Physics degree and industry
What do physics students do while on a placement? How to find an opportunity that will develop you professionally and be enjoyable? Here, you will find stories and reflections from physics students about what they have done or are planning to do to acquire industrial experience. You will also find information about events at the school to inspire you to do a placement and give you ideas about what is possible.
A physics degree, alongside more applied STEM degrees like engineering and computer science, has embraced elements of industrial experience. A placement year is great way of integrating industrial experience into your studies that becomes a recognised part of your degree, but there are other ways. We aim to deliver physics degrees that, in addition to the solid academic knowledge, allow students to develop professional skills and give them an idea about the type of business problems that they will be able solve with the knowledge and the skills that they have acquired.
At the School of Physics and Astronomy, we will do this through a combination of activities. Some of them as part of modules that you are already doing and some as extracurricular activities organised specifically for physics students and hosted at the School. There are career workshops, talks by employers and visits to industrial companies who employ physics graduates and offer internships and placements to physics students. All students should write a CV at some point during their course. We will encourage you to think about what professional skills you are building while doing your group projects, lab projects, solve problem sheets or prepare a presentation.
We hope that the stories published here will help your reflection and give you motivation to engage with an industry element of your degree. To put it simply, go for an internship or a placement year!
By Placements Officer Dr Olga Fernholz
If you need any support or information about internships or "Year in Industry" placements, please get in touch with the School's Placement Officer Olga Fernholz.
Featured Internship and placements stories
All Internship and placements stories
- Description
- WRIPA's new podcast series about a career choices with a physics degree
- Date:
- 08/06/2023
- Description
- Three WRIPA student ambassadors have created a video about their placement plans and experience. Have a look at the video to get inspired and learn about practicalities of arranging a placement.
- Date:
- 16/05/2023
- Description
- Café Physics 2023, an annual event brought to the School by the IOP, tells about a career in teaching and various support schemes and bursaries associated with launching a career in teaching.
- Date:
- 16/05/2023
- Description
- Alice Ray, 2nd year physics student and a WRIPA student ambassador at the School, is sharing her early thoughts on her future career.
- Date:
- 15/02/2023
- Description
- Joe Lambon is a fourth year "Physics with a Year in Industry" student who did a placement year with Cummins during the lockdown year 2020-21. Joe is also a WRIPA ambassador, promoting the activities of the WRIPA consortium to Nottingham students and here he is sharing his experience of the placement to inspire other students to pursue a year in industry.
- Date:
- 15/02/2023
- Description
- Lucy Woodward talks about her passion for science communication. Lucy is a final year student with a budding career in science writing and communication.
- Date:
- 15/02/2023
- Description
- My main aim for the summer was to gain professional experience in science communication. This is an area I am really keen to work in post-uni, so I wanted a chance to learn more about what the work involved and whether I'd enjoy it.
- Date:
- 15/02/2023