Students
The aim of most work experience is to help students prepare for the change between school/college life and working life. Some students have to do Work Experience as part of a course they are studying in school/college and it may be related to a vocational area e.g. hospitality, sports, construction.
Work experience can have a number of benefits for you. It can help you to:
- gain a greater understanding of the world of work and how businesses operate
- learn what an employer will expect of you as an employee i.e. punctuality, dress code etc
- learn new skills such as sending a fax, using a photocopier, speaking to customers on the phone, taking messages, working with others, following instructions etc.
- decide what kind of work you might choose when you leave school (or what you don’t want to do!)
- understand more about the skills needed for different jobs in order to make a more informed decision about your choice of career
- develop self confidence – many students appreciate being treated as an adult and respond well to being given responsibility
- add to your on your CV when you apply for a job after leaving school
To find your own work placement:
Begin by thinking about what you want to do on work experience then discussing with your parents and tutor. You don’t necessarily have to choose something that you want to do as a job when you leave school/college. The aim is for you to experience life in an adult workplace. It might even be an advantage to do something different.
If your parents know someone in that line of work this could be a useful way of getting a placement. If not, why not search for your own placement by contacting businesses you are interested in direct by letter or through their websites.
Alternatively look at the list of approved placements provided by the Work Experience Co-ordinator at your school/college and see if there is anything suitable. EBSI find some placements for your school/college which can be found on the Webview website.http://ebsi.learnaboutwork.net/
To use the site you will need a password which will be supplied by your school/college Work Experience Co-ordinator.
When you have found your own placement you can download a copy of the ‘Own Find Form’ here which you must ask the employer to complete and return to your school Work Experience Co-ordinator.