Royal Holloway was a fantastic university for me and holds an important place in my heart.

The Santander Universities SME Internship Programme is giving Royal Holloway students and recent graduates the opportunity to gain valuable work experience – and even their first jobs

For many, gaining a degree is an essential step on the path to a rewarding and stimulating career. But in today’s climate, it’s often not enough. According to a 2017 study, two thirds of employers look for graduates with relevant work experience which will have helped to prepare them for the workplace.

While work experience placements and internships provide incomparable insights into business practices, they come at a price. Often, they require students to work for free or the placement only make a small contribution towards expenses, making placements and internships unaffordable for many.

This is why Santander’s Universities SME Internship Programme is proving invaluable to Royal Holloway students and recent graduates such as Will Barnes, who studied both for his BSc in Geography and his Masters here.

Read more about Will's story in page 13 of our Year End review 201819.