A student CV can lead with coursework
You do not need to invent an internship to write a useful engineering CV. Start with the experience you can explain: a course project, lab work, a society responsibility or a part-time job. Pick the examples that fit the role, then say what you personally did.
The University of Manchester's CV guide recommends reflecting on your experience, tailoring it to the role and checking for missing information and mistakes. The example below applies that approach to an electrical engineering student applying for a first placement. Follow the employer's requested format and length.
Complete example: a first engineering placement
Everything in this example is fictional, including the person, university and projects. It is sample writing, not a customer CV or evidence of a successful application. Replace every entry with your own facts.
Alex Morgan
Electrical engineering student
alex@example.com · [your phone number] · [your portfolio URL, if relevant]Profile
Second-year electrical engineering student interested in hardware testing and embedded systems. Coursework includes PCB layout, circuit simulation and documenting bring-up checks. Seeking a placement where I can develop these skills alongside an engineering team.Education
BEng Electrical Engineering, Example University · 2025–2028, expected
Relevant study: analog circuits, embedded programming and signals.
Include a grade only if it is accurate and useful for the application; label a prediction as a prediction.Selected projects
Sensor-board coursework · 2026
Created the sensor-board layout in KiCad for a group project; a teammate wrote the application firmware.
Checked connector routing during bring-up and documented a wiring change for retesting.
Prepared a board image and test checklist; validation of the revised connection remains pending.Signal-filtering lab · 2026
Used MATLAB to compare a supplied signal before and after filtering.
Plotted the result with labelled axes and explained how the selected cutoff changed the signal.
Recorded the simulation assumptions and the limits of interpreting the output as hardware behaviour.University activities
Engineering society workshop helper · 2025–2026
Prepared components from the organiser's checklist and helped participants find the correct kit.
Recorded missing items for the next session and referred technical questions outside my experience to the demonstrator.Technical skills
KiCad: board layout and schematic navigation, used in coursework.
MATLAB: signal plots and basic filtering, used in lab assignments.
Embedded C: introductory course exercises.
Technical writing: project notes, test checklists and captions.
If you have paid work, give it a section too. A retail or hospitality role can provide specific examples of responsibility and communication. You do not need to relabel it as engineering experience. If the society section does not reflect your experience, remove it rather than copy it.
Why these bullets work
The sensor-board entry separates the student's board work from their teammate's firmware. It also preserves the unfinished test. The lab entry identifies a tool and an action without claiming a production system. The skills section says where each skill was used rather than displaying an unsupported proficiency score.
For your own version, check each noun and verb. Did you design the circuit, lay out an existing design, assemble it or test it? Those are different contributions. Use the student skills worksheet to work out which wording your evidence supports.
The same project in a portfolio
The CV helps a reader decide whether to look further. A portfolio gives a relevant project more space:
| CV summary | Portfolio detail |
|---|---|
| Created a board layout | A readable board image and the requirement it addressed |
| Checked connector routing | The symptom, checks and revision you personally recorded |
| Retesting pending | What has been established and what still needs checking |
| Worked in a group | Your role and the other contributors' responsibilities |
For the fictional sensor project, a portfolio introduction could read: “I owned the board layout and bring-up checklist. This page shows the connector-routing issue I investigated, the wiring change I documented and the checks still needed before we can report a validated result.” Add your actual images, observations and permitted supporting links.
Before sending your CV
Check the qualification dates, contact details and every project claim. Tailor the order and detail to the vacancy, without adding skills you cannot demonstrate. Open any portfolio link while signed out, and include it only where the employer accepts supporting work. Keep a copy of the exact CV you submit.
If you use writing assistance, check the employer's rules for that application stage. Our AI applications guide shows how to review suggested wording without inflating your contribution. Ask your university careers service for feedback, especially if you are unsure which project deserves space.