Student jobs

For students seeking part-time work and wider work experience opportunities
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The Careers Service is here to support you with job search, whether it's a part time job to fit around your studies, an internship to boost your experience, or future employment after the graduation.
Working part time is an excellent way of gaining valuable experience that could help you to stand out from the crowd when you start applying for graduate opportunities. Casual work in any sector will help you develop employability skills vital for your future employers such as communication, teamwork, problem solving or organisational skills. Furthermore, it is your opportunity to demonstrate your work ethic, motivation and initiative – all of which are highly desirable by graduate employers.
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Find vacancies on myCareer

Part time vacancies on myCareer include jobs on campus as well as opportunities advertised by local employers in all sectors to help you develop degree-specific skills.

Part-time jobs on campus

Hundreds of students are employed on campus yearly in a variety of roles that suit academic schedule. You can apply to be a Student Ambassador to support the University during events and access further opportunities to get involved with the University departments. Learn more about Student Ambassadors and how to apply .
The jobs board on myCareer will allow you to browse and apply for a range of campus roles such as administration support, helpdesk, information roles, IT, peer to peer support, hospitality, retail, reception and many more.
Further opportunities on campus, advertised exclusively to staff and students, can be found on the Work for the University of Plymouth webpage. The Students’ Union also employs students in part time employment every year in roles such as retail, hospitality and catering – search current UPSU vacancies.
Find out more in our part time work guide.
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Sumalka Mendis

Student Ambassador

Hundreds of ambassadors are recruited every year to undertake a vast range of paid opportunities on campus including events, project support, marketing, call centres, admin, flyering, photoshoots and much more.
“The feeling of being a representative of the University is my favourite thing about this role. It gives me a huge sense of belonging in this prestigious institution. I’ve made so many friends and gained so many new experiences. It’s a collection of smiles, memories and learning, probably my greatest highlight in University life.”
Applications open and close on myCareer in October.

Hello Project Buddies

Would you like to meet students from around the world and introduce them to life in Plymouth and at the University? The Hello Project welcomes newly arrived international students with the aim of helping them integrate successfully into life and study in the UK. You will be matched with a partner and a small group of students who you will be expected to meet on a regular basis to introduce them to the campus and the city. We also have an online version of the Hello Project which allows you to meet and talk to students studying in their home countries and at the University’s partner institutions in the Ukraine. This is a great opportunity to meet and make new friends, develop your intercultural communication skills, and to learn about the experiences of students from all over the world.
“The Hello Project has provided me with a great experience of personal and professional growth. Being part of this initiative allowed me to meet inspiring international students from diverse countries, each with their own big dreams and potential. The opportunity to make new friends from different cultures was an absolute pleasure. Throughout the project, I acquired valuable skills. Active listening became second nature as we collaborated to identify potential challenges faced by international students, offering timely and effective solutions. Organisational skills were honed through planning and executing successful events that fostered a sense of community and belonging.
Shukurullo Nurmatov
“The Hello Project is an incredible initiative that brings people together and empowers them to achieve their aspirations.”
Shukurullo Nurmatov – Hello Project Buddy, BA (Hons) International Business
This opportunity is open for applications to Student Ambassadors.

Information Assistant – Careers Service

The Careers Service, as well as many other departments on campus, employ students in information roles acting as the first point of contact and support triage of enquiries in person, via telephone or email. The role also gives an opportunity to get involved in administration, events, and developing social media content.
“I have worked as an Information Assistant for the Careers Service for three years during my studies. The work was flexible and gave me an opportunity to put all my skills and experience into practice. You will need strong communication skills to deliver a great customer service and you will develop excellent problem-solving skills whilst helping your peers to access the service relevant to their needs. There is a lot to learn but the team is very supportive which gives you a great foundation for building your professional confidence.”
Elizabeth Gilmour, MPsych (Hons) Clinical Psychology
Applications open on myCareer between March and April
Elizabeth Gilmour
Lewis Milburn, UPSU shop in UPSU case study - student jobs

Working for UPSU

“Working at the UPSU Shop has been a great experience. The hours are incredibly flexible, I can pick up the shifts that work for me and swap with my colleagues which is really helpful for planning around classes. Whilst working there I’ve learnt so much, from teamwork skills to how to be a supervisor. Everyone in my team is very friendly, ideas and suggestions are always explored so everybody has a voice. It’s a genuinely great place to work. If you’re looking to work for UPSU make sure to check the website for job openings, take the time to research the role, the skills you’ll need, and learn more about the organisation. Most importantly, just be yourself!”
Lewis Milburn, MSc Cyber Security

Unibuddies

Are you a confident communicator who enjoys producing engaging content?
Our Unibuddies are responsible for answering questions from prospective students about studying, life at university, and your university experiences, via the Unibuddy platform. You will engage in conversations and build a friendly relationship with students. You will also have the opportunity to write blogs about your university experiences and provide an insight to assist with recruitment campaigns or social media.
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Akshita Jindal PALS

PALS

Peer Assisted Learning Scheme (PALS) Leaders, plan and deliver regular group study sessions for students in the year below on the same course. The University recruit PALS Leaders every year and is an ideal position if you are looking to support fellow students with their learning and study techniques while also getting trained to use techniques to encourage collaboration.
As a PALS Leader you can:
  • develop the soft skills employers look for through planning, organising, time management and liaising with students and staff
  • develop your mentoring and facilitation techniques
  • connect with other students and a build a community.
“I believe that these sessions are a mutual gain for everyone as the new students learn from our experiences and we have a chance to learn from the mistakes. Personally, this has helped me a lot to improve myself and become more expressive.”
Akshita Jindal, Biomedical Science PALS Leader
Application open between February and May via PALs webpage.

Writing Mentors

Would you like to support students with the mechanics of academic writing, such as critical analysis, structure and flow? Writing Mentors are recruited from subjects across the University, which brings a range of perspectives and approaches to the team. It is an excellent opportunity to develop your own academic writing skills. You don’t need to have the best grades or be a confident writer to apply; we are looking for students with a willingness to learn about academic writing conventions and a want to help other students.
“Having never had much experience with academic writing before going to University, I found it a daunting task at first, especially understanding the ins-and-outs of formal writing. Becoming a writing mentor helped my confidence and ability increase. It let me give something back and help other students who were in a similar position.”
Jack Pendlebury – MEng, Robotics Writing Mentor
Applications open between June and September.
Jack Pendlebury – Meng
Chloe Tsang

Working online

“I have always enjoyed helping my peers and participating in volunteering activities, so when I found out that MyTutor was hiring University students to teach students online, I wanted to try it out. Aside from the excellent pay, I have developed my communication skills by adapting teaching methods to different learning styles. I also improved my patience when explaining mathematical concepts and dealing with IT difficulties. Being a tutor also requires organisation and good time management, as I must prepare lesson materials and activities before the class starts.

Besides tutoring, you automatically represent MyTutor after you are hired. You can earn referrals when someone uses your link to sign up to tutor, which is a quick and flexible way to make some spare cash. All in all, I recommend becoming a tutor because watching your student grow and improve is incredibly rewarding and boosts your confidence as well as theirs.”
Chloe Tsang, BA Accounting and Finance

International students

Part-time work is an excellent way to increase your knowledge of the UK employment market. Working part-time can create a positive impact by building transferable skills, which can boost your CV and increase your confidence. Furthermore, gaining experience enhances your employability in the competitive labour market worldwide and can help you to create experiences that you can talk about in applications or interviews with future employers.
National Insurance Number
In order to work in the UK you will need to apply for your National Insurance number. All employees working in UK must provide their employer with the NI number and students are not exempt from paying tax or national insurance contributions on their salary. Therefore, it is vital that you register for a National Insurance number as soon as possible.
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Internships at University of Plymouth

Internships are a great way to gain work experience, providing you with a great introduction to the world of work. Apart from developing key skills in communication, time management, problem solving, creativity, adaptability, team work and commercial awareness you will gain an opportunity to grow your own professional network and confidence in your own abilities.
If you are looking for a short term work experience explore our microinternships, summer internships and Careers Insight Programme opportunities.
 

Looking for jobs outside the University

There are just as many opportunities outside the University with all the same benefits to you. You can explore a variety of sectors including customer service, hospitality, tourism, retail, care, tutoring, cleaning, delivery, or warehousing. Many of these jobs are advertised on online job boards, companies’ social media or shop windows.
 

Look for part-time jobs using online jobs boards

Here are some of the more popular job sites to get you started:

Access support with your CV and applications

Find out how to improve your job search strategy, structure your CV or prepare for an interview by attending webinars and workshops organised by the Careers Service. Explore our Accelerate Your Future workshops.
Take advantage of the Digital Careers Resources such as CV Builder and Cover Letter Builder to help you draft your applications. Uploading your CV to CV360 will provide you an instant feedback and tips for improvements. And once you are successful with your applications start practicing your interview skills with Interview360 with further feedback on your communication and body language. To learn more about CV, applications and interviews take a look at our CV and applications page .
In addition, the Careers Service offers 1-1 support to help you improve your CV, Cover Letters, supporting statements or interview preparation. Book an information & advice appointment.
To find out more about our appointments and how the Careers Service can support you check out our How we can help you page.
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Frequently asked questions

Careers hub