Work experience opportunities

We offer a range of placements for students as well as people looking for work experience. Discover our current opportunities below.

We believe that offering work experience placements to young people is a great way for them to gain an insight into the important and interesting work that The National Archives does.

Work experience in Document Services

The Document Services department offers a placement scheme to young people aged 14 to 18.

A structured work placement is a chance to learn more about what it is like to work in an archive, and to get some practical, hands-on experience of working as part of a team. The work will include:

producing and returning original documents accurately from the repository floor to the reading rooms
using computer systems to log and track document movements accurately
working in a customer service environment within the reading rooms
learning how we preserve and care for documents
working as an effective member of a team

We offer five-day placements (Monday to Friday) within the Document Services department.

How to apply

If you are a student in the boroughs of Richmond upon Thames and Kingston upon Thames or Hounslow, please check with your work experience co-ordinator as some schools may have arrangements in place for contacting us.

We actively welcome applications from students with autism.

2026 Work Experience Programme

Our work experience placements are now fully booked for 2026.

Contact us

For general enquiries about work experience in Document Services please email us.

Please note that we receive a large number of requests for work experience, and we are unable to accept applications sent by email.

Email: DSDTraining@nationalarchives.gov.uk

Work experience in Education and Outreach

The Education and Outreach department offers a limited amount of work experience placements to students aged 14 to 18 (Years 10 to 13).

Our placements offer the unique opportunity to get involved with our award-winning workshop and event programme for children, young people and adults.

We offer structured hands-on activities that help students to develop the skills needed to work in an education department at a cultural institution.

How to apply

Find further information and details of how to apply for work experience in Education and Outreach.

Undergraduate and postgraduate opportunities

Student placements

The National Archives’ student placement scheme is designed for students undertaking a degree or qualification in either higher or further education that includes a compulsory placement.