Why is it
Important?
How is it
Organised?
What are Students Expected to do on Work
Experience?
When
Does Work Experience Take
Place?
How can Parents Help?
What Should You Do If I Have Concerns About a
Placement?
What is Work
Experience?
Work experience may be defined as
a placement on an employer?s premises in which a student carries out
a range of tasks or duties, more or less as would an employee, but
with an emphasis on the learning aspects of the experience.
Why is it
Important?
As part of the curriculum work
experience can contribute to a student?s careers education, personal
& social education and understanding of a particular subject or
course.
In Years 10 and 11 the emphasis
tends to be on acquiring key skills and personal and social
development, with work experience being used as an opportunity to
introduce students to the world of work.
In Years 12/13 (and in college)
the focus is often more related to students? specific career ideas
and/or their chosen subject or course of study.
Prospective employers, training
providers and education admissions tutors (including universities)
increasingly look for evidence that candidates have undertaken a
satisfactory period of work experience. For this reason schools and
colleges encourage students to maintain evidence of their
achievements in a record of achievement or ?Progress
File?.
How is it
Organised?
The
School?s/College?s Role
Most students attend work
experience during year 10 or Year 11 and in the sixth form (Years
12/13) or whilst at college.
Schools and colleges are
responsible for :
Ø
preparing students prior to work experience (for example by
setting clear aims, objectives and tasks for students to
complete);
Ø
matching students to appropriate
placements;
Ø
monitoring students? progress during
placements;
Ø
reviewing the experience on their return to
school/college.
Schools/Colleges must also take
reasonable care to ensure that placements meet certain standards in
terms of health and safety and insurance arrangements. Each
school/college decides when work experience will take place each
year.
The Employer?s
Role
Employers are asked to
provide a planned programme of work which
:
Ø
introduces students to the workplace on the first
day;
Ø
shows them something of the daily
routine;
Ø
gives them an insight into the overall function of the
organisation;
Ø
provides them with tasks to do or
observe;
Ø
allows them an opportunity to review their experience on
the last day.
Before becoming involved in work
experience employers need to ensure that they comply with all health
and safety legislation and that they have appropriate insurance
cover.
The Role of CareersWales Cardiff and
Vale
Careers
Wales
works with teachers
and lecturers to help organise work experience by
providing:
Ø
all
local schools and colleges with access to an Internet based database of
places and access to an on-line booking service -
the first in Wales;
Ø
information and talks to students on request from schools and
colleges;
Ø
a
programme of visits to employers? premises to advise companies
regarding placements and to approve them as placement
providers.
The work experience website
address is:
www.work-experience.co.uk/cardiff
but please note that access
passwords to view the database are issued by the school/college and
places can only be booked on-line through students? teachers or
lecturers.
What are
Students Expected to do on Work Experience?
Although students are not paid,
during work experience they will be treated like young
employees:
Ø
They
will undertake or observe normal duties and, by mutual agreement,
work normal hours
Ø
They
will be supervised by older, or more senior
employees
Ø
They
will need to obey health and safety regulations
Ø
They
may be expected to complete a work diary, report or project set by
their teachers.
When
Does Work Experience Take
Place?
The length and timing of work
experience is decided by your son?s/daughter?s school/college. In
Year 10/11 most schools arrange either one or two week blocks, with
many schools arranging their work experience for the end of year 10,
during the summer term. Further opportunities for work experience
are offered to sixth form and college students. Your
son?s/daughter?s school/college will inform you of the exact dates
and times.
How can
Parents Help?
Choosing a Place
One of the most important
activities is helping your son/daughter to identify a suitable
placement. The best way to start the process would be to discuss
your son?s/daughter?s interests and how this might relate to career
opportunities. You might also discuss skills or subjects for which
your son/daughter has displayed a particular aptitude. Whilst almost
any type of work can be considered for work experience choices have
to be realistic and relate to what employers are able to provide and
when places are available. Some employers also specify minimum age
limits. Students, particularly in Year10/11, should therefore be
encouraged to think as broadly as possible ? the more flexible they
are the greater the chance they have of getting a suitable place.
Teachers will notify you when this process
starts.
Finding a Place
Students can ask their teachers
to help them to make choices and book places via Careers Wales
On-line Work Experience Database. This system is available in all
schools and colleges. Parents with Internet access at home may also
be able to help their children to choose a placement from the
database. There are
over 8000 students
seeking places every year so teachers may also ask parents if they
know of any employers who can offer placements. If you do know of
any such employer please
pass the details on to the school or college. The teacher can
then check whether the employer is on the database and, if not, ask
Careers Wales staff to visit the employer to obtain more details and
to check health and safety and insurance arrangements. Usually, with
their agreement, these employers can then be added to the work
experience database.
Before the Placement
You can help by checking that
your son/daughter has all the necessary details on their placement,
such as the contact name and address and telephone number. Any
choice of placement will involve travel, meal and dress
arrangements. Many employers expect students to contact them to
arrange an interview before their placement. Your son?s/daughter?s
teacher should be able to provide a printout of these details if the
placement is on Careers Wales database. These printouts include
information relating to health and safety and any special
requirements the employer has specified.
During the Placement
Students are often quite nervous
during the first few days and they may also find the experience
quite tiring, so it helps if you show you are aware of this. If your son/daughter fails to
attend work on any day, because of ill health, please ensure that
the school/college and employer are notified. If you or your
son/daughter experience any serious concerns regarding the placement
you should contact the school/college in the first
instance.
After Work Experience
Whilst work experience is
discussed when students return to school/college, you can help by
stressing the positive aspects of having undertaken a placement.
Students should know more about the world of work, have a better
understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses and have
practised or acquired important skills - including communication and
team working skills. Most students get a very positive report from
their host employer.
What Should
You Do If I Have Concerns About a Placement?
Parents
If parents have any queries
regarding work experience they should contact their son?s/daughter?s
school or college. Careers Wales Careers Advisers are also available
in school or college to give further help and advice to students. If
a student is ill and cannot attend the placement parents are urged
to notify the school/college immediately.
Teachers
Teachers should seek to discuss
their concerns with the employer provider in the first instance and
involve parents if appropriate. Any concerns regarding database
placements should also be conveyed to Careers Wales work experience
team.
Employers
If employers experience any
difficulties with individual student placements they should seek to
discuss their concerns with the school or college. If employers?
concerns relate to placement details (eg numbers of students, type
of work being offered, health & safety issues) they are invited
to contact Careers Wales work experience team for advice. If a
student should fail to turn up for a placement employers are urged
to either contact the school/college or to notify Careers Wales.
