Supported Internships

We can guide you on your pathway to employment and empower your future with our Supported Internships. 

Our Supported Internships are for students aged 18 to 24, with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and an EHCP (Education and Health Care Plan), who want to move into sustainable employment and need extra support to do so. 

We offer structured, work-based study programmes using a mix of classroom learning plus work placements in partnership with our network of supportive local employers and businesses.

During the internship, students have support from a specialised and friendly Job Coach to match them to appropriate job roles and help develop their employability and life skills.  

Classroom-based guidance (one day a week) develops teamwork, communication, and problem solving, alongside confidence, practical literacy and numeracy, together with the completion of additional qualifications relevant to the role, such as a Food Hygiene Certificate if appropriate. 

Individual targets are also identified, such as travel training, uniform care and CV writing to ensure the students are equipped with transferrable skills suitable for paid employment or long-term volunteering. 

The students then undertake taster work projects within the College, such as barista training in our Greenhouse Cafe, Kitchen Porter in our commercially-run fine dining restaurant Horizons, and working in the shop, before moving out into the wider community to work in operational businesses for two days a week. 

There are two strands to our Supported Internships:

• Bridges into Work focuses on community placements with our knowledgeable network of local employers
• Aspire is in partnership with Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust with placements within Torbay Hospital.  

Successful Aspire placements at Torbay Hospital include porters, domestic assistants, waste management, and administrators from across the NHS Trust.

Bridges into Work focuses on a variety of placements with our knowledgeable network of positive local employers. Our programme has an excellent reputation, helping students experience different working environments within South Devon College. They undertake various roles such as kitchen porter, barista, office work, gardening, and estates and facilities management before moving on to individual job‑focused placements in the community, in collaboration with Torbay Council and external businesses. Students also receive help to prepare CVs for job applications.

On each course, our young people work with a buddy or supervisor alongside the Job Coach, helping them learn specific job skills and settle into the existing staff team.

The option of a long‑term placement of up to a year can work very well for our students, allowing them the space, time, and support needed to flourish, unlock their potential, and move into employment in their chosen sector.

Students on the internship also benefit from visiting local businesses to see first‑hand the different areas of work, widening their knowledge and understanding of the world of employment.

After their final placement, students receive encouragement and support with job hunting. Completion of our Supported Internship programme leads to higher employment success, offering positive outcomes for both students and businesses.

For those not ready or able to enter secure employment, long‑term volunteering opportunities are explored and maximised, with advice and guidance from their Job Coach if required.

During our recent Ofsted inspection, our provision for students with high needs was given an ‘Outstanding’ rating. They found that our “lecturers and support staff for students with high needs know their students very well.” Our staff liaise with parents and carers to understand how best to support their student’s progress and ensure that anxieties are swiftly addressed. We make sure our students have ambitious goals and achievable targets enabling them to make excellent progress from their starting points, developing independence and often have secured employment. Click here to read more: Ofsted Report 2024

We’ve had some great success stories on the Supported Internship programme – please come and talk to us to see if it is for you – we would love to see you! 

Open Events

You can find out more about Aspire and Bridges at our College open evenings listed below and dedicated events in the table below:

For more information on how to attend the following events, please get in touch:

Isobel Priestley, call 01803 656541 or email [email protected]

For more information or to discuss a place on our Supported Internship please email [email protected]  

Meet Megan, one of our Bridges into Work students

Learning Opportunities Curriculum Map

How to read this map

This map is designed to show you the many potential options available to you, whether you want to try something new, boost your existing skills or embark on a new career path altogether. We have also suggested courses in other areas that might compliment your study path.

Take a look at some of our Supported Internship successes: 

Meet Sophie, one of our Bridges into Work students

Sophie stated that she ‘wanted to work with animals’. This is normally something that is very difficult to achieve as jobs with animals are highly sought after and require several qualifications.  

With the help of a Job Coach on the Bridges into Work programme, Sophie worked on travel training to reach a setting independently, then secured a placement for two days a week at a dog day care centre in Paignton. 

Sophie expanded her skills in dog handling and hygiene control and overcame her shyness in communicating with staff and these new-found skills and confidence led to her being given further responsibilities, culminating in a permanent part time job offer! 

“Bridges into Work is good to help people develop confidence to get a job” – Sophie 

“My Job Coach helped me to organise my hours and to be more confident using buses to get to my job”

Meet Ben, one of our Aspire students

After a successful first placement on McCallum Ward as a Ward Clerk at Torbay Hospital, Ben has started his second placement as a Hospital Porter, where he’s excelling in his role and receiving high praise from Facilities Manager Shaun O’Conner, who said: “Ben has so much potential and I really want to move him forward as quickly as possible. He is enthusiastic, friendly and was keen to work jobs independently when his placement started.” 

Reflecting his ambitions for Ben, Shaun has already put him forward for training in resuscitation and patient handling. 

Shaun continued: “When I was a young lad someone gave me a chance, so it is a pleasure to be able to support the Aspire programme and help the students into the workforce. 

“It is great to see them grow and develop as people and make a contribution towards the Trust and the wider community.” 

Alongside his Aspire placement, Ben is now taking a Level 1 Functional Skills Maths qualification and has applied for his driving test.