Make your mark by spending eight weeks in summer working with the best, at one of the largest publishers in the world. You’ll work on a paid independent project made especially for the internship – making decisions for yourself and contributing to our shared mission.
With us you’ll find support and a deep sense of purpose. Whatever project you’re placed on, you’ll gain universally applicable skills that will equip you for wherever you go next.
All nine of our interns are paid the London living wage and we offer financial support to those commuting from outside of London.
Applications for 2024 are now closed. Applications for 2025 will open in the Spring.
5/5
Average rating by interns asked to ‘rate the programme as an opportunity to learn about publishing and gain practical experience’
4.7/5
Average rating by interns asked to ‘rate the communication from the programme team during the placement’
5/5
Average rating by interns asked to ‘rate the recruitment workshop and support at the end of the programme’
Ebury Communications
Help us reach readers by bringing to life our books through content creation. You’ll support the communications team by flexing your creative muscles and writing skills to showcase our books in an engaging way. As a non-fiction publisher, our books are filled with practical advice, great recipes, inspirational messages, ways to change, top tips for life, and entertaining stories. Come away with experience on how to break down all this information in to short and engaging pieces of content for digital and social media. You will immerse yourself in our books and top talent authors with plenty of research and learning opportunities as you go. You’ll build a great network amongst the Ebury team, including marketing, publicity, editorial, art and sales.
Skills you’ll develop: content-creation, audience-specific marketing and publicity, social media planning and management, copywriting, marketing design, prioritisation, stakeholder management.
Vintage (Bodley Head) Editorial
From ancient history to cutting-edge technology, we’re home to great books that help us understand the world and bend it in a new direction. Whatever the subject and whatever the form, our authors match bold thinking with superb writing, and their books expand minds and enhance lives.
As an intern with Vintage’s Bodley Head team, you’ll gain unique insight what it’s like to work in editorial with prestigious literary non-fiction. You’ll learn how we set up titles for success online and gain momentum ahead of publication, how we think about buying books, and the practical steps in bringing a book to life and getting it out into the world. You’ll also work closely with the Deputy Publishing Director and Commissioning Editor on a research project that will help develop a book idea for our forthcoming series with Intelligence Squared, giving you rare access into how we think about commissioning. All of this will give you valuable insight into what it’s like to be an editorial assistant at a leading publisher.
Skills you’ll develop: project management, prioritisation, communication, research, organisation, teamwork, attention to detail, book editing.
Audio Editorial
Do you have an interest in all things audio? Help us cast and produce upcoming audiobooks! We’ll show you how we assess, cast and produce audiobooks from start to finish including finding the perfect voice and the ideal production approach.
You’ll be working closely with the audio team to help us produce award-winning audiobooks and support us in ensuring all of our copy, covers and data is up to date. You’ll be learning all about our best-selling titles and helping create engaging copy, bespoke audio artwork and more. You’ll gain a great overview of the editorial process, alongside the opportunity to work with all aspects of the audio team to gain some great practical skills on both sides of the microphone.
Skills you’ll develop: proofreading, copywriting, sales, catalogue reviewing, backlist management, reporting, internal communications, organisation, team work, prioritisation, attention to detail, casting, and audio production.
Brand
How do we engage young people with Penguin? During your time in the Brand team, you’ll help us answer that (very big) question. You’ll create lasting impact as you support both the Creative and Brand teams, with projects that grow our brand resonance with young readers under 25. You’ll flex your creative muscles coming up with creative approaches to effectively solve problems and generate ideas for our Instagram and TikTok. You’ll also help out at Social Impact events, such as the Lit In Colour Student conference in July.
Skills you’ll develop: content creation, audience insights and analysis, social media management, branding, event planning, marketing, production, administration support.
Vintage Marketing & Brand
Help us build strong connections and inform how we work with creators and booksellers by supporting our Influencer Program. You will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the world of digital marketing and influencer outreach, gaining hands-on experience in cultivating relationships with online creators and industry professionals. We’ll show you the ins and outs of creating compelling content and project management, giving you the chance to flex your creative thinking by brainstorming and implementing new ideas. As an intern, you will have an impact on the development and success of the Vintage Influencer Program, contributing to the launch of the Vintage Ambassadors Program and helping to foster meaningful connections with a select group of creators. This internship offers a fun and engaging experience that is accessible to anyone with a passion for social media.
Skills you’ll develop: prioritisation, campaign management, influencer management, internal communications, bookseller partnership coordination, audience-specific marketing, social media planning.
Penguin General (Viking) Editorial
Take the first step in your editorial career with two months at Viking and Penguin General, publishers of authors including Michelle Obama and Richard Osman, Ben Macintyre and Dolly Alderton.
Alongside the Senior Commissioning Editor, you’ll think about what a “good” book is, edit a book, publish a book, create a book across the entire publishing process. You’ll learn by carrying out key, universal publishing tasks such as reporting on book submissions, researching possible authors, writing descriptions of our books, writing briefs for cover designers, preparing factsheets on our books, preparing contracts and undertaking editorial administration.
Skills you’ll develop: key publishing database skills (Bookscan and Biblio), computer skills (Google Docs, Canva), editing, copywriting, proofreading, communicating including pitching, interpersonal skills including networking, organisation, teamwork, and prioritising deadlines.
#Merky Books Marketing
Bring your creative skills and make your mark on our key initiatives and title campaigns of 2024. A key part of this internship will involve your help to take our New Writers Prize to new heights through the programme planning and promotion to 18- to 35-year-old audiences. You will also be integral to the logistical nature of working with children, educators, and key external partners as part of the HSBC schools event series.
By working with our influencers, planning, and creating content, working with retailer partners, you’ll drive awareness of the book for increased sales. You’ll also gain an insight into the whole campaign life cycle with some of our newer or priority book titles.
Skills you’ll develop:
Biblio library platform usage, researching, communications and networking, copywriting, proofreading, organisation, teamwork, Bookscan platform usage.
Data Governance
Ready to learn about how we utilise Data in publishing? This is your chance to combine creativity and technology by designing a new report with the Data Governance team on the interactive data visualisation tool: Power BI. You’ll help to support key stakeholders across the business with learning more about their data and partner with a visualisation expert in designing a cutting-edge report. You don’t need to have experience in technology or data – we’ll help you understand the data we manage at Penguin Random House, collaborate with stakeholders and design an informative and accessible reporting suite. You’ll gain skills in data analysis, delivering a project, stakeholder communication and presenting.
Skills you’ll develop: data analysis, project management, stakeholder communications, internal communications, data visualisation, Power BI, and presenting.
Cornerstone Publicity
A huge part of the journey in the life of a book is connecting and finding the right audience. Throughout your time as an intern at Cornerstone Publicity, you will have the opportunity to connect with readers across the UK from Edinburgh Lit Festival to our London Literaty Fiction Showcase and our Harrogate Crime Festival (and so much more!) to find the readers for our books. Alongside an experienced and fun team, you’ll help schedule and organise events, using creative thinking and generating innovative ideas to connect with our audiences across our sci-fi and fantasy, literary and commercial books.
In order to deliver, impactful and enjoyable book events, you’ll liaise and make plans with festival organisers, booksellers and internal and external colleagues, you will spearhead our social media content creation and management, build a network of influencer contacts and in the process learn how we engage with and reach readers to create an organic buzz around our books. You’ll build a network of book industry contacts, visiting bookshops and events venues and supporting the growth of our new and exciting authors as well as assisting on the growth of our current list. Deep dive into trends and how the market works, learn to manage schedules and budgets in order to deliver the most memorable summer book events.
Skills you’ll develop: campaign management, social media management, influencer strategy, copywriting, content creation, updating databases, partnership coordination.
What will I
be doing?
Eligibility
To achieve our mission to make books for everyone because a book can change anyone, we are seeking out new voices.
If you identify as coming from a lower socio-economic background, this internship is for you. You’ll either have been eligible for free school meals, or at age 14 your highest-earning parent/guardian was not self-employed or in senior management, and was employed in one of the following categories:
-Technical and craft occupations such as: motor mechanic, fitter, inspector, plumber, printer, tool maker, electrician, gardener, train driver
-Semi-routine manual and service occupations such as: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, receptionist, sales assistant
-Routine manual and service occupations such as: HGV driver, van driver, cleaner, porter, packer, sewing machinist, messenger, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff
-Unemployed
*These are broad categories
that may not exactly fit
your family situation.
Please use your judgement
when self-identifying*
“I gained a strong understanding of the publishing industry and the roles that get our books onto shelves. My manager introduced me to colleagues across the company and I got to grips with how everything works.
It equipped me with skills that helped me move into a permanent Communications Assistant role here. These skills ranged from time and diary management, strategic communications, and platform-specific knowledge (like the publishing platform Biblio).”
Chadia Aliberti
How do I apply?
Applications for our 2024 cohort are now closed and 2025 applications will open in the Spring.
Application questions
No need to spend ages crafting the perfect CV and cover letter – you’ll answer three short questions on an inclusive hiring platform called Applied. We’ll ask you about three of our core ‘qualities’ or universal skills that will help you in the role:
Communication
You’ll show us how you communicate well in all forms. This could be anything from being able to write clear and engaging emails or reports, to being comfortable sharing your ideas to range of different people.
Problem-solving
You’ll show us how you respond to challenges that come up in your day-to-day and work to reach the best solution.
Eagerness to learn
You’ll show us that you use your initiative to grow and develop and are always keen to learn. You enjoy collaborating with others, learning about and applying new ideas and concepts.
Everyone will find out the outcome of their initial application by 10th May, and those successful at this stage will attend interviews and a group task on 22nd and 23rd May.
Project matching video
The highest-scoring applicants will then be invited to complete a short video task on the HireVue platform, where you will answer a few questions about your skills and interests. This stage is not assessed but used so we can best match you one of the available projects.
We’ll ask you to share if you have a preference to work in a particular team, so take a look here before getting started. Along the way, we’ll match you with a department, taking these preferences in to consideration.
Virtual learning and selection day
This day is designed to give you an idea of what it’s like to work here. You’ll complete an interview, group task, and independent task in your own time. We will assess the core ‘qualities’ or universal skills that will help you in the role:
Communication
You’ll show us how you communicate well in all forms. This could be anything from being able to write clear and engaging emails or reports, to being comfortable sharing your ideas to range of different people.
Problem-solving
You’ll show us how you respond to challenges that come up in your day-to-day and work to reach the best solution.
Eagerness to learn
You’ll show us that you use your initiative to grow and develop and are always keen to learn. You enjoy collaborating with others, learning about and applying new ideas and concepts.
Organisation
You’ll show us that you thrive on keeping things on track, whether for yourself or other people, can prioritise and take a methodical or orderly approach to any task.
Attention to detail
You’ll show us that you have a keen eye for detail, work with care, and are able to spot and fix any errors you come across.
Shortlisted finalists will know if they’re one of the nine selected interns by early June.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The recruitment process will be entirely virtual, so you won’t need to travel into London for any interviews or tasks, they can be completed from home.
As with many of our full-time roles, the internship will run as a hybrid programme with at an expectation of two days in the relevant London office per week. This is to ensure trainees get the most out of the programme, office amenities, and can build effective relationships across the organisation.
For anyone based outside of London, we are able to provide financial support with travel into London for the those two days. If you’d like to come into our offices more than this, you are welcome to but please note we’re unable to cover travel for these additional days. Partnerships with charities like the Spare Room Project may also be helpful for you.
Please note- we will accommodate any reasonable adjustments for those with accessibility requirements.
We welcome applications from candidates with a disability and will ask if you need any reasonable adjustments to be your best at each step of the recruitment journey. This could include (but isn’t limited to) using a BSL interpreter or extra time in a task during the virtual Learning and Selection day.
If you have any questions or want to ask about adjustments or alternative formats, you can contact us at [email protected]. Remember, you only need to share what you are comfortable to for us to support your adjustment request.
Prior to joining, we ask all employees if there’s any adjustments they’ll need when they start. We’re members of the Business Disability Forum, and have access to support through Unum, occupational health, Employee Assistance Programme, and other specialist providers.
We can consider a broad range of adjustments, including physical adjustments (like furniture, equipment, or software) or non-physical adjustments (like altered work hours, communication preferences or more one-to-ones).
You might not know what barriers you face until you get to the office – that’s fine too. You can discuss the request with your manager at any time. We also use a tool called the Tailored Adjustment Plan, which can help structure a conversation with your manager about these adjustments.
We also have a brilliant internal network, AccessAbility, for those who identify as disabled, neurodiverse, or chronically ill, or who are currently coming to terms with a related identifier.
Our applications are open to everyone over the age of eighteen.
You will need a pre-established right to work in the UK for the entirety of your time with us, and we do not offer sponsorship.
Our IT team will supply each intern with a laptop to loan for the internship. They’ll be on hand remotely too, to make sure your tech is all set up, and support you with any issues throughout the internship.
The internship is a full time role, and you’ll be working Monday to Friday 9-5 unless discussed otherwise with your line manager and HR.
Unfortunately, we can’t guarantee that all trainees will secure a permanent role with us at the end of the internship. We will however make sure to put you in the best possible position to take on an entry-level role in publishing by building your industry and role-specific knowledge, helping you network with the business’ stakeholders, and giving you application tips and tricks.
We have locations across the UK- for more details please see our ‘Find us’ page here!
Applications for 2024 are open from midday Tuesday 16th April until 5pm on Monday 29th April. If you’re successful at first stage, you’ll be invited to an interview on Wednesday 22nd May and a group task on Thursday 23rd May.
Our mission to ‘make books for everyone because a book can change anyone’ is really important to us – and we know that to deliver this we need a range of perspectives. In some of our roles you may need to work closely with our products and be an avid reader, in others this will be less important. It really depends on what you’ll be doing with us! Your application answers will help us match you to a team that is right for you.
Absolutely! We know that some of our roles are very competitive and that a rejection can be disappointing, but this doesn’t mean that you wouldn’t be perfect for another opportunity. Please feel free to apply to another of our programmes or permanent roles and know that we won’t penalise you for any previous rejections.
You don’t need to have ever worked in publishing or have any experience to apply to our paid internship programme. We removed our degree requirements in 2016 and you don’t need to be studying or have studied at university to be eligible. You will have to have Right to work within the UK for the 2 months you are on the internship.
In 2023, we have made the decision that are our internships will be open only to those who identify as from a lower socio-economic background.
If you identify as coming from a lower socio-economic background, this internship is for you. You’ll either have been eligible for free school meals, or at age 14 your highest-earning parent/guardian was not self-employed or in senior management, and was employed in one of the following categories:
-Technical and craft occupations such as: motor mechanic, fitter, inspector, plumber, printer, tool maker, electrician, gardener, train driver
-Semi-routine manual and service occupations such as: postal worker, machine operative, security guard, caretaker, farm worker, catering assistant, receptionist, sales assistant
-Routine manual and service occupations such as: HGV driver, van driver, cleaner, porter, packer, sewing machinist, messenger, labourer, waiter/waitress, bar staff
-Unemployed but seeking work
*We recognise these are broad categories that generalise from the many hundreds of jobs out there, and they may not exactly fit your family situation. Please use your judgement when self-identifying. *
Our mission is to make books for everyone. To be able to publish boldly and creatively, for all readers, we need a workforce where a range of backgrounds and experiences are represented – in all teams and at all levels. We collect and track data annually on the makeup of our workforce so we can track our progress against this objective. Based on this data, we can see that people from lower socio-economic backgrounds are the most underrepresented group in our company; hence we have made our internship scheme a positive action programme to better support people from these backgrounds get into publishing.
For the past few years, we’ve taken part in the Social Mobility Employer Index and have been included in the top 75 employers for social mobility. The Social Mobility Index recommends that one of the most effective way to improve social mobility is to provide direct opportunities for employment for young people from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
We will continue to have The Scheme for candidates from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, that don’t also identify as coming from a lower socio-economic background.
Choosing to focus on socio-economic background for internships is a purposeful way to focus our efforts whilst also including any candidates who may also identify from another minority community. Following the most recent census data, communities such as the LGTBQIA+ community and people with disabilities are not underrepresented across our business, which is great news. Our focus remains on inclusion and how we can best support belonging in these groups for our colleagues.
There are several other routes into our business for people who would like to begin a career in publishing. For example, we have 250 paid work experience positions open every year, which anyone can apply for.
We also have hundreds of entry-level roles available each year, which are also open to all. No previous publishing experience is required for these roles. You can keep an eye on our open vacancies on our website, or by following our careers Twitter handle, @penguinukjobs.
Yes, they’ll be paid London Living Wage and candidates will have the opportunity to apply for a travel bursary for the two days required in the office per week, if they are commuting from outside of London. We do not take this into consideration when making the selections, and we will not ask for you to declare your location until after the anonymous marking period and selection.
If you are invited to a Learning and Selection Day after the initial application, you’ll complete a short non-assessed video on a system called HireVue where we can find out a bit more about your interests and skills and take this into account when we match you to a project. This might not be where you’d first pictured yourself, but whichever department you’re matched with will give you transferable skills that could be an important step in your future career.
For those located outside of London, we can offer financial support with covering commuting costs for 2 days in the office per week and do not ask you to declare this until after the anonymous marking and selection process. If you’d like to come into the office more than this though, we’re unable to fund this.
If you’d like to relocate to London for the 2 months of the internship, we recommend looking at the Spare Room Project. They aim to provide free accommodation to those from outside London entering the publishing industry, by reducing the barrier of accommodation costs.
We’ll ask you about three of our core ‘qualities’ or universal skills that will help you in the role:
-Communication
-Problem solving
-Eagerness to learn
-Attention to detail
– Organisation
We don’t expect you to have prior work experience in publishing, Penguin, or another industry, and you are encouraged to use other experiences in education, extra-curricular activities or part-time work for example to showcase these universal skills.