University Placement 2027-28 - Consulting Early Associate Internship (Industrial Placement Year)

IBM; Manchester; On-site; GBP 23,000 - 28,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary £25,000 per annum

25 days annual leave

IBM Rewards and discounts

Wellbeing and development support

IBM learning platforms

Job summary

IBM offers an undergraduate Consulting Early Associate Intern position in the UK. You’ll gain hands-on exposure to client projects, supported by mentors and industry leaders, helping you learn how technology and business drive transformation.

You’ll build professional skills while contributing to real client outcomes from day one. You’ll work with teams across AI, data, automation, hybrid cloud, and cybersecurity, and participate in workshops, research, and collaborative problem-solving sessions

Qualifications

• This is an undergraduate placement position at IBM Consulting in the UK.
• Eligibility requires current enrolment on a UK undergraduate degree and imminent graduation in 2029.
• Must be able to commute to the London or Manchester offices and work onsite at least three days per week.

Responsibilities

• Support the delivery of client transformation projects and programmes.
• Assist in analyzing business challenges and identifying solutions.
• Participate in client workshops and stakeholder meetings.
• Turn insights into actionable recommendations.
• Explore how AI, automation and cloud can transform client work.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across business strategy and technology.
• Contribute to tangible client outcomes and learn from experienced mentors.

Skills

Undergraduate curiosity

Analytical thinking

Problem solving

Excellent communication

Collaborative teamwork

Willingness to learn

Education

Undergraduate degree program

2:1 degree classification

Job description

Competitive Benefits Package

• Salary: £25,000 per annum
• 25 days annual leave plus public holidays
• Access to IBM Rewards, including discounts and benefits at a wide range of high street retailers
• Wellbeing and development support
• Access to IBM learning platforms and professional development resources

As a Consulting Early Associate Intern, you'll gain hands‑on experience supporting real client projects from day one, develop valuable professional skills, and discover how technology and business come together to drive transformation. You'll be supported by experienced consultants, mentors and industry leaders while building a network that will last well beyond your placement year.

What is Consulting and what will I do? Consulting is about helping organisations solve challenges, improve performance and achieve their goals. As a consultant, you'll work with clients to understand their priorities, identify opportunities and support the delivery of solutions that create real business impact. This could mean helping organisations adopt new technologies, improve customer experiences, streamline business processes, or embrace innovative ways of working. At IBM Consulting, technology is at the heart of many of these transformations.

Throughout your placement, you'll gain exposure to cutting‑edge technologies including:

• Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Data & Analytics
• Automation
• Hybrid Cloud
• Cybersecurity

You'll see how these technologies are used to solve real‑world business challenges and create meaningful outcomes for clients.

During your placement, responsibilities typically include:

• Support the delivery of client transformation projects and programmes
• Analyse business challenges and help identify innovative solutions
• Participate in client workshops, stakeholder meetings and collaborative problem‑solving sessions
• Conduct research and turn insights into recommendations
• Explore how technologies such as AI, Automation and Cloud can help organisations transform the way they work
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across business, strategy and technology
• Contribute to solutions that create tangible outcomes for clients

Every project is different, giving you the opportunity to gain broad experience and continuously develop new skills.

Your Placement Experience At IBM, you'll do more than observe. You'll contribute to real projects, work with experienced consultants and build skills that will support your future career.

As part of our vibrant early professional community, you'll have access to a wide range of opportunities both within and beyond your placement role. We encourage our placement students to get involved in networking events, mentoring programmes, learning opportunities, volunteering initiatives and activities that give back to local communities. You'll be supported throughout your placement by a strong network of managers, mentors and peers. In addition to your day‑to‑day manager, you'll have a dedicated Early Professional Manager focused on helping you maximise your placement experience and achieve your development goals. Many of our placement students go on to apply for graduate opportunities within IBM, using the skills, experience and networks developed during their placement year.

We're looking for curious, highly‑motivated and ambitious individuals who are excited to learn, collaborate, solve problems and make an impact.

• Curiosity about how organisations operate and how complex challenges can be solved
• A genuine interest in consulting, technology, and the role they play in transforming businesses
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical thinking skills
• The ability to adapt quickly and confidently work across a variety of tasks and projects
• Excellent communication skills, with the confidence to ask questions, share ideas, and engage with others
• A collaborative mindset and the ability to work effectively within diverse teams
• Creativity, initiative, and a willingness to learn from new experiences
• An interest in emerging technologies such as AI, data, cloud, and automation
• Coding or technical knowledge is welcome but not required

A career in IBM Consulting is built on long‑term client relationships and close collaboration worldwide. You'll work with leading companies across industries, helping them shape their hybrid cloud and AI journeys. With support from our strategic partners, robust IBM technology, and Red Hat, you'll have the tools to drive meaningful change and accelerate client impact. At IBM Consulting, curiosity fuels success. You'll be encouraged to challenge the norm, explore new ideas, and create innovative solutions that deliver real results. Our culture of growth and empathy focuses on your long‑term career development while valuing your unique skills and experiences.

As one of the world's leading technology consulting organisations, IBM brings together business expertise and cutting‑edge technologies, including Artificial Intelligence, Hybrid Cloud, Automation and Cybersecurity, to help clients solve complex challenges, drive transformation, and create meaningful outcomes.

You'll also have access to:

• World‑class learning and development resources
• Industry‑leading technologies and platforms
• Mentoring and coaching from experienced professionals
• Networking opportunities across IBM's business units
• A thriving community of interns, placement students, apprentices and graduates

No two projects are the same, giving you the opportunity to gain broad experience, build your professional network, and continuously develop new skills throughout your placement year. If you're excited by technology, innovation and problem‑solving, we'd love to hear from you.

Required technical and professional expertise

This is an undergraduate position, and as such to be eligible for this placement, you must:

• Be enrolled on an undergraduate degree programme at a UK university.
• Be on track to achieve a minimum 2:1 degree classification.
• Be due to graduate in 2029 and returning to university to complete your final year following the placement year.
• Be able to commute to our York Road, London office (or, for a limited number of roles, our Manchester office), with an expectation of attending the office at least three days per week.
• Have the right to work in the UK on a full‑time basis for the duration of the placement. Please note that IBM is unable to provide visa sponsorship for placement roles.