There is a push for universities to equip graduates with desirable employability skills and "hands-on" experience. This article explores the perceptions of students and staff experiences of a research assistantship scheme. Nine students from the University of Worcester were given the opportunity to work as a student vacation researcher for up to 10 weeks. This opportunity gave "hands-on" experience to students to understand real world research, thereby enabling the development of academic and research skills and increasing a student's employability. The scheme received positive feedback from both students and academic staff and was recommended as a means to enhance student's future employment.