Space skills and careers resources
These include information for young people and how to find work experience, apprenticeships, internships or jobs in the space sector.
UK Space Agency - Mars Perseverance - Space Careers
Get an overview of space careers
Read the ‘Careers in space’ leaflet
Read the UK Space Agency’s ‘Careers in space: the sky is not the limit’, for an overview of:
- different careers you can pursue that are involved with space
- the skills required for a career in space
- resources available for pursuing a career in space
Watch the Principia Careers video
This short film is Astro Academy’s overview of the work that UK scientists and engineers are doing in the space sector, both in support of astronauts and in applications for life on Earth.
Watch career profile videos
These cover a wide range of roles in the space sector and can be viewed on the website of the UK branch of the European Space Education Resources Office (ESERO-UK), which also offers a variety of other space careers resources.
Visit the National Space Academy website
The resources on this page include career advice and tips. The National Space Academy also run career conferences.
Visit the Royal Aeronautical Society website
This page provides career guidance and opportunities.
Visit the Knowledge Transfer Network website
The tool on this website allows you to identify and locate every space related company and organisation in the UK. It will enable you to find local companies to contact to request a visit, find work experience, internships, and other opportunities.
Visit the UKspace website
More space career information can be found on the UKspace website here.
Visit the European Space Agency website
The European Space Agency is our biggest partner in space. Visit their website here to discover opportunities and guidance for space careers.
Find out how to become an astronaut
The main route for UK citizens to become an astronaut is through the competitive European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut selection programme. Would-be astronauts can prepare now for a career in or involving space by learning more about science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and by getting relevant career experience.
Get resources for children and young people
Listen to Deep Space High podcasts
Future astronauts and space specialists can listen to these short audio programmes on Fun Kids, the UK’s radio station for children. They explain how nearly every subject is useful in a space career.
Try an astronaut’s workout
Children ages 8 to 12 can explore space-related physical and learning activities on the Mission X: Train like an astronaut website.
Match your skills to STEM careers
Girls aged 11 to 19 can take the My Skills, My Life quiz to see how their skills match up to STEM careers. It’s part of a collection of resources created by Women into Science and Engineering (WISE) for getting girls interested in science and technology careers.
Find work experience
Work experience opportunities for the year ahead are generally advertised in the New Year with many closing dates for applications between January and March. Other opportunities, especially for online work experience, have different closing dates or are rolling programmes. A selection of opportunities can be found below.
Space Careers UK
Get general advice on finding work experience in the space sector on the Space Careers UK website.
Airbus Aerospace
Explore Springpod’s online Airbus Aerospace programme, which gives students the opportunity to hear from Airbus representatives about their company, its aims and values and what it’s like to work in aerospace.
RAL Space
Find out about work experience opportunities at RAL Space, sponsored by the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). These are for students in Years 10 to 13 (or equivalent). RAL Space is part of the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire. Opportunities are also available at STFC’s UK Astronomy Technology Centre and Daresbury Laboratory.
University of Leicester
The School of Physics and Astronomy, at the University of Leicester, offers work experience to local students in Years 10/11 and 12.
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin UK offers an annual week of work experience, usually in July, for students aged 15 to 17. Applications open from January to March each year.
Research Placements and Experiences
Funded by the Nuffield Foundation and powered by STEM Learning, these placements (formerly Nuffield Research Placements) are workplace experiences for students in Year 12 (or equivalent).
Find an apprenticeship or internship
SPIN scheme
Students at UK universities can apply for a paid summer internship in the UK space industry as part of the Space Placements in Industry (SPIN) scheme.
The scheme is funded by the UK Space Agency and managed by the Satellite Applications Catapult.
SPIN 2024
Visit the SPIN 2024 page to find out more about current opportunities.
Find a job in the UK space sector
The Space Careers UK website lists jobs in the UK space sector and lets you register to receive new job listings by email.
Ministry of Defence: SKYNET 6 Programme
SKYNET is the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) satellite communications (SATCOM) capability, and in particular a family of military communications satellites which provide strategic communication services to the UK Armed Forces and our allies. The SKYNET 5 satellites are the most recent generation of UK military satellites, with the next-generation SKYNET 6 Programme in development.
The MOD’s SKYNET 6 team would like to work with innovators in industry, academia and OGDs, and with our closest allies, to understand new trends and new opportunities and to encourage research and development.
Find out more and engage with the SKYNET 6 Programme.
Updates to this page
Published 1 April 2022Last updated 5 February 2024 + show all updates
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Updated with 2024 information.
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Added SPIN 23 funding call information.
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First published.