Student Placements/Internships

This is an update to advise of student projects & placements that we have coming up over the next few months. If you are interested in any of these please email Jackie ASAP as they are extremely popular and can sometimes be oversubscribed. Please note some projects are funded and some are unfunded, please check on enquiry.

• Funded – all costs covered by the Higher Education Institute.
• Unfunded – all costs covered by the host company/organisation.

Computing Studies
Unfunded
 Summer and yearlong placements available.
Closing dates end of May for Summer and end of August for year long.

Students study a range of modules, exact modules dependent on course:

• Software Design and Development
• Data Networking
• Database Systems Problem Solving and Modelling
• Information Systems
• Object–oriented Programming 2D Graphics
• Dynamic Web Programming
• Collaborative & Professional Skills Cloud Computing
• Network Security
• Business Systems
• Data Mining Cybersecurity Data Science
• Data Visualisation
• Business Intelligence
• Full-stack Development

Companies or organisations will gain an opportunity to tap into an enthusiastic workforce which can provide both fresh ideas and individual talent. One of the key elements for approving these placements is that the company must have a workplace supervisor available with the appropriate level of technical knowledge to be able to supervise the student.

Business Administration Projects
Fully funded
The closing date for part time students is June, to be carried out over 6 months. The closing date is August for full time students carried out over 3 months.
Start date October 2024.

The project is typically undertaken on a professional consultancy basis. The range of business functions a project can address are diverse and include growth or business development, marketing, operations, strategy and finance. New models or processes can be developed or solutions presented to strategic or operational issues. The final report will be directed at senior management or director level.

Examples of previous projects include:

• ‘A Strategic Framework for Co-branded Marketing Promotion’ for Polaroid Eyewear
• ‘Implementing Effective Communication Frameworks to Drive Performance’
• ‘Differentiation Strategies in a Tightly Regulated, Competitive and Mature Market’ for Aviva
• ‘Creating a Sales and Marketing Strategy for a Small Technology Company’

Summer Placements
Unfunded
Various times throughout the summer. The closing date is the end of August.

Summer work experience opportunities for students within College of Art and Design, whether it be a 2-week internship or a project to last the entire summer. Ranked number one in Scotland for Art and Design, the college is known for producing a high calibre of students who excel within the creative industry. Their students seeking work experience come from a variety of courses such as;

• Product Design
• Interaction Design
• Interior and Environmental Design
• Textile Design
• Jewellery and Metal Design
• Animation
• Illustration
• Fine Art
• Art & Philosophy
• Graphic Design

Economics Dissertation projects
Fully funded
Closing date 21st June.
Runs Sep 24 – March 25

A collaborative dissertation is independent research that is conducted by a student in collaboration with an external partner organisation, with guidance from an academic supervisor.  The Collaborative Dissertation Initiative is based on an awareness that many organisations need good quality research and that students are often eager to conduct research, which has immediate relevance to external organisation, and demonstrates the application of their academic learning.

The students have been studying how individual and society make choices about how scarce resources are used, what products are produced and who gets to consume them, evaluating the costs, benefits, risks and effects on others.

Undergraduate Mechanical Engineering Design students
Fully funded
Closing date mid-August
Runs September to April

Company-led engineering design projects that can provide their engineering students with relevant work experience as part of their degree studies to improve their experience and chance of employment upon graduation.

Benefits to your company:

• Benefit from energetic and enthusiastic students who provide fresh perspectives, new ideas and viewpoints
• Academic expert supervisors and technicians in your R&D activity
• Bridge the gap between academics and industry through input into the education process of future professionals and innovators
• Evaluate our engineering students for the possibility of employment after graduation
• Gain an extra set of hands for special projects with clear remits and defined outcomes

The project will be carried-out over a 24-week period from September to April. Students will each spend 150 hours on the project and will be working in teams of four to six. Each team will have an academic supervisor assigned and the company plays the role of the client. Taking part in this initiative has no cost to your company and bright innovative engineers will work with you to make a real difference to your organisation.

Psychology students
Fully funded
Closing date 31st August

Training in Psychology is an excellent foundation for a broad range of careers and sectors and equips students with valuable skills including data management and analysis; quantitative and qualitative research; survey skills; information management; statistics; social media management; literature reviews and report writing; interpersonal skills and networking; fundraising; event management; befriending and others.

Examples of previous projects:
Previous projects reflect the diversity and breadth of skills and knowledge a psychology student can bring to you organisation:

• Creating a social media campaign to increase awareness of your organisation or product
• Testing products or service in the design phase
• Client and service users survey
• Data analysis
• Befriending
• Literature reviews and report writing

Benefits to you

You’ll benefit from access to world-class education and knowledge being applied to your business. Our students get to apply what they learn in a practical setting and provide you, as the host organisation, with an outside perspective on an opportunity, project or problem. Student projects can provide:

• Fresh insights to your business area
• An opportunity to drive forward a project or part of a project
• Access to specialist skills such as data analysis, surveying or statistics
• Further links to the University for research and Continuous Professional

Development

• An opportunity to potentially recruit graduates in the future

Project placements vary in their length from a minimum of 50 hours up to 160 hours, businesses can also request multiple students to do several projects.

Food, Nutrition and Health placements
Fully Funded
Runs for 12 weeks between January & April – closing date 30^th September.

Looking for businesses to host a student for a 12 week unpaid placements as part of their 3rd undergraduate Food, Nutrition and Health Course. The aim of the placement is to understand the role of a nutritionist, or a nutrition related role in the workplace.

The students are looking for a placement within the food industry, related to public health or related to sports nutrition. The placement does not need to be a particular project or with a single person as they can experience different areas of work and can be used as an extra pair of hands.

Placements are for 12 weeks and will take place between January and April, if you are interested in hosting a student please provide us with a brief outline of your company and what work/project you propose for the student. Student CV’s are available on request and you will be able to interview the student if desired.

Degree topics cover:

• Food, Energy & nutrients
• Food Analysis
• Metabolism
• Human Anatomy & Physiology
• Public Health nutrition
• Sports nutrition
• Food product development

Funding

– £7.5k Standard Innovation Voucher

These vouchers are to encourage new first-time collaboration between SMEs and a Scottish University or College. There are two types of Standard Innovation Vouchers:

• Product/Process/Service Innovation Voucher
• Workforce Innovation Voucher

– £7.5k Student Placement Innovation Voucher

These are an opportunity to build on existing relationships between SMEs and a Scottish University or College to continue the development of a Standard Innovation Voucher award.

Depending on the nature of your proposed project we can also look at funding external to Interface such as SMART grants, Innovate UK etc.

– £10k Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund

We are thrilled to open applications for the Scottish Inward Investment Catalyst Fund, offering up to £10,000. This fund, developed by Interface and The Scottish Government, will provide funding to facilitate collaboration between businesses based outside of Scotland and Scotland’s world-class universities, helping to solve real-world challenges and foster economic development.

If you’re an international business looking to expand into Scotland this fund is your opportunity to leverage academic expertise and accelerate your success.

External Funding

Depending on the nature of your proposed project we can also looked at funding external to Interface such as SMART grants, Innovate UK etc.

Social Innovation Challenge

Are you a social entrepreneur looking for an opportunity to make a significant impact?

The Firstport Social Innovation Challenge will fund and support an innovator who is eager to tackle some of the most pressing challenges of our time. This year, the focus is on finding solutions to the deep-rooted inequalities driving negative health and wellbeing outcomes. The most impactful social enterprise solution will receive £50,000 and tailored support.

Events

As its holiday time, events are very quiet over the next few months.

Wishing you a relaxing and sunny (!) Summer holiday whether staying at home or abroad.