Work experience

King’s Work Experience

We offer a wide range of work experience placements across both clinical and non-clinical services at the Trust. Placement opportunities vary for each placement week and are dependent on mentor availability. Please note the lists below are not exhaustive, and opportunities in other departments may also be available depending on mentor and departmental availability.

Programme update

Our core Work Experience Programme usually runs at scheduled periods throughout the year. However, due to unforeseen circumstances, the programme will not be running for the remainder of 2026.

We plan to resume the programme in 2027. Further information on placement dates and the application link will be published on this webpage when applications open.

Please note that applications and expressions of interest are not accepted via email. Students are encouraged to check this webpage for updates.

Eligibility

Our Work Experience Programme is designed for young people aged 16 to 19 who live or attend school in Bromley, Lambeth, Lewisham, Orpington or Southwark.

Priority is given to students attending state-funded schools. Applications from students attending independent or private schools may also be considered, subject to placement availability.

All placements are observational and subject to departmental and mentor availability.

Clinical placements

Our clinical placements cover a variety of specialties, including medicine, surgery, diagnostics, therapies and patient care. Depending on availability, students may have the opportunity to gain experience in areas such as:

• Anaesthetics
• Cardiology
• Critical care
• Dentistry
• Liver care
• Nursing
• Ophthalmology (orthoptics, optometry and ophthalmic imaging)
• Paediatrics
• Pharmacy
• Physiotherapy
• Radiology
• Trauma and orthopaedics

Non-clinical placements

Our non-clinical placements provide an insight into the essential services that support patient care and the running of the Trust. These may include:

• Equity, diversity and inclusion
• Finance
• Human resources
• Information and communication technology (ICT)
• Learning and organisational development
• Occupational health
• People directorate

Choosing a placement

We encourage you to spend time researching careers before selecting a department. Thinking about the career you’d like to pursue will help you identify the placement that best matches your interests.

The NHS Health Careers website is an excellent place to explore different careers, entry routes and the qualifications required. Once you’ve identified a career that interests you, you can choose the department most closely related to that profession.

Contact

For further information about the Work Experience Programme, please email [email protected]

Project SEARCH

The Trust partners with DFN Project SEARCH and local colleges to provide internships for young people with learning disabilities and/or autism at King’s College Hospital and the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH).

Project SEARCH is a national programme for people aged 18 to 24 years old with learning disabilities and/or autism to gain work experience.

The programme provides real life work experience combined with opportunities to develop life skills to help young people with learning difficulties make successful transitions from school to adult life.

Project SEARCH is a collaboration with the DFN Foundation. The programme began in the UK in 2008 and today works in partnership with more than 200 organisations across the UK. They have supported more than 2,900 young people into paid work.

We work with DFN Project SEARCH, Lambeth College, London South East Colleges, Lambeth Council, Bromley Council, Unity Works and Mencap to facilitate placements for interns.

Our interns

The interns gain a year’s worth of experience in different departments of the hospital, including clinical areas, clinical support services and corporate services. The placements they undertake are assigned based on their skills, abilities and interests.

Each intern spends 10 to 12 weeks in each of their three placements before graduating in summer.

A member of King’s staff will provide mentorship to each intern. The mentor will work alongside them during their placement, providing training and guidance. The interns also receive support to complete their final year of education from their on-site job coach and tutor.

Find out more

If you would like to find out more about the programme, please visit the Project SEARCH website.