Growth-hungry North West businesses can benefit from an opportunity to access fresh ideas and technical skills by working with talented and enthusiastic science and technology students.

Internship opportunities at forward-thinking businesses are sought for students studying a range of technical subjects at Lancaster University.

Businesses from across all sectors can benefit by accessing a talent pool of more than 4,200 science and technology students with sought-after technical backgrounds in disciplines such as chemistry, computing and communications, cyber-security, engineering, environmental science, maths and statistics, physics, and psychology.

Internships cost organisations £2,200+VAT for a month of full-time work (or equivalent) and this money is paid to the student at the National Living Wage rate. There is also limited part-funding available each year.

Lancaster University Science and Technology internships programmes have a strong record of working with regional businesses on student placements focused on bespoke projects that have delivered tangible benefits to the host organisations.

Professionals from the University’s Science and Technology Partnerships and Business Engagement team, as well as academic staff, support the process by arranging mutually-beneficial partnerships between organisations and students through projects and placements. They also provide support for recruitment and selection of interns, and the management of student payments.

Many placements are so successful that internship hosts go on to recruit Lancaster student interns, with businesses finding the process to be a great way to trial potential new staff.

One company to have repeatedly benefitted from the Lancaster University internship programme is Chorley-based Crowberry Consulting Ltd.

The Crowberry team have worked with Lancaster University for more than a decade offering quality internship roles each summer.

Becky Toal, Managing Director of Crowberry Consulting Ltd, said: “It massively benefits our business to work with Lancaster University giving quality internship roles to their undergraduates.

“We deploy these highly intelligent interns to our various projects, which involve research, and customer-facing work and development. In 2018 we launched our new ‘Ethical Toolkit’ with the help of the internships. This new product has helped us to win new business. The paid placements have also supported the development of new online training courses and carbon footprint reduction support to our clients. I would highly recommend working with the team at Lancaster University who make the process of recruitment easy and pain-free for any business looking for extra resource on a wide range of projects.”

Pam Pickles, Student Engagement Manager at Lancaster University’s Faculty of Science and Technology, said: “Internships are a fantastic win-win opportunity for both businesses and students. Businesses are able to benefit from the skills and knowledge of talented Lancaster University students on specific projects, while also providing the students with invaluable chance to enhance their experience at the start of their careers.

“We have a strong track-record of delivering solutions for external partners as well as helping to ensure our talented students gain quality additional experience and skills that will be invaluable for when they complete their studies and begin their careers.

Rachael Sterrett, Student Engagement Officer at Lancaster University’s Faculty of Science and Technology, said: “Internships are available all year round and are flexible in duration. Many organisations use internships during the summer months when students can more readily commit their time. Registering interest now ensures the best chance of matching internship to organisational needs.”

Businesses are encouraged to register opportunities on the Lancaster University Science and Technology Internship Programme online application form.

More information about the internships are available by visiting www.lancaster.ac.uk/sci-tech/internships/ or by contacting Pam Pickles and Rachael Sterrett E: scitech.futures@lancaster.ac.uk