The Insights Work Experience programme was launched in 2012 by the Physics Outreach team at Imperial College London.  The aim was to provide an opportunity for a cohort of Year 12 students from schools with little or no prior link to Imperial, to undertake work experience in the Physics Department.

Students were required to submit an application, outlining their reasons for applying and provide a reference from their school. 40 students were offered a place on the programme.

The placements in 2015 took place between the 29th June and the 6th July. 20 students attended each week of the programme. Students travelled from all over the UK to attend the work experience placement. About a quarter of participants joined a residential programme to enable them to stay in an Imperial Halls of Residence for the week.

 At the beginning of the one week placement, the students were put into pairs and were seconded to one of the department’s research groups. The students met and interviewed a variety of staff members and students from the research groups and gathered information about their work. Using this information, the students designed a conference poster to portray the work of the research group.

During their time in the Physics Department, the students also attended lectures and seminars, conducted experimental lab work and prepared for a ‘showcase event’. Many students commented that they enjoyed the fact that they now had a deeper understanding of life as a researcher outside of the constraints of the school curriculum. One participant said: “I didn’t really expect to talk to many academics and it was a nice surprise…” The students also got a chance to question the Head of Admissions and ask for advice about their applications.

The students worked in groups of four to prepare short presentations which summarised their week in the Physics department. The students’ presentations were delivered to participants’ guests and staff members from the Physics Department on the last day of the placement at a ‘Showcase’ event.  The conference posters which the students had made were also displayed at the event.

Feedback from the students who attended the Insights programme was extremely positive and many of them now intend to apply to study physics at University:

One student said: “The Insights Work Experience Programme has been a really fantastic experience. I am really grateful for this opportunity to spend a week at a world class university. A very enjoyble week overall’