Software Engineering Internships

What do software engineering interns actually do?

As a software engineering intern, you’ll work full-time at a company anywhere between one and six months. Internships usually take place in the summer months, but can happen at any point of the year.

Your day-to-day will vary depending on where you work but, you’ll spend your time working on coding projects, whether those are proof of concept projects or actual projects with the wider team. You could also review code from other engineers, find and fixing bugs in software, run performance tests and make sure the product works well.

You'll also attend team meetings, learn systems like GitHub, get mentored by experienced engineers and present your work to the wider team.

On top of all this experience, you’ll also be paid for your time. More on that later.

Here’s what this intern got up to at Maven:

I was given a lot of responsibility, as the product we were developing was entirely new. I worked within the Market Making Strategy team, building a full-stack web app with another intern. On a day-to-day basis, this would typically involve communicating with our stakeholders and tech lead to give updates through stand-ups, as well as programming, testing and debugging our product. Intern Developer, Maven

Why do a software engineering internship?

Internships aren’t just another way of adding to your CV. It’s your chance to test out your career before you graduate, build workplace skills that set you apart and start a network of engineers who’ll become mentors and references. Here are some more benefits:

• Real-world experience. You'll be able to show future employers you can work professionally, work in a team and deliver actual products

• Understand what you want. Software engineering is huge. You could work on everything from mobile apps to cybersecurity. An internship helps you figure out which direction you want

• Network and opportunities. You’ll meet loads of industry professionals and your internship could lead to a full-time graduate job after university.

Will AI replace software engineers?

Nope. You’ve probably heard of various AI tools that can write code and detect bugs, which sounds scary, but the reality is that human software engineers are very much wanted.

AI can be great at handling those long repetitive tasks like writing boilerplate code or fixing syntax errors giving you the chance to actually deep dive into your projects like designing systems, solving complex problems and creating the user experience.

Plus, AI still very much needs someone to input the information. And that someone is you, a future software engineer. In fact, AI Engineer was the number one fastest growing job in the UK.

How competitive are software engineering internships?

With the average internship getting 84 applications per role, they can be pretty competitive. The good news is that you have choice.

The big names like Google and Amazon are going to be pretty tough to crack (it’s not impossible, and totally worth applying to!), but there are so many schemes at smaller companies that’ll give you an equal chance to thrive.

Working for a small to medium sized company can usually mean a lot more responsibility, direct mentorship giving you are more personalised experience.

So, how do you set yourself apart?

Before we dive in, remember that employers will know that you’re not going to have loads of experience. But, having the basics down and being able to show employers that you actually enjoy software engineering will go a long way in securing a role. Here’s what counts as experience:

• Uni projects and coursework

• Personal projects (websites, app ideas, games and basic models)

• Hackathons or coding competitions

• Online courses.

You don’t need all of these, but aim to have two or three really strong pieces of work to show. 

Companies will care about how you work and how you can problem-solve and explain your choices. They’re also looking for candidates with soft skills like team work, attention to detail, adaptability and communication.

This is what one intern said about their time as a software engineer at NatWest:

Overall I really enjoyed the internship. It was a great opportunity to learn and grow both personally and professionally. I have been able to connect with a lot of new people, expand my knowledge in multiple areas and make meaningful contributions to the company. Software Engineer, NatWest

How much will you be paid?

How much you’ll earn depends on the company and where it’s based (for example, schemes in London will pay a lot more than those outside the capital). 

As a software engineering intern, you could earn anywhere between £22,000 and £30,000 pro rata.

Once you’ve reach grad level, you could start on salaries between £28,000 and £35,000 per year and the more experience you gain you could earn as much as £65,000 and even over £100,000 for senior/management positions.

How to land a software engineering internship

Applications usually open in September for the following summer. Places for popular schemes and employers fill up quickly (with many interns getting hired as early as December), so it’s worth getting your applications in early. If you’ve missed deadlines, there are plenty of amazing schemes with small-to-medium-sized employers, too.

You’ll start with a internship CV and cover letter. Make sure you’re including any projects and experience that’s relevant to the role that you’re applying for. Remember, internships are about getting work experience so you can always use university or passion projects. 

Then, you’ll apply online where youll get the chance to expand on your CV and cover letter. If you impress, employers will invite you to an assessment centre where you’ll take part in group tasks and have a face-to-face interview. You’ll likely do some on-the-spot coding, too!

If you’re looking for a little help with your applications, download our free toolkit. You’ll find everything from interview prep to assessment centre do’s and don’ts.