Work Experience

Do you have a passion for engineering? Leonardo’s work experience programmes offer a range of activities for students at our sites across the UK.

Our programmes provide an invaluable insight into the varied career options that can be explored from studying STEM-related subjects.

From a day’s overview of the company, to a week exploring the diversity of engineering, we want to challenge your perceptions about the working environment, show you how working as a team to meet a challenge can be fun, and help you discover your potential.

To find out more about all our latest work experience opportunities across the UK, click on the tabs below.

(For those looking for industrial internships or summer placements to complement degree level education, please visit the relevant pages.)

Occasionally we have non-STEM-related work experience available with our site support functions. Please check the tabs below for opportunities at each site.

Yeovil

Are you interested in spending a week at the UK’s leading helicopter manufacturer?

We offer a unique opportunity for both GCSE and A-Level students with an interest in science, engineering and/or business to gain an insight into all the skills needed for the design and build of helicopters.

Our week-long work experience programme consists of a mixture of practical and theoretical activities which are designed to give you an overall understanding of both engineering and business skills. 

Previous participants have loved the week. Here’s what some of them have said:

“It has been very informative and good fun at the same time.”

“It has made me want to further pursue a career in aviation.”

“A really interesting week, where I learnt about a range of things I wasn’t fully aware of.”

“It has helped me learn about different types of engineering.”

“A very fun and enjoyable week, I would recommend it to anyone.”

The week is full of fun and informative activities aimed to challenge and inspire you. It also looks great on your CV and provides an opportunity to make an impression within the company.

Unfortunately, due to the current situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Leonardo Helicopters will not be running a work experience programme during 2021. Please check back in October 2021 for future opportunities.

Please download our work experience application form

Please e-mail apprenticedevelopment.mbx.aw@leonardocompany.com or call 01935 702 897 for further information.

Luton

At our Electronic Warfare centre of excellence in Luton, we offer week long, work experience placements for GCSE and A-Level students who show an interest and an aptitude in science and engineering.

The week is not only aimed to challenge and inspire you, but it also looks great on your CV, as well as an opportunity to make an impression within the company.

Successful applicants will undertake a series of inter-linked projects that challenge students to design, build and test an electronic product to meet a set of customer requirements. This allows students to experience the processes involved in engineering, tailored to suit their current level of study, and resulting in the creation of a product that they can take home!

Through this integrated programme, we’ve made work experience more engaging, interesting and have been able to demonstrate the breadth and depth of exciting engineering going on at our company. But don’t take our word for it… here is what some of our previous students have said:

“I could not have asked for a more enjoyable and enlightening week.”

“Each day presented us with real tasks and objectives.”

“I found it a really great opportunity to find out the different types of jobs people with engineering degrees can go into.”

The application process for our 2020 work experience programme in Luton is now closed. Please check back in October 2020 for opportunities we will be offering in summer 2021.

If you are interested in taking up a work experience opportunity with Leonardo, the best approach is to speak directly with your school or college who will be able to connect with one of our STEM ambassadors via email.

Basildon

At our Basildon site, our week long work experience offers students the chance to undertake practical projects across engineering departments, giving an insight into building an MP3, designing apps, understanding the mechanics of radios, soldering and thermal imaging.

The application process for our 2020 work experience programme in Basildon is now closed. Please check back in October 2020 for opportunities we will be offering in the last week of June and first week of July in 2021.

If you are interested in taking up a work experience opportunity with Leonardo, please email us on education.liaison@leonardocompany.com.

Edinburgh

The Edinburgh site has a long tradition of creating the right environment to let talent thrive and grow – in fact some of our former Apprentices have gone on to become senior business leaders within our organisation. Our Edinburgh site has received the Investors in People Gold standard and Investors in Young People Gold Award, due to its ongoing investment in the next generation of talent.

It is our apprentices themselves who have created the Edinburgh site’s immersive work experience programme based on detailed feedback they received from young people on what they’d like to experience.

  • Would you like to know what it is like to be a business manager, working in a real business for a week with targets, challenges and goals?
  • Would you be up to the challenge of taking on a project, then reporting your progress at the end of the week to senior managers?

Our Edinburgh work experience programme offers you a fun, exciting challenge that will leave you with hands-on experience of working on a real project that allows you to develop your skills.

Each school student who joins our work experience programme is assigned a special role which they take charge of over the week, while receiving support and encouragement from our team of Apprentices and Graduates. We offer a practical activity packed week, which will raise your awareness of all the different types of jobs there are in a hi-tech engineering company like Leonardo. You’ll learn how to use detail drawings, 3D modelling and 3D printing processes and we’ll give you an overview of our technology to bring the world of engineering to life so you can see how it is applied in the real world.

At the end of the week, you will be asked to deliver a group presentation to a panel of senior Leonardo managers on your project. Feedback from previous participants confirms that our programme is not only a fun roller coaster ride of technology and knowledge, with the chance to work as part of a team, but that you also get the chance to build your professional presentations skills in a real work environment.

The application process for our 2020 work experience programme in Edinburgh is now closed. Please check back in October 2020 for opportunities we will be offering in July and August 2021. We may also have some availability at half terms.

Southampton

In Southampton, Leonardo offers week-long work experience placements for students who show an interest and an aptitude in science and engineering.

Through a range of STEM activities, students are given the opportunity to see and experience a number of different engineering departments, gaining a wide understanding of the engineering and manufacturing processes that are used on site.

The placements also enable students to gain an insight into the Southampton site’s expertise in infra-red detectors, thermal imaging solutions, communication systems and air traffic control systems, which have been developed since the 1950s.

Some of our previous work placement participants commented:

“Each detail of your company was fascinating and you are privileged to work in such a place.”

“You did an exceptional job of it and we all thoroughly enjoyed every day of it.”

“I would love to apply at some point in the future for an apprenticeship.” The application process for summer 2020 work experience opportunities will be open shortly.

The application process for our 2020 work experience programme in Southampton is now closed. Please check back in October 2020 for opportunities we will be offering in July and August 2021. We may also have some availability at half terms.

If you are interested in applying for a work experience opportunity with Leonardo, the best approach is to speak directly with your school or college, or to connect with one of our STEM ambassadors via email.