Being a student is a rewarding and exciting time in your life. But, as the job market becomes increasingly competitive, it’s also an important time to gain work experience. Finding an internship, work placement, apprenticeship, or summer job will give you the opportunity to develop key competencies and grow your network. So that when the time comes, you have the employability skills and experience you need to land your dream job. To help you, we’ve rounded up 7 of the top student employers in the UK.
From specialist student job boards to leading retailers, these employers are the cream of the crop when it comes to finding career opportunities and work experience for students.
Let’s dive in.
Top Student Employers In 2023
The company you work for as a student can have a huge impact on your future career. Earning your stripes in an organisation with a great culture, plenty of learning and development opportunities, and room to grow will set you on the right path.
On the other hand, taking your first steps in a company that isn’t a good fit can knock your confidence and set you back.
So how do you go about finding the best student employer for you?
The simple answer is research.
Doing your homework will help you make an informed decision, so you can apply to employers that align with your goals, values, and needs. For instance, do you thrive in a fast-paced, competitive environment? Or perhaps you work better in a safe and supportive space? Are inclusivity and diversity important to you? Would you prefer to work in a SME or a large enterprise?
All of these questions matter and will help you choose the right student employers for you. To support you, we have rounded up some of the best student employers in the UK.
Best All-round Student Employer
Developing a Student
Developing a Student is a specialist job board and resource hub for students and graduates. Our team of experts partners with some of the top student employers in the UK to connect fresh talent with the latest and best career opportunities.
Great for generalists, our live jobs board is packed with the latest student employment opportunities all over the UK. You’ll find everything from part-time student jobs and internships to summer jobs to work placements. And when your student days have finished, you’ll also discover a wealth of graduate job opportunities and graduate schemes.
Developing a Student caters to students from diverse backgrounds, making it a leading inclusive student employer. There is also a dedicated section for student employers that offers comprehensive advice and support.
The resource hub is filled with detailed guides, career advice, and resources for students, giving you the information you need to kickstart your career.
Our weekly blog covers the latest industry news and insights, preparing students for the job market.
Search our student jobs board →
Best For Finding Student Apprenticeships
Employing an Apprentice
Finding an apprenticeship is a fantastic way to develop hands-on experience and get a foot in the door in your target industry. With so many different types of apprenticeships on offer in the UK, there’s bound to be one that suits your needs.
Whether you’re a school leaver, student, or graduate, Employing an Apprentice has a wide range of resources to connect you with the best apprenticeship opportunities. As well as the apprenticeship job board, there’s a handy resource section with actionable advice on how to land an apprenticeship.
What’s more, the site offers advice and support for employers looking to advertise their apprenticeships. With a range of resources and high-quality apprenticeship jobs on offer, it’s one of the best sites for student jobs in the UK.
Search Employing an Apprentice →
Best For Breaking Into The Personal Care Industry
L’Oreal
If you want to break into the retail or personal care industries and work for a global brand, then finding L’Oreal could be the best option for you. The industry giant has earned a reputation as one of the top student employers in the UK and around the world. This is mainly due to the wide range of opportunities it offers students.
You can choose between internship programs, apprenticeships, or management trainees schemes for students. You are guaranteed to be in good hands, whichever option you go for. L’Oreal is often touted as one of the best companies to work for in terms of diversity, professional development opportunities, and international culture. All of this is why it’s landed a spot on our top student employers list for 2023.
Best Student Employer For Budding Bankers
HSBC
Another one of the top student employers in the UK, HSBC offers a broad array of opportunities to gain real-world work experience. Students in their first, penultimate, or final year of university can all find exciting work experience at HSBC.
As a student looking to begin a career in banking, you can choose between HSBC’s global internships or local programmes. Global banking internships throw you into the deep end, empowering you to gain first-hand experience in the fast-paced world of banking. It also gives aspiring bankers a chance to travel and work abroad.
Local programmes offer a range of tailored options, including work experience, apprenticeships, and hands-on knowledge of the financial services industry.
Best For Pursuing A Career In Professional Services
PwC
Known as one of the Big Four, PwC is an impressive place to cut your teeth. PwC is one of the leading companies that hire students in a range of roles and capacities. You can apply for one of the many student work experience options, such as the HeadStart summer internship, Co-op university placement, and Associates programme for graduates.
Since it’s such a large enterprise, you’ll find opportunities to work in different locations across the world and in different functions within the business. As such, you’ll gain heaps of personal and professional experience.
Of course, there’s a lot of competition to nab a spot at PwC, so you will need to make sure your application and CV stand out from the crowd. If you’re a graduate, you are typically required to hold at least a 2:1 Bachelor’s degree.
You may also be interested in ?? The Best Sites For Student Jobs
Best Student Employers For Finding Your Feet In FMCG
PepsiCo
Global leader in the FMCG industry, PepsiCo places a lot of emphasis on developing student talent. It offers a comprehensive array of intern programmes that give students real-world experience in a global firm. PepsiCo prides itself on giving student interns the opportunity to make an impact and work with huge brands.
PepsiCo also offers top-class graduate schemes for undergraduates. The schemes are rotational, meaning participants get to try their hand at various positions across different parts of the business. Additionally, the three-year Grow programme is geared towards MBA graduates who want to pursue a career in strategy, sales, or insights.
Search for PepsiCo Graduate Scheme opportunities →
Best For IT & Communications Students
IBM
If you’re a student interested in a career in IT or communications, then a student position with IBM will certainly open some doors. As well as offering a broad selection of entry-level jobs for graduates, IBM has an impressive intern programme.
For instance, it offers a number of summer internship roles for budding software developers and research scientists. These are known as the IBM Quantum and IBM Quantum-sponsored summer internships and workforce development programmes. Applicants can take on internships all over the world, working on global projects from day one.
Finding The Top Student Employers UK
We hope our guide to the top student employers in 2023 empowers you to take the reins and find the best opportunity for you. Whether you’re looking for a full-time graduate job or a summer internship, these are some of the best student employers in the UK.
Check out our Student Jobs Board for the latest opportunities near you.
Looking for career advice? Our resource hub is packed with up-to-date information on graduate jobs, industry trends, and advice for student job seekers. You can also catch what’s new on our blog every Wednesday.
If you’re a graduate employer, browse our services page for information on advertising on our specialist jobs board, creating a company profile, and more.
Get in touch if you have questions, or sign up for our free newsletter using the form below.
