Dozens of start-up businesses in east London are being offered graduate-level intern support, thanks to a new £120,000 student work placement scheme run by Queen Mary, University of London.
As part of its commitment to support local firms and to develop the employability skills of its students and graduates, Queen Mary is investing heavily to create valuable work experience opportunities.
Placements are full or part-time and last for up to three months. All intern wages and expenses are funded by the College’s careers and enterprise centre, which is also responsible for connecting student talent with the right businesses. Students on the Start-Up Internship Scheme will be paid at least the London Living Wage of £8.55 per hour.
Businesses who would like to host a Queen Mary intern are being invited to apply to the scheme, outlining their requirements and how they could support a student’s professional development.
James Weaver, Employer Engagement Manager at QM, explains why Start-Up Interns will benefit local businesses and QM students: “Internships are a great opportunity for our students and graduates as they seek to improve their employability and enterprise skills and enhance their CVs.
“Fast-growing, entrepreneurial businesses are the perfect place for them to learn quickly, but small companies often can’t afford to pay interns. Start-Up Internship funding means that our students can use their talent and expertise to help support a developing company, whilst earning the London Living Wage.”
Start-Up Internships are funded by the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s HEIF scheme, which helps to support and develop a broad range of knowledge-based interactions between universities and the wider world.
East London start-up or micro-businesses interested in hosting a Start-Up Intern should visit http://bit.ly/startupinternships2013
Queen Mary students or graduates who would like to register with QInterns should visit: http://www.careers.qmul.ac.uk/qrecruit
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