There are a number of different terms used to describe the very wide range of work experiences on offer to students. This section reviews the term ‘work experience’, its meaning and also of the common usage synonyms and closely related terms with the objective of clarifying the landscape and removing any confusion in terminology. Clarifying terminology is also important for information searching purposes as different countries use different terms for what is, in some cases, according to the local definition, a synonym.
In the UK there are a range of terms commonly found on University, Company and relevant Government Agency websites and publications relating to work experiences. The following is a summary of the way the terms are commonly used.