UK · Year 10 to graduates
Virtual work experience for engineers
Try an engineering role online, with real project documents and a 3D lab. Free to start, with an optional certificate. It is training, not a placement.
Virtual work experience is an online programme that lets a student explore a job or sector. An EDWartens job simulation is a training project at a simulated company, done day by day with project documents and tickets. It is not employment, an internship or a work placement, and it does not replace one. The first week is free, and it shows on your EDWartens profile under Work experience, marked as a job simulation.
Checked 19 October 2026. Other providers change dates, content and prices, so check their pages too.
Who it is for
From Year 10 to graduates
What you want from it changes with your stage. Check each provider's age rules, ours included, and ask a parent or teacher before you sign up if you are under 18.
Year 10 and 11
A broad look at what engineers do, before you choose GCSE options and college courses. Keep a one-page log.
Year 12 and 13
Test the branch you are leaning towards, then add a small project of your own. Admissions and apprenticeship readers look for reflection, not a pile of certificates.
University
Try an engineering branch before choosing modules, or add practical evidence when placement spaces are limited.
Graduates and career changers
A quick, honest first project in a new field, with a record you can show.
EDWartens
Our engineering simulations
Each one is a single role at a simulated company. Every task is checked as you hand it in, with model answers and feedback, and hands-on tasks run in a 3D lab. Electrical and controls simulations come first; data and AI follow.
PLC Programmer
Write the I/O list, program the line, run the FAT and handle a change request.
See the simulationCommissioning Engineer
Loop checks, I/O checkout, SAT and a punch list on a plant that is nearly ready.
See the simulationMaintenance Electrical Engineer
Work orders, safe isolation, fault finding and a root-cause report.
See the simulationElectrical Design Engineer
Load list, single-line diagram, cable sizing and a late design change.
See the simulationSolar PV and EV Charging Engineer
Size a PV array, test it to IEC 62446 and fit EV chargers on a limited supply.
See the simulationData Centre Critical Facilities Engineer
MOPs, change control and a UPS event in a live data hall.
See the simulationAI and LLM Application Engineer
Build and evaluate an LLM assistant, then handle a prompt-injection incident.
See the simulationSchool and UCAS
What to put in a statement
Admissions readers want your reasoning more than a list of certificates. Use the simulation as evidence for something you can explain.
Say what you did
Name the task and the tools in one line, for example a cable calculation and a single-line diagram for a small workshop.
Say what you learned
Give one specific lesson, such as why the voltage drop limit changed your choice of cable.
Say it was simulated
The company in a job simulation is fictional. Say so, and never write that you worked as an engineer.
Check the current format
UCAS has been changing how applications ask for this, so read its current guidance and ask your careers adviser.
Honest limits
What virtual work experience cannot do
It cannot give you site contact, a supervisor's reference or the feel of a workshop. If a placement is possible, take it. If it is not, a well-chosen simulation plus a project of your own is a sensible way to keep moving. Our certificate has a public verification page, but it is an EDWartens certificate and not a qualification.
For a longer comparison of UK providers, see our guide to virtual work experience for engineers in the UK. For wording on a CV, see whether job simulations are worth it.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Does this count as work experience for my school or college?
It depends on your school or college. Many accept structured virtual programmes, often alongside an in-person placement. Ask your careers adviser before you start so the hours are recognised, and keep a record of what you did.
Is it free?
The first week of an EDWartens job simulation is free. A graded, verifiable certificate is optional and paid, and the longer Premium simulation is paid. Prices show in your own currency before you pay.
Is there an age limit?
Each provider sets its own rules. If you are under 18, read the sign-up terms and ask a parent or teacher before you create an account for any online programme, including ours.
Is it a placement?
No. A job simulation is a realistic training project at a simulated company. It is not employment, an internship or a work placement, and it does not replace one. It shows on your EDWartens profile under Work experience, marked as a job simulation.
Can I put it on a UCAS application?
You can mention what you did and what you learned, as with any activity. Check UCAS's current guidance on the format, and give a specific example rather than listing the certificate alone.
Which simulations suit UK engineering routes?
Electrical design, maintenance electrical, solar and EV charging, PLC programming and data centre engineering are the closest to common electrical and controls routes. Entry requirements for degrees and apprenticeships are set by each institution and employer.
Keep reading
A job simulation is a realistic training project at a simulated company. It is not employment, an internship or a work placement. Hours are active hours the learner logged on EDWartens.