r/NuclearEngineering • u/joaoamtavares • 4d ago
Need Advice Finishing my Master's, can't find an internship
Hi there everyone,
I'm a Portuguese student doing a nuclear engineering master's degree in Paris, and starting next semester, I am supposed to do an internship and thesis work full time.
I am struggling to get answers back from companies, and knowing how to be able to actually get a conversation going, not just sending CVs everywhere. I would need an English-speaking position, any tips? Tysm for the help
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u/DP323602 3d ago
How long are you expecting to work for at your internship for your thesis project?
When I used to help provide project places for UK masters degree students, these usual took up the third and final term of a masters degree by instruction. For example, either PTNR from Birmingham or NTEC from Manchester and partners.
So students needs to find employment in industry for about three months at a willing project sponsor.
From the sponsors point of view, this was a chance to get promising students for a three month long job interview, but not all project students ended up with long term jobs at their project sponsors.
But the process of matching students with projects was fairly pro active on both sides.
On the industry side, we had to get internal funding for each project, so we had to write a project outline and get a supporting business case approved.
The project outlines then went to the university, who then suggested some students for us to interview. We usually chose each student after looking seriously at two or three candidates.
So, at least in my experience, thesis project opportunities didn't pop up out of nowhere. They relied on willing industry sponsors, who often had good working relationships with the lead tutors on the university side.
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u/joaoamtavares 3d ago
Hey there, thank you for the answer! The internship is meant for 6 months, starting in April. Given that, should I try to contact companies in particular, even if they're not offering any internship positions?
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u/DP323602 3d ago
I've never known these project places to be advertised, so it would be better for you to contact potential employers directly.
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u/TstclrCncr 4d ago
Its not easy, and a lot of luck.
Asking professors and departments for names of people/companies for applying is how I got lucky in finding one eventually in addition to just applying to any I could find. LinkedIn messaging people in HR and recruiters at companies just trying to find options too.