Self-sourced internships

Find out how you can select you own internship for the Internship subject.

Internship is 25-point subject providing you the opportunity to find and secure your own 4–20 week internship (320–350 hours) for academic credit toward your degree.

Many students prefer to find their own internship and we encourage you to self-source an internship that directly aligns with your career aspirations. Sourcing your own internship will additionally equip you with the skills required for active job searching, assisting you in preparing and choosing your own path for employment prior to graduation. As a University of Melbourne student, you will have access to regular seminars and resources to assist you with researching and approaching organisations for internship opportunities. Make the most of these opportunities to ensure you are presenting the best you during a targeted, professional internship outreach.

The self-sourced internship will be assessed for its appropriateness for the subject via the criteria provided in the Submit your application section below.

  • Eligibility

    Please refer to the Handbook for eligibility of the subject. Construction Management Internship (ABPL90434) — The University of Melbourne Handbook (unimelb.edu.au)

    If you are unsure of your course requirements or elective credits, you should book a course advice appointment (Book a student services appointment (unimelb.edu.au).

  • Plan to succeed

    Students who prepare effectively for the internship subject are more likely to succeed in securing an opportunity that best reflects personal career aspirations. Preparing early to find your internship will assist in your success.

    There are two key areas in which you should focus your preparation:

    1. Create or update your application documents

      Internship employers will be interested in the skills and experiences you have gained so far. These experiences will be conveyed via your application documents. To ensure you are able to put an effective application forward, consider if you need to add to your resume by:

      • Undertaking some volunteer work
      • Working in a part time or casual role
      • Joining and contributing to a professional association
      • Getting active in your professional student club
      • Brushing up on skills in demand in your industry
      • Practising your written and spoken communication skills
      • Keeping up to date with developments in your industry

      Set up a plan a semester prior to when you expect to undertake your internship and upskill in areas where you have gaps. https://students.unimelb.edu.au/careers/discover-your-career-options

    2. Plan, research and prepare to find an internship

      Attend relevant sessions run by the Faculty and/or Careers and Employability and advertised through Careers Online:

      • Resume and cover letter writing
      • Secure your internship
      • Promoting your skills for employment
      • Professional image and networking
      • Making the most of LinkedIn
      • Preparing for interviews
  • Resources

    Utilise resources accessible to you whilst you are a student to gain a competitive edge in your approach:

    University of Melbourne resources: Careers and Employment resources and information University of Melbourne (careercentre.me).

    Familiarise yourself with the Information for Hosts and provide it to potential supervisors as an information source.

    Check out the SmartResume Smart Resume (unimelb.edu.au) tool, which can give you instant, real-time feedback and suggestions on your resume to ensure you really show potential host companies all you have to offer.

  • Submit your application

    Once you have successfully secured an internship you will need to submit your application to abp-internship@unimelb.edu.au with the following information:

    1. Note the following requirements for ABPL90434 Construction Management Internship:
      • The work you are undertaking on a day-to-day basis must compliment your degree.
      • With the current COVID 19 environment this may involve working remotely.
      • For small start-up organisations, we may ask that you provide further information that the minimum required, to assist in having your internship considered.
      • During your internship you need to be supervised by a staff member from within your organisation who is a technical expert in that area or is an engineering or information technology professional (depending on the position) who can provide the you with technical support in your work.
    2. A position description that identifies what you are doing within the role, your duties and responsibilities. This needs to outline what skills required for the role including the name of the company.
    3. The number of hours per week (a minimum of three days are required to fulfil the 320–350 hours requirement).
    4. Start date and end date of the placement (320–350 hours must be undertaken within 4–16 weeks inside Semester 1, 2 and Summer time frames).
    5. Your supervisors contact details, including email and phone.
    6. The address where you will be based for the majority of the placement.
    7. Confirm if the placement is paid or unpaid
    8. Your student ID, degree and major.
    9. Use your student email for all subject communications.
    10. Complete the CM Internship Self-sourced Application form and submit your idea for the internship using the pre-proposal Guidelines.

    Collect the information above and submit your application to abp-internship@unimelb.edu.au.

  • Find opportunities

    Sourcing your own internship will involve you contacting potential companies and people to explore possible opportunities.

    Before you start doing this, it is important that you spend some time creating a targeted approach though identifying industries, companies, projects and contacts of interest. This will assist you in being clear about what it is you are looking for and will additionally help you to build knowledge of possible careers in your discipline area. Further, you will make a better impression when you are making contact with industry professionals if you are well informed and clear about what it is you are hoping to achieve.

    Remember to include small to medium businesses in your research – there are around 2 million businesses in Australia and most of them employ less than 200 employees. They often don’t have the resources to promote formal internship programs, but can offer you a great internship experience.

    Before you start contacting organisations about possible internships, ensure you are clear about requirements for the Internships. See the Submit your application below section for further details.

    Explore tools and resources and research independently as part of your journey toward your future goals.

    Self-sourcing your own internship can be daunting, but it needn’t be if you approach it with a growth mindset toward your own personal goals. There are a number of resources to assist you in speculative outreach to organisations on the EmployMe platform including:

    Note: Log in via this link first – EmployMe – and then you will be able to access the links above.

    Ensure you attend relevant sessions advertised on Careers Online throughout the semester to assist with your outreach strategies.

  • Key dates
    Summer Period
    DateActivity
    Mid-November Deadline for students wishing to undertake a self-sourced opportunity to send through an application for their internship to be assessed for the Internship subject
    Late November Internships commence
    Mid–late February Internships conclude  
    Semester 1
    DateActivity
    Mid-February Deadline for students wishing to undertake a self-sourced opportunity to send through an application for their internship to be assessed for the Internship subject.
    Mid–late February Internships commence
    End May / early June Internships conclude
    Semester 2
    DateActivity
    Mid-JulyDeadline for students wishing to undertake a self-sourced opportunity to send through an application for their internship to be assessed for the Internship subject.
    Mid July – early August Internships commence
    Late October / early November Internships conclude


    Refer to the Subject Handbook entry for more information.

  • Information for international students only

    International students on student visas are limited to 20 hours per week for both paid/unpaid internships.

    All international students on student visas should ensure that they are compliant with the working hours limitations attached to your visa. ABPL90434 Construction Management Internship are elective subjects which may count towards your working hours, even if your internship is unpaid.

    For further information see the Department of Home Affairs website:

How to apply

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