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Make your CV stand out

For trying new experiences. For growing in confidence. For making a difference.

Being at university is about much more than just your course, and at Newcastle there are plenty of ways to make sure you stand out when you graduate. Extra-curricular activities such as work experience, volunteering and mentoring look great on your CV.

You'll also develop new skills, learn from these experiences, meet like-minded people, achieve goals and really feel part of something.

Work experience

Work experience is a valuable step towards getting a job when you graduate. There's a range of ways to get some work experience alongside your studies.

Internships

Undertake an internship during summer vacation or term time to gain graduate-level work experience. 

Internships are advertised by the Careers Service on My Career.

Find out more about internship opportunities

Student ambassadors

Join our team of paid Student Ambassadors to represent the University and inspire young people. 

An outstanding and committed team of Student Ambassadors support a wide range of recruitment and aspiration-raising activities and events throughout the year, both on and off campus.

Street Scientists deliver a series of STEM related interactive activities for schools and colleges, and also attend festivals and events around the UK to promote science to the public.

FutureMe Mentors deliver structured online academic activities or face-to-face mentoring sessions (or a mixture of both) to students in Years 9, 10 and 11.

JobsOC (Jobs on Campus)

Get paid temporary or casual work on campus in a variety of roles, from events support, to admin or catering assistance.

Jobs on Campus offers the opportunity to take on short-term work for a range of the University's internal departments. 

Find out more about Jobs on Campus

Career Development Module

Depending on the subject you study, you may have the option to choose Career Development as one of your modules. The Career Development module enables you to use your work experience, volunteering or part-time job to count towards your degree.

There are no weekly lectures but you will attend training sessions and take part in an assessment at the end of your placement to demonstrate the skills you have learned.

There are three different routes available:

  • student tutoring - helping learners in schools and colleges, or through community placements
  • student volunteering - volunteering through Newcastle University Students' Union
  • learning from work - develop your knowledge and skills using existing part-time work (paid or voluntary), including running your own business

Find out more about the Career Development module.

Student media

Develop and improve your digital skills and get involved in the Students' Union's newspaper, radio or TV station, all run by and for students.

Almost all of our degrees are available with the opportunity to spend 9 to 12 months in the workplace. If you choose to take a work placement, it will extend your degree by a year.

Find out more about work placements.


ncl+ opportunities

ncl+ provides a full range of social, cultural, sporting and community activities to develop skills and knowledge outside your course.

The award-winning ncl+ initiative brings together activities from across the University. These are designed to help you develop the skills that graduate employers expect. The ncl+ Award helps you to reflect on these skills and articulate them in job applications.

ncl+ opportunities are about meeting new people, trying new experiences, growing in confidence, having fun and enhancing your CV! They include activities such as:

  • improving your language skills
  • coaching a sports team
  • working on a student newspaper
  • leading a student society

Each skill offered through ncl+ is part of the Newcastle Graduate Skills Framework. The Framework was developed with employers to define a set of skills which, when added to your degree, will help you to succeed in your life beyond university.


Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the local community and develop new skills at the same time.

Volunteer experience may also be a pre-requisite for some careers.

There are over 200 activities on offer each year, including working with homeless people, working as a volunteer lifeguard in a local swimming pool and working with animals.

Find out more about volunteering opportunities for Newcastle students.


University-wide Language Programme

In the international job market, graduates with language skills are in demand. You will have the opportunity to learn another language for free while you study with us.

Students of any discipline have the opportunity to study a foreign language for free as part of the University-wide Language Programme. This allows you to enrol on modules in Arabic, Mandarin Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

Find out more about the University-wide Language Programme.


International expeditions

We want to inspire and train the next generation of innovators and aim to challenge and stimulate your intellectual curiosity.

Each year, many of our students embrace the opportunity to undertake a research expedition overseas. The gives you the chance to:

  • conduct research into an area of particular interest to you
  • develop professional level research skills for your future career
  • explore another country and make new friends

They are an excellent way to see the world whilst developing your knowledge and confidence. 

Recently, our students have visited glaciers in Norway to investigate the impact of climate change and national parks in Costa Rica to study environmental changes to wetland and forests.