Many Wired Sussex members and residents ask me about how they can employ an intern. As the Skills & Talent Manager for Wired Sussex, I thought a blog post about internships would be helpful.
Internships are not free labour!
Before you even consider employing an intern, think about the below:
- Is the work on offer to your potential intern really work?
- Are you looking for a graduate or a current undergraduate?
- Consider the time of year you would like to employ the intern, especially around the university academic year.
- How long do you expect the intern to work for?
- How much can you pay the intern?
- After the internship, would you consider offering the intern a job?
These are simple enough, but it is amazing how many companies do not go through this process. Even though an intern can come from any type of academic or vocational background, these initial checks will prove useful to you.
With this in mind, and with our Talent2018 digital skills festival happening in June, I would like to outline the many different types of internships available across Brighton, which businesses can get involved in. My specific focus will be on the internships offered through the University of Brighton and the University of Sussex.
University of Sussex
- For first year students
- Usually between 2-4 weeks in length
- Available from February to May (Spring Term)
- Opportunities open to second-year undergraduates and first-generation scholars
- Must be paid a minimum of £8.75 per hour
- Be full time
- Last for 8 weeks and start in June 2018
- These internships are the most common route for interns but require the same stringent questioning as any other type of internship.
- You must be an SME with less than 250 employees registered in the UK.
- Your intern should be paid a total of at least £300 per week, with the scheme funding £150 per week and your organisation at least matching this amount.
- Internships can be 1 -10 weeks in duration. Note that 1-2-week internships will be paid directly by the university, whilst internships between 3-10 weeks will be paid by the employer.
University of Brighton
Green Growth Internship Programme
- Your businesses must offer green or low carbon products or services and wish to reduce their environmental impact.
- You must be a SME based in Sussex and must also join the Green Growth Platform.
- A grant of £1000 towards salary costs and is paid after the intern has worked 225 hours.
- The intern must be paid a minimum of £8.45 per hour.
Santander Internship Programme
- You need to recruit a University of Brighton student or graduate.
- You must be a SME with less than 250 employees with a turnover of less than £50m.
- A grant of £1500 towards salary costs and is paid after the intern has worked 350 hours.
- The intern must be paid a minimum of £8.57 per hour.
Other types of internships
- The above internships are the only ones currently available that will be part-funded through the University of Brighton, but the university can advise on other types of internships.
This is just snapshot of what is available locally, so feel free to get in touch if you would like further information and discuss, in more depth, the various types of internships.
Looking to hire an intern? Our Jobs Board is the go-to for digital, media and tech jobs within Sussex, with over 150,000 unique visitors a month and each job emailed to over 11,000 job seekers. You can find out more here or get in contact with Mia, our Member Service Assistant.