not technology. For example, it could be alongside a developer or IT support officer in a charity, bank or other organisation.
The Bar, as a workstream choice, refers to opportunities relating to barristers. A barrister’s work focuses on (written and oral) advocacy as well as the provision of specialist legal advice.
They work mainly within the sphere of dispute resolution and of litigation. This means that, normally, their work has an element of contention or disagreement involved.
The Utilities sector refers to a category of organisations that provide essential amenities, such as water, sewage services, electricity, dams, and natural gas. This also includes any part of the supply, distribution or reticulation network operated by a Utility, including poles, pipes, cables, wires, conduits and tunnels, as well as rail and tram infrastructure.
An internship in the Utilities sector could involve you working in Customer Operations and Engineering, Technology, Finance and Human Resources.
You might try your hand as a Sustainability Analyst, working with supply chain and procurement teams to ensure the environment is at the forefront when making decisions about the materials sourced for networks. You may work on digital infrastructure and research ways to improve connectivity across the country.
Perhaps you’ll explore the world of HR & Recruitment, learning how to recruit the best, most diverse and most inclusive workforce, or maybe you’ll work with energy to scope out new sources of renewable energy. Whether you’re in a head office or out on site, there’s always plenty going on. The possibilities are (almost) endless!
These are our interns stories, the talented people who have been through our programmes, and broken down barriers to get there.
Unlock your potential! Apply now if you identify as disabled or if you experience societal barriers that are disabling. Start your journey to showcase your exceptional talent in leading UK industries.
Discover your potential! Apply now if you are a student or graduate who identifies as Black or Black heritage (mixed included). Find opportunities to showcase your exceptional talent in leading UK industries.
