What is work experience?

• Work shadowing is an informal type of work experience where you observe someone in their role to understand how they do their job.
• This is usually short term– aimed at providing an insight rather than hands on experience.
• Virtual Work Experience - live, online opportunity to hear from employers.

Why do we provide work experience?

Going into a particular work environment to find out a little more about the profession you are interested in.

• Provide motivation for exams in the future
• May cause a change in your career path
• May help with applications to University (UCAS forms) / Jobs

The benefit of work experience

1. Raise pupils’ aspirations by

• Broadening individuals’ horizons
  and increasing their knowledge and understanding of the available opportunities in employment.

2. Raise levels of motivation and achievement by:

• Promoting the development and self-esteem and self-confidence.
• Relating learning and curriculum content to future opportunities including the world of work.
• Helping pupils to develop skills associated with success in education, training and employment.
• Helping pupils to develop the skills and flexibility needed to manage changing career opportunities.
• Challenging occupational stereotypes.
• Explore options they may not have considered or had assumed would not be open to them.

What year group does it involve?

• Yr 13 A) face to face experiences - mainly occurs in June
• Yr 13 B) virtual placements - occurs throughout the year. Faciliated in the Careers HUB which allows this to occur during school time.
• Yr14 – Generally placements for students who require experience for UCAS who have previously missed this in the past year (limited face to face placements and virtual experiences. Autumn term only)
• Yr12 – some opportunities but there is an age restriction on many companies

What are the steps undertaken to secure a work experience?

• Parental Consent forms signed (one combined form) - To be returned to form teacher (or Mr Laird)
• Student phones placements (see list attached) Or school applies for specific areas (see attached sheet)
• Deadlines for work experience
• Hospital based workshops and work experience - Early September
• School applications (specific companies) – Before Halloween
• Pupil organised placements – Completed indemnity /insurance forms to be signed and returned mid term of Spring term (mid February)

Virtual Placements

• www.speakersforschools.org
• Register on the speakers for schools website
• Search and apply for placement
• Mr Laird / Mrs Skuce will verify the application
• A link will be sent to your email
• Virtual Placements during school time will take place in the Careers HUB

The industries / organisations that help us provide this for our pupils?

The areas of careers used in the past include:

This only a guide and phone numbers and contact names will change through time
Below is a list of the general areas of work experienced in the past

Remote work experience during Covid-19 pandemic

Please click the buttons to view the pieces of information