Imperial Work Shadowing Scheme
Exclusively designed for first-year undergraduate students, the Imperial Work Shadowing Scheme offers a unique opportunity to gain first-hand insight into a job role and industry of interest. This short yet immersive experience allows you to observe professionals in their workplace, ask questions, and develop a deeper understanding of the realities of different careers—all of which can help shape your future career plans.
All Work Shadowing Experiences for 2025 take place between 24 March-25 April 2025. The experiences will take place either in-person or in a hybrid format, lasting between one and three days at the host's workplace.
Student applications to the Spring 2025 Work Shadowing scheme have now closed.
If you have any questions, please contact us at workshadowing@imperial.ac.uk.
Work shadowing tabs
Host Recruitment
Employers large and small from a range of different industries and sectors are invited to register as Work Shadowing Hosts by Imperial. The Work Shadowing Hosts are often companies with an interest in engaging with Imperial students and offering them an opportunity to develop insight into their organisation and job role. Host registrations are anonymised and uploaded into a Directory for students to review and apply to.
Student Applications
Students can apply to the scheme via an online application form which requires you to choose up to three Work Shadowing host profiles from the Work Shadowing Directory in order of preference and detail a motivation to be matched to each profile. Work Shadowing places can be competitive with limited places for certain hosts. A strong application will showcase your commitment to your career development and a detailed interest in each chosen host profile.
Matching
All student applications will be reviewed by the Work Shadowing Team after applications close. We attempt to make as many positive matches as possible based on students preferences and host availability. If certain host profiles are over-subscribed, priority is given to the strongest applications and students from lower participation groups. If successfully matched to a Work Shadowing host, students will be invited to a compulsory induction event to prepare them for their experiences.
Arranging the Experience
This scheme is intended to be student-led. Once you have attended an induction session, we will connect you with your Work Shadowing Host. It is then up to you to reach out and begin arranging the experience and agree on suitable dates.
Please note: Work Shadowing is a short unpaid experiential learning experience which gives you the opportunity to observe a professional in the delivery of their role in a sector of interest to you. As such, you will not be in receipt of a salary for the time spent with an organisation. If your Work Shadowing experience is outside of Greater London, please check with your host if they are able to cover reasonable travel costs and expenses.