Employers

The IOP is offering employers in the UK and Ireland a new way to engage with physics students through the 'Top 40' work placements scheme.

Why participate?
Physics graduates are employed across all sectors of the economy because of the skills and training gained during their degree. They can be found in the gas and oil, medical, financial, telecommunications, R&D, defence and many other sectors. By offering these bright students the opportunity to gain work experience, you will:

• Raise your company’s profile amongst physics students and the physics community
• Gain fresh ideas from student(s) carrying out these placements
• Gain an advantage in graduate recruitment by building a relationship with committed students

What is the opportunity?
The IOP offers penultimate year, undergraduate physics students, in the UK and Ireland, bursaries for work placements. The aim of this scheme is to give students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in companies that believe in the benefits of work placements.

The IOP will fund 40 summer work placements for a maximum of eight weeks, and students will receive a bursary of £2000, or the equivalent in euros for the Republic of Ireland, for the duration of their placements. Students will be responsible for finding their placements and applying for the bursary.

A student can gain only one bursary but a company can offer placements to more than one student on the scheme.

What is my commitment?
Companies must be based in the UK or Ireland.

The work placement must be related to the student’s degree programme i.e. it must be vocational in a broad sense.

Employers must accept responsibility for health and safety, including working hours legislation.

As the placements are funded by the IOP, there is no direct financial commitment.

You will need to adhere to the employer terms and conditions for the IOP's 'Top 40' work placements scheme.