Work experience

Work experience is a period out of full time education in a workplace. We arrange work experience placements for students aged 14-19. Students gain a valuable insight into the world of work, apply skills developed in school and gain confidence.  It also helps them understand what employers expect from employees. 

Process

1. We go to schools to brief students and parents. We also run clinic sessions for students to ask questions on a one to one basis.
2. Students complete an application form with three choices of placement and the areas they can travel to. Students can arrange their own placement.  
3. The school sends the forms to us 16 weeks before the placements start.
4. We find placements for students who do not arrange their own. We check that all employers have health, safety, insurance and child protection policies. We also carry out CRB checks if required.
5. Confirmation is sent to employers, schools and students. 
6. Parents/guardians sign and return the agreement form.
7. Students arrange and attend an interview with their prospective employer.
8. During their placement, students complete a profile detailing their achievements and performance.
9. After the placement schools are encouraged to run debriefing sessions with the students.

Availability

Some placements are in short supply eg lawyers, veterinary centres, sport centres, designers and builders. Hospitals can only take students who are 16 or over. The police and fire service are unable to offer placements.

Extended and post 16 placements

Extended placements are set up for students the school feel may benefit from being in a work place on a regular basis. They are for a day a week and normally last for 6 weeks, with the option of this being extended. Placements are monitored every 6 weeks.

Placements for post 16 students tend to be vocational. The student attends one day a week for a term, alongside their course. Popular placements include childcare and leisure and tourism. Students will generally complete one 6-week placement each term. The process for setting up placements is the same as for work experience.

Health and safety

We visit every company offering work experience and create an employer profile. This contains a job description, employer and public liability insurance details and a risk assessment. Employers need Employers Liability insurance of no less than £2million. Students receive the employer profile with their placement confirmation details.