Transport for Wales - Placements and internships

Placements and internships

Looking to gain work experience while you’re at university? A placement or internship with us can develop your skills and build your confidence. Whether you’re looking for a short-term placement, a full year or you’re working on a project, we have opportunities to suit your needs.

We offer opportunities to suit different interests and career goals in a wide range of teams including:

Engineering
Project management
Sustainability
Customer experience
Business services (HR, Finance, IT and Comms)
Rail operations

These roles support real business projects and give you experience to get your careers off to a great start.

Hear from our interns

Past Intern

“My journey at TfW started back in 2022, when I was fortunate to secure a 6-month internship with the Ops Readiness team during my second year at university. The opportunity to gain hands-on experience within an operations team in a growing and evolving organisation was what initially attracted me to TfW.

Through my 6-month internship, I gained a vast range of knowledge - not only of the processes of integrating brand new trains onto the Wales and Borders network but also stepping into a workplace environment whilst at university. The opportunity of an internship not only increases your employability skills and attributes, but also gain invaluable experience, skills and connections in a professional workplace.”

Past HR Intern

“My internship has allowed me to gain valuable experience that will help me greatly in the development of my career! The focus around learning and development has not only supported me in gaining experience and knowledge, but also personal growth and development. I have enjoyed the rotational aspect of the internship as I have been able to gain insight into many different areas of the HR function while also taking on different types of projects that have been impactful to the organisation. Additionally, I have been able to collaborate with many different teams across the business and create valuable relationships across meany areas of the business. I am truly thankful for this amazing opportunity and I hope to continue my career within TfW in the future!”

Benefits

Salary
Your salary will be in line with Real Living Wage.

Pension
We offer a generous pension scheme.

Flexible benefits
You can access healthcare benefits, a cycle-to-work scheme, gym membership and retail discounts.

Holiday
You’ll have a generous annual holiday entitlement

Development opportunities
You may have the opportunity to attend training courses and gain additional qualifications during your placement.

Free Travel

The Application process

Application form

You’ll need to provide personal details and answer some supporting questions. Don’t shy away from giving as much detail as you can about who you are, your skills and how they apply to your role. Remember, this is your opportunity to make yourself stand out.

Final interview

This will be face-to-face or virtually with your hiring manager. This will be the final part of the recruitment process. You’ll be asked some questions to explore your skills and experiences and how they relate to your chosen internship.

Come prepared with examples of your work experience, academic studies or personal experiences that demonstrate the key skills required for the role.

Making a decision

We’ll stay in touch with you to make sure you’re fully aware of each stage of the recruitment journey. If you’ve been successful, we’ll contact you to offer you a place in our internship programme.

If your application is unsuccessful, we’ll be sure to inform you as soon as possible and provide feedback on your interview. We may discuss our other pathways and opportunities we think you may be interested in.

Support during the recruitment process

We want everyone to feel confident and supported when applying for a role with us. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process – whether it’s extra time, alternative formats, or something else that will help you show us your potential – just let us know.

We’re here to make sure the process works for you, and our team is always happy to chat about what support you might need.

Our Values and Attributes

Having a diverse team of people from right across society helps us do a better job. We need talented people, whatever their background. Could you help us?

Our apprenticeships can be studied in Welsh or English, or bilingually. It’s all about what works best for you.

Please let us know if you require any reasonable adjustments, such as extra time or alternative formats as you go through our recruitment process.

FAQs

We usually advertise internships and placements in the autumn and spring terms (depending on the role and department needs).

To find out about our current internship and placement opportunities or to register your interest, click here

You’ll need to be studying at university (undergraduate or postgraduate). Some opportunities are open to first years, but most are aimed at students in their second or penultimate year.

Depending on the type of placement, some opportunities are also available for students that have recently completed their degree.

Not always. Some roles require a relevant degree (e.g. engineering) but many are open to a wide range of subjects including business, geography, computing, maths or environmental for example. The job description will explain what’s required.

Most placements are in person but it depends on the team and the role. We’ll let you know what to expect and will support you with any travel or location details.

Mainly in Wales – including our offices in Cardiff, Pontypridd or Wrexham. Some roles may involve travel across our transport network and other locations such as stations or depots.

Yes. All our placements and internships are paid at real living wage.

Contact our early talent team at earlytalent@tfw.wales.

Placements and internships

Hear from our interns

Benefits

The Application process

Our Values and Attributes

FAQs

When can I apply for an internship or placement?

Who can apply for an internship or placement?

Do I need a specific degree?

Are placements in person?

Where are placements based?

Are placements paid?

Who can I speak to if I still have questions or I’d like further information?