Careers, placements and employability - University of Staffordshire

Join the University of the Year for employability

Discover your future at the university that turns degrees into real jobs. We embed employability across the student experience.

From your first week here, our award-winning careers team can help you build a personalised skills plan. Each year of your course, you’ll have the opportunity to do a placement, internship or work-based project. And as you go on to develop your professional practice, we can offer you graduate support for life.

Modern University of the Year 2027

Daily Mail University Guide

University of the Year for employability

Academic Employability Awards 2026, Graduate Futures Institute

3rd in the UK for career prospects

Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2025

Our employability promise

Professional experience built into every degree

Employability is integrated into the curriculum, along with access to placements, industry projects and international opportunities.

Personalised skills plan

Develop your CV as you study – we’ll help you get to where you want to be.

Courses designed with employers

Includes lots of real-world learning and degrees accredited by professional bodies.

Future-proofed for an AI world

Learn with AI and build the human skills that make you irreplaceable.

Graduate support for life

With access to graduate internships and one-to-one careers guidance.

Placements, internships and work-based projects

You can do at least one of these activities on every year of your course. 97% of placement students secure graduate-level jobs

88.8% of graduates in work or further study

15 months after completing their degree (HESA graduate outcomes)

Comprehensive careers support

From day one at university to graduation and beyond

"On the course, I’ve accessed things I just wouldn’t have been able to access otherwise. The most valuable thing has been getting feedback from real clients. We did one live brief with Portmeirion. We went to their factory and saw the processes there. It was very different to what I expected. It’s important because you get a different perspective."

Josie Vaughan

BA (Hons) Product, Furniture, Ceramics

"One of the best parts of my internship was being able to see a game from concept to release. Playtonic Games would give me design tasks to do and I learnt so much. The university had good connections with industry. We did a collaborative project with Rockstar Games judging us. I joined a mentorship programme and got connected with Sumo Digital, who helped with my CV and portfolio. With employability, it’s all about showing your work."

Matt Knight

QA Tester at Playtonic | BSc (Hons) Computer Games Design and Programming

"I gained experience working in private clinical settings as a musculoskeletal clinician, as a massage therapist within chiropractic care, and as a sports therapist with Port Vale FC’s first team. I also explored self-employment and delivered exercise programmes for individuals with Parkinson’s."

Rosiemae Langham

Sport Lecturer at Cheshire College-South & West | BSc (Hons) Sports Therapy

Where our graduates work

Our alumni can be found working across the world in every industry.

Placements and internships

Whichever subject you study, you’ll have the chance to undertake placements, internships or work-based projects.

There are multiple options like a year in industry or internships, including short, part-time and summer internships. These hands-on opportunities will equip you with:

Transferable skills, including ‘soft’ skills like teamwork, communication and being able to work to deadlines
Insights into how to use your degree
Professional contacts and valuable experience for your CV

Two males wearing safety goggles are concentrating on using engineering equipment in the lab

Placements

Use your degree in real work situations, develop contacts and gain valuable experience for your CV.

A female wearing a floral blouse carrying yellow rucksack is walking in nature in Bali

Go Abroad

Create unforgettable memories with our work and study abroad opportunities.

One-to-one careers support

Helping you plan your career journey right from the start of your studies and after you graduate.

One-to-one careers advice and coaching – either in person or online
Help with interview techniques, CV writing and job applications
Professional mentoring
Access to 4,000+ jobs via our careers portal
Employer events and careers fairs
Our EDGE awards, with professional skills badges endorsed by employers
Enterprise and start-up support – with funding

Subject-specific careers support

You’ll have access to subject-specific careers support as part of your course.Opportunities range from masterclasses through to working with our Games Industry Professionals in Residence.

I felt strongly supported by student services, especially in career guidance. They offered invaluable support, providing personalised advice on CV writing, placements, and career opportunities. They've ran workshops, career fairs, and networking events, which has allowed me to connect with potential employers.

Jessica Kalatharan

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science

Student jobs

Unitemps

With Unitemps, we're one of the few UK universities with a dedicated on-campus employment agency. From work that fits around your studies - through to graduate positions. Part-time jobs help your personal finances and give you hands-on experience of work. You'll have you access to jobs across a range of sectors, from software engineering to marketing.

Work on campus

On-campus work is ideal if you want to earn while you study, learn skills and build your CV all whilst being in a supportive and friendly environment. You can finish a lecture and arrive for work within minutes. Jobs at the Students' Union are exclusively available to current University of Staffordshire student and are perfectly matched to work alongside your studies.

If you're looking to help give others an insight into student life, grow your confidence and earn money, there's opportunities to work as Student Ambassador or Student Content Creator.

"A lot of my confidence has come from being a content creator. I’ve also developed a massive range of skills."

Tee Wallace

Student Content Creator | MSc Digital Marketing Management

Volunteering opportunities

Giving your time and skills to help others can also be beneficial for you. Get involved with volunteering - it's a great way to improve your job prospects as you can add to your CV and get practical experience. There are all sorts of voluntary roles available, including work with charities, schools, hospitals and wildlife groups. Give as much or as little time as you want. And if you don’t have transport, why not try a virtual volunteering project? We can help put you in touch with voluntary work in North Staffordshire and beyond.

Self-Employment

We offer a one-stop shop for self-employment support, advice and guidance. It’s ideal if you already have a business brainwave, want to freelance or start a side hustle.

Be-Inspired

Turn your big idea into reality with our nine-month programme. Be-Inspired is designed for graduates or placement students who want to set up their own business.

We’ll guide you through the essentials, with support from entrepreneur mentors and business coaches. You can also access a £1,500 grant to go towards expenses like equipment, marketing and networking.

"I set up a production company with three students from my course. We’ve worked on quite a few projects. We got a lot of advice from Be-Inspired and funding for equipment and marketing."

Jake Whitehead

Co-founder of Red Boots Productions | BA (Hons) Film Production

Professional practice built into every course

Ethical and sustainability careers policy

It is critical for the University of Staffordshire to align our strategic priorities and innovative pedagogies with the growing emphasis on ethical and sustainable practices in the job market. In this spirit this policy aims to reflect the University's commitment to promote ethical and sustainable careers that contribute positively to society and the environment.The University is committed to supporting students and alumni in pursuing careers that benefit both people and the planet.

Read the ethical careers policy (PDF, 125 KB)