School Based Work Experience

Work experience is the chance to experience the world of work. It is part of the personal and social education offered in schools.

All students in their two final years in education should have the opportunity to do work experience. This may be for a week, or two weeks in some cases.

In some schools students may go on work experience for maybe a day a week for part of the year, as part of a particular course.

There can be some restrictions on where they are able to go and on what they can do. Not all employers are able to offer work experience, and those that do have to comply with strict health and safety regulations.

Each school has a person responsible for work experience, this may be the careers teacher, in some cases a different teacher.

Arrangements vary from school to school, placements may be arranged by the school or in some cases young people may have the option to arrange work experience themselves.

Speak to the careers teacher to check arrangements for the school your son/daughter attends.

College/6th Form Work Experience

Work experience can also take place on sixth form and college courses, usually organised by the sixth form tutor of the course.

What are the benefits of work experience?

• It's a chance to try an area of work they may be interested in.
• The employer may give them a reference or, in some cases, offer them a job for after school.
• Employers are very keen that young people develop practical skills as well as developing their qualifications.