Exploring the first of our careers fairs: part-time jobs, placements and volunteering

Attendees can also register to meet individual employers and professionals, and learn about work experience openings, including graduate, placement year and internship roles.

Last year’s careers weeks and fairs programme was a resounding success, with 81% of students indicating they felt that their attendance had a positive impact on their career planning. 

Quiet half hour during fairs

A new introduction to this year’s careers fairs will be a quiet half hour in the final 30 minutes from 3.30 - 4pm. This quieter time is for those who prefer a more relaxed environment, and ensures all students can benefit from the fairs. We kindly ask all attending students to respect this dedicated period by allowing others the space to enjoy the fair at their own pace.

The careers weeks and fairs are open to all Durham students irrespective of discipline or level. Students planning to attend will need to bring their campus card along.

Part-time jobs, placements and volunteering fair  

The first fair in the series focuses on part-time jobs, placements, internships and volunteering opportunities on Wednesday 9 October. Building on previous fairs, this year the offering is bigger and better, featuring a wide range of employers, support for students embarking on placement years, and volunteering information.

As well as offering valuable work experience and the chance to develop employability skills, including time management, picking up a role alongside studies can help students to build confidence, make new friends, and integrate into University and local community life.

Graduate recruiters will be looking for candidates who have work experience which has contributed towards the development of a range of transferrable skills. A part-time job / voluntary role is an ideal way to gain new skills, demonstrate work aptitude and enhance CV quality.

>> Students can register for the part-time jobs, placements and volunteering fair here

Secure a part-time role

Numerous employers will be in attendance, including internal University departments and local businesses in Durham who are actively looking for student staffing. They will be looking to recruit students for various paid opportunities - part-time, temporary or casual roles!

Placement years 

In addition to the part-time job opportunities on offer at the fair, there will be support for students preparing for placement years. Placement Managers from our Careers, Employability and Enterprise team will be on-hand to advise on where to look for placement year opportunities, offer website recommendations and highlight outstanding resources. Several students who have already completed their placement year will be present also. They will provide valuable insights into the process of obtaining a placement, give details of their experiences, advise on how to gain the most from placements, and answer any questions.

Volunteering roles 

Representatives from our Volunteering and Outreach team also join us this year to share the many volunteering opportunities that exist both inside and outside of the University. There are hundreds of ways to get involved, with plenty of connections to external organisations.

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Find out more

• Read more about the whole series of our careers weeks and fairs, and view the programme of events
• Explore our Careers, Employability and Enterprise pages
• Employers interested in taking part in our careers events should visit our employer webpages

For our students

• Read more about the part-time jobs, placements and volunteering careers fair
• View the full series of careers weeks and fairs and explore our dedicated Careers and Enterprise pages
• Read help sheets and articles on networking, preparing for a careers fair, and how to use the LinkedIn alumni tool
• Explore further resources on work experience and the placement year
• Search for vacancies, career events and book career appointments on our CareersConnect platform
• Take a look at recent graduate Amy Nugent’s blog about student fairs at Durham 

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About our Careers, Employability and Enterprise service 

There are several ways that students can contact the Careers, Employability and Enterprise team with any career-related queries. The team is here to support all students at Durham, regardless of stage of career planning. The team welcomes contact with students with specific questions, or students unsure about finding work experience, or exploring career ideas equally.

Visit us in the Careers Office (Palatine Centre) Monday-Friday, 10am-4pm 

Log in to CareersConnect to ask a careers question 

Email the team