Work Experience Directory

GKN Aerospace runs week-long work experience placements for students aged 14 to 18 at its Bristol and Cowes sites, covering engineering, IT, procurement and health and safety. Applications are made directly to each site with a CV and covering letter.

SSTL runs one-week work experience placements at its Guildford site each summer for students in Years 10 to 13, across areas including space systems engineering, ground software, IT and supply chain. Some placements are open to over-18s only. Placements typically advertised during summer.

AtkinsRéalis offers free virtual work experience through Springpod, open to students aged 13 and over and completed at your own pace, with a certificate on completion. Paid summer and year-long placements are available for undergraduates.

Babcock runs Future Engineers work experience for Year 10 students at sites including Devonport, with virtual placements also offered in some years, plus paid summer internships and placement years for undergraduates. Opportunities appear on its early careers events page. Placements are regional (eg. Plymouth and Clyde area)

Spaceport Cornwall runs an annual work experience week at its Newquay site for school students, as part of a wider education programme that includes site visits, exhibitions and curriculum-linked challenges.

BAE Systems runs week-long work experience placements for 14 to 18 year olds at sites across the UK, covering engineering and business areas, alongside summer engineering taster weeks for 16 to 18s at Rochester and a five-day virtual programme. Dates are released through the year and applications go through the BAE Systems careers site.

British Airways offers Insight Days for Year 9 and above, followed by three to five day work experience placements at Heathrow for students in Year 10 and above. Applications open in September, January and April through the Speedbird-Z student platform. Students must attend an Insight Day first and hold a valid UK passport.

Leonardo runs week-long work experience programmes at its UK sites, including Yeovil, Basildon, Southampton and Edinburgh, built around a team engineering challenge and leading to an Industrial Cadets Silver award. It also offers a free virtual programme through Springpod. Face-to-face opportunities are listed by site on the Leonardo careers page, and eligibility varies by location.

Rolls-Royce runs work experience under the Discover name: four-day Behind-the-Scenes insight weeks at Solihull, Derby, Bristol and Inchinnan, each set for a particular year group between Year 10 and Year 13, plus Discover: On Demand, a virtual platform available at any time. Application windows open through the year. Accommodation is not provided, though a small travel bursary is available.

The Royal Air Force offers a free national virtual work experience programme through Springpod, launched in 2026 and aimed at 14 to 18 year olds. Individual stations also run in-person placements, from Year 10 insight programmes to 16+ placements in areas such as air traffic control; these are arranged station by station, usually through school, and need applying for well in advance.

The Science and Technology Facilities Council runs annual work experience for Years 10 to 13 at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory (home of RAL Space), Daresbury Laboratory and the UK Astronomy Technology Centre in Edinburgh, with online placements for students living further away. Placements last one to two weeks in summer and are built around the Gatsby Benchmarks. Applications open in January and close at the end of February.

Airbus offers a free virtual work experience programme, delivered with Springpod, on how it designs and builds aircraft, helicopters and space systems, with activities set by Airbus teams and a certificate on completion. It is open to anyone aged 13 or over and can be completed at any pace, from anywhere. In-person placements at its UK sites are not currently advertised.

Thales offers a free virtual work experience programme through Springpod for anyone aged 13 and over: more than seven hours of on-demand modules, activities and quizzes spanning aerospace, space, defence, cyber security and digital identity, with a Thales certificate on completion. It also includes application advice and a mock assessment for those considering Thales apprenticeship or graduate routes.

MBDA runs week-long work experience for school students at Stevenage, Bristol and Bolton. Stevenage offers engineering and software strands, Bristol sets a team engineering problem, and Bolton rotates students through five one-day placements across its manufacturing site. Dates and eligibility differ by site and are set out in each advert; places are generally limited to students living nearby.

Safran advertises one-week work experience placements for 14 to 18 year olds at its UK sites, including Safran Landing Systems in Gloucester (landing gear design, manufacture and overhaul) and Safran Electronics & Defense in Banbury, with options across manufacturing, maintenance and business support. Placements run in set windows, usually spring to summer, and are posted as job listings on the Safran careers site: search for "work experience".