YORK’S universities and college students have combined to offer an internship scheme for local businesses.

The Student Internship Bureau is a collaboration between Science City York and Higher York, the partnership between Askham Bryan College, the University of York, York College, York St John University and the City of York Council.

Based in the University of York’s Careers Service, the bureau places students on three-month projects in a wide range of business settings.

The university’s pro-vice-chancellor for external relations, Professor Colin Mellors, will launch the summer 2011 programme at a breakfast showcasing event at York’s National Railway Museum on Tuesday, starting at 7.30am.

Last year, the programme saw more than 30 students in placements ranging from launching student-friendly marketing for Northern Rail to developing a client management system for Mosaic Events.

Prof Mellors, who chairs Higher York’s executive group, said: “York student interns have demonstrated that they can produce results which benefit businesses. The internships provide unique, hands-on learning experiences for the students.”

To book a place at the event at the National Railway Museum, contact interns@events.york.ac.uk or phone 01904 322685.

York St John University is also planning to continue its own graduate internship programme, after it came to the end of a scheme funded by Yorkshire Forward and HEFCE (Higher Education Funding Council for England).

The university held an event to celebrate the 40 internships funded by the scheme over the past 18 months, and that three of their interns, Ryan Collins at LDT Design, Tom Dunne at Parashoots and Tom Faller at Snapshot Media, have been announced as finalists in the Yorkshire Internship Awards 2011.

Liz Whitaker, senior careers advisor said that the scheme had been very successful, having its funding doubled after the first 20 internships.

“We are now working on setting up a similar scheme to give undergraduates paid work experience and would love to hear from any employer who would like to get involved,” she said.

Organisations interested in taking an intern should email graduateinternships@yorksj.ac.uk or phone 01904 876710.