Career support

The best way to prepare for your career is to experience it first-hand. Every year, we support thousands of our students to take on placements and internships across a wide range of industries, applying learnings to real projects. We guarantee our postgraduate students an eight-week online, voluntary internship across all our courses. It will provide you with an opportunity to stand out from your peers while gaining experience to support your career.

You can also complete a year-long placement or shorter internship with leading organisations, some of which are funded. If you’re interested in gaining both international and professional experience, we will also support you to find your own split placement or study abroad opportunity, where you’ll spend six months abroad and six months in work. Our Careers Development Consultants are on hand to help you find and apply for roles that align with your ambitions.

Study abroad is your opportunity to see the world, experience new cultures, and gain a global perspective that sets you apart. At the University of Hertfordshire, we make it possible for students to spend part of their degree overseas with one of our 152 international partner universities across Europe, Asia, North America and Australia.

In previous years, more than 150 students took part in Study Abroad programmes, each returning with valuable global networks and fresh insights to take back into their studies. Living and learning in a different country helps you build an adaptability and confidence you wouldn’t otherwise have — qualities that employers value in today’s international job market.

Our dedicated Global Engagement Team provides expert guidance throughout your journey, from choosing your destination university to making the most of your time abroad. Wherever you go, you’ll develop new perspectives and lifelong connections that enrich your studies and your future.

Guest speakers play a vital role in helping you understand what success looks like beyond your time at Herts. Throughout the year, we invite professionals from across industries to share their career journey, insights into their work life, and tips for navigating sectors that interest you. Their stories help you see how the skills and knowledge you gain at Herts translates into real world success.

Our guest speaker programme is built-in to enhance your learning experience. Many visiting professionals contribute to module discussions or lead sessions that align with your studies, giving you a first-hand view of how theory can connect with practice. It's a valuable opportunity to build your professional networks and learn from current sector leaders who are shaping the industry today.

We run many events and programmes to help employers from all industries connect with our students. Many who visit our campus go on to offer placements, work experience, or graduate roles. We’ve hosted standout events like TEDx University of Hertfordshire, which brought together leaders and innovators across multiple fields to discuss ideas, innovation, and impact, offering fresh perspectives on broader industry insights.

Live projects are offered on a growing number of courses at the University of Hertfordshire, giving you the chance to work on real challenges set by employers. These opportunities bring subject learning into a practical and professional context, taking learning beyond the classroom to help you see how ideas from your course are used in the workplace.

When live projects are part of your programme, you’ll collaborate with other students and connect directly with organisations linked to your field. You may explore current issues facing industry, contribute to real briefs and develop solutions that reflect what employers are working on today. This experience builds confidence and gives you a clearer sense of how your knowledge can make an impact.

Every live project is supported by academic staff who provide guidance and feedback throughout, helping you make the most of the experience. Projects typically last between three and six months, providing you enough time to learn and deliver results. At the end of the project, you’ll have real experience to showcase in applications and interviews along with important industry connections that could open doors in your future. We are continuing to extend these opportunities across the University so that more students can benefit from learning that feels connected and relevant to their career goals.

Professional development helps you build your employability alongside your studies. Through a combination of events, workshops, and personalised support, you’ll develop the skills you need to help shape your future career.

Our approach integrates professional growth with your studies. You’ll work with experienced career coaches, join our exclusive employer-led events, collaborate with our industry partners, and have access to support from our Enterprise Team. Our Careers & Employment Team provides one-to-one support, helping you strengthen your CV and offering guidance throughout a job application process.

MyCareer Portal is your online hub for professional development. It’s a space where you can find job and work experience opportunities, discover different career pathways, and access programmes that help you identify your strengths and focus your development.

Professional development is woven into every part of life at Herts. By the time you graduate, you’ll have the professional mindset and confidence in yourself to make a real impact in your chosen sector.

Our facilities are designed to bridge the gap between university and your career. Our purpose-built environments let you develop practical skills in settings that mirror the professional world, so when you graduate, you already know what it feels like to work in your industry.

Our Learning Resource Centres are open 24/7, giving you access to computers, specialist software, and an extensive library of print and digital resources. The new Spectra building is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and simulation environments for our science, technology, engineering and mathematics students, while the Hertfordshire Intensive Care and Emergency Simulation Centre offers advanced simulation training for healthcare students, mirroring real clinical settings and scenario-based learning.

Creative Arts students have access to industry standard studios and workshops to produce work and build a portfolio to a professional standard. Law students can rehearse in our full-scale courtroom and try out real procedural scenarios.

All our facilities are integrated into your modules and projects, helping you practice for work in the real world. By the time you step into your graduate role, you’ll already have the skills and experience to hit the ground running.