Work experience

For many years NPL has run a one-week work experience programme called NPL Academy. This is a fantastic way to make sure you get the most out of a week's worth of work experience. We provide current Year 10 to Year 13 aged students with a real taster of work at a National Laboratory.  Typically, we welcome a cohort of about 30-50 students each year. With many more applicants than places, priority is given to those who can demonstrate that they have a genuine interest in science, engineering and business beyond the classroom. NPL does not provide, or require, payment for participation in NPL Academy and cannot fund travel or subsistence costs. No prior reading or preparation is required for NPL Academy projects. The NPL Academy was a fantastic week that I enjoyed immensely and would recommend to any young person considering a career in science as it gives you real-life experience Kate Baxter - NPL Academy alumnus What happens at the NPL Academy Participants will be required to attend our Teddington site (find out more about our site by clicking below). Each day runs from 10.00-15.30. NPL hosts will set a task and mentor a team of students throughout the week, and students will present their work on the final day. Projects might include working on atomic clocks, computer programming, electronics, fibre optics, finance, IT, media, microscopy, project management, prototyping, quality assurance, quantum science, stakeholder analysis.