LJMU Funded internships and work-based learning
About LJMU-funded internships
LJMU offer our second and third year students (Levels 5 and 6) the opportunity to undertake a paid 'Discovery Internship' with a local organisation, working on a suitable project or piece of work that will enhance your employability skills and career insight. You will be paid a living wage for their time and internships can be completed part-time alongside your studies.
Discovery Internships are sourced by the LJMU Student Futures team and will be advertised via Unitemps at LJMU, so you must be registered with Unitemps before you can apply. These 105-hour, paid internships (including 1 hour of training) will be with a local organisation working on a real life project that you can really get stuck into. Discovery Internships are an opportunity for you to:
- test out your career ideas
- improve your employability and workplace skills
- show your commitment and enthusiasm
If you do not know what direction you want to take in future, or you cannot find your perfect internship opportunity, any work experience on your CV is of huge benefit. Whatever role you try, you’ll learn more about yourself and working life.
You'll also gain skills in the process. It may even lead to more suitable experience with the same company or it could be good preparation for another opportunity that’s closer to what you want to do.
Discovery Internships Timelines
Cohort 1 - Autumn of semester 1
The first round of Discovery Internships take place early in Semester 1, with applications opening on 18 September and closing in at midnight on Friday 6 October. Interviews will take place before 27 October and internships will start the week beginning 30 October. Use the 'View internships' button below to see the opportunities that are available (from 18 September 2023).
Cohort 2a - late-November 2023
The second round of Discovery Internships open for applications on 27 November and close for applications at midnight on Sunday 17 December. Interviews will take place before 30 January 2024 with anticipated start dates in early February 2024 (these dates may vary for each role).
Cohort 2b - mid-January 2024 (for level 4 students only)
There will also be a new initiative, First Step Spring Internships, available for first year students (level 4) who have little or no work experience to connect you to an employer in the Liverpool City Region – these opportunities will be advertised in mid-January 2024.
Cohort 3 - Early in semester 2
The final round of Discovery Internships Go Green! The projects offered will align with the 17 sustainable development goals outlined by the United Nations as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Internships will open for applications on 11 March and close for applications on 5 April. Interviews will take place before the end of April with anticipated start dates in early-May (these dates may vary for each role).
Please note
If you intend to apply for a Discovery Internship you must be registered with LJMU's Unitemps branch.
Support with your CV/application for an internship
Use this LJMU internships CV template if required. Remember, if you need help with a CV or application, or want support preparing for an interview, you can book a 30-minute careers meeting with one of our experienced advisers from the LJMU Student Futures team. Details of how to do this can be found here.
You can also access our handy digital careers apps including CV Builder (ideal for building your first CV), CV360 (to give your CV a polish) and Interview360 (to practice interview questions and scenarios) in Careers Zone 24/7.
"My LJMU internship at Sound City was a fantastic experience. It was great to work with others in a large crew on a very exciting project. Being in the thick of the action with only one opportunity to get things right was a huge adrenaline rush and something that cannot be replicated in the classroom. I was also able to work with some fantastic students who I’ve kept in touch with since and have had other opportunities for work off the back of that."
Contact us
For more information about the internship programme contact LJMU's Employer Engagement Team on 0151 231 8751, or email internships@ljmu.ac.uk.