What is the difference between internships and placements?
You might find yourself wondering “Are placements and internships the same in the UK?” and that’s what we’re here to answer in this blog along with giving some extra insight.
While both options can enhance your career prospects and provide you with valuable experience, there are some key differences you’ll want to keep in mind.
At AtkinsRéalis, we offer both summer and industrial placements that will set you up with key skills and enable you to gain invaluable industry insights. It’s worth noting that at AtkinsRéalis in the UK, we don’t offer internships.
Internships
What is an internship?
Internships can be suited to recent graduates or current students, much like with placements, you get the opportunity to gain practical skills and industry experience in a professional setting.
As short-term opportunities, internships give you a taste of what working in a new field is like before pursuing a career.
If you’ve been wondering “Do you get paid on internships?”, the answer depends on a few factors such as the industry, duration, entry requirements, and the level of work you’ll be doing.
The UK Government states that interns are entitled to the National Minimum Wage if they count as a worker which means there is the promise of a future contract of work.
However, employers do not legally have to pay the minimum wage for work shadowing, voluntary workers, or student internships as part of further or higher education.
Who are internships best suited for?
Internships can range in length from a few weeks to even a year. The job specification varies per the internship you take on. In some, you’ll oversee tasks or projects, while in others, you might be more focused on shadowing senior professionals.
You should weigh up what you’d like to get out of either an internship or placement when making your decision. Internships are suited for people looking for:
- Flexibility: internships are often shorter than placements (unless you’re specifically seeking a summer placement).
- Trialling a career path: internships let you explore a role and your career goals without committing to a long-term position.
- CV building: even short internships provide you with valuable experience you can add to your CV.
Placements
Placements at AtkinsRéalis in the UK
At AtkinsRéalis, our work placements for students are designed to provide the chance to discover more about who we are and what we offer. There are plenty of benefits to pursuing our placement opportunities.
We care about providing students with a head start in their careers as they discover new ways to answer some of the world’s biggest challenges.
We offer two types of placements:
- Industrial placements: sometimes called ‘year in industry’ - these are designed for university students who can take a year out during their degree and work with an employer.They typically last 12 months.
- Summer placements: these last for at least 8 weeks and are open to all degree years.
Why choose a placement with AtkinsRéalis
Our placement salaries change every year in line with the Real Living Wage and depend on the role, location, and whether you’re on a summer or industrial placement.
Our top performing placement students have the opportunity to be fast-tracked onto our Graduate Development Programme upon completion of a successful placement. This means that you could bypass the graduate recruitment process and secure your permanent graduate role as you enter your final year of university so you can focus on your studies.
Some other reasons to pursue our placements are:
- The rewards and benefits you can expect alongside the Real Living Wage.
- Opportunities enhance your career prospects with hands-on projects with support and mentorship
- Our previous placement students report that it has helped their degree studies by giving them insight into how theory and principles apply to real-world projects.
Who are placements best suited for?
While placements and internships have some similarities, they can each be suited to different people depending on what it is you’re looking for in a career path.
Work placements for students are suited to those looking for:
- In-depth industry experience: our placements give you a richer understanding of a specific role or career route. We help you to understand complex projects and develop specialized skills.
- A direct path into a role: placements can offer structured pipelines to full-time roles after graduation.
- Building a strong professional network: students on placements can gain mentors, work with like-minded peers, and develop a strong professional network which is valuable for future career growth.
Discover placements with AtkinsRéalis
If you’re still looking for more information about our unique placement opportunities, make sure to read our placement FAQs and our page on everything you need to know about AtkinsRéalis' early careers.
Browse our placement opportunities today.
Interested? Find out more about life at AtkinsRéalis
Sign up to receive the latest content tailored to your interests
Our articles
.png)
Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/14/2025
Summary
Hello! I'm Rowen, a first-year apprentice rail signaling testing engineer. I started my career journey as a 16-year-old studying for A-levels while working overtime at a fast-food chain. Tired an

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/12/2025
Summary
If you’ve been thinking about how to stand out in your degree while gaining some hands-on knowledge and experience in the building or quantity surveying profession, then a placement might be jus

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/12/2025
Summary
I'm Matt, an Associate Director in the Project and Programme Services team at AtkinsRéalis. My Career Journey started in 2013 at the age of 19. I had finished college and had three options: keep

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/11/2025
Summary
Hello, I'm Alex, an assistant building surveyor in the Project and Programme Services team here in London. I help clients manage their assets by conducting condition surveys, advising on necessar

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/10/2025
Summary
With the construction market growing across certain sectors, it makes 2025 and beyond an excellent time to kickstart your Building Surveyor career. At AtkinsRéalis, we offer the perfect environme

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
02/04/2025
Summary
With an AtkinsRéalis apprenticeship, you’re in great company - our apprentices always have the opportunity to be part of a wide variety of projects that can leave a lasting legacy on the world ar
+ver+2.png)
Preview
EuropeContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/24/2025
Summary
Hello & salaam! I'm Fawziyah, a Degree Apprentice at AtkinsRéalis, currently on the Apprentice Consultant Development Programme and pursuing a degree in project management. As an early careers

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/22/2025
Summary
Engineering, design, and project management are exciting areas to work in. Whether you work in an engineering, technical, or a non-engineering role, they are sectors that offer an enormous bread

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/13/2025
Summary
Hi, my name's Tom. I've recently finished studying engineering, maths and biology at college and I am one of the new advanced apprentices at AtkinsRéalis. Growing up, my favorite pastimes were Le

Preview
GeneralContent type
BlogsPublish date
01/09/2025
Summary
Welcome to the first installment of our Future Leaders Series for 2024, where we hear from two standout talents, engineering graduates Rhys and Ellie. They tell us about their life inside AtkinsR
Related jobs
Salary
£24,570 and £28,808 depending on role and location.
Location
Nationwide
Job Type
Full Time
Brand
Atkins
Career Area
Waste Management Placement Scheme 2025
Market
Clean power
Nuclear
Category
Placements
Location
Whitehaven
Manchester
Glasgow
Description
Apply for our Digital & Technology Placement and make your mark!
Reference
PL-193
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
£24,570 - £28,808 depending on role and location
Location
Nationwide
Job Type
Full Time
Brand
Atkins
Career Area
Building Surveying Placement Scheme 2025
Market
Cities & development
Environment & geoscience
Project, programme & cost management
Water
Category
Placements
Location
Nottingham
Tunbridge Wells
London
Epsom
Bristol
Cardiff
Description
Eager to acquire practical experience in the exciting field of Building Surveying? Apply now!!
Reference
PL-175
Expiry Date
01/01/0001

Author
Gautam Gajula
Author
Gautam GajulaSalary
£24,570 and £28,808 depending on role and location
Location
Nationwide
Job Type
Full Time
Brand
Atkins
Career Area
Civil and Structural Engineering Placement Scheme 2025
Market
Cities & development
Clean power
Environment & geoscience
Transportation
Water
Nuclear
Category
Placements
Location
Cambridge
Peterborough
Oxford
Birmingham
Derby
Whitehaven
York
Stockton-on-Tees
Leeds
Manchester
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Chelmsford
Croydon
London
Epsom
Swindon
Trowbridge
Bristol
Exeter
Belfast
Edinburgh
Glasgow
Cardiff
Swansea
Aylesbury
Description
As a Civil or Structural Engineering Placement, you'll enjoy variety, working on large and small projects with the opportunity to explore different career pathways including consulting and design.
Reference
PL-177
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Salary
£24,570 - £28,808 depending on role and location
Location
Nationwide
Job Type
Full Time
Brand
Atkins
Career Area
Electrical and EC&I Placement Scheme 2025
Market
Cities & development
Clean power
Environment & geoscience
Transportation
Water
Nuclear
Category
Placements
Location
Birmingham
Derby
Whitehaven
York
Manchester
Sheffield
Croydon
Epsom
Bristol
Glasgow
Description
Ready to take the next step in your career? Apply now for the Electrical and EC&I Placement Scheme and join a team dedicated to innovation and excellence in engineering.
Reference
PL-179
Expiry Date
01/01/0001
Integrity
We do the right thing, no matter what, and are accountable for our actions.