Student Work Experience

Some young people know what they want to do when they leave academic life, others aren’t sure but for both, the chance to experience the world of work through student work experience is invaluable. 

Benefits of work experience 

Work experience is an opportunity to introduce young people to the reality of working life within a supportive organisation, and often help them to secure and sustain employment. 

One local employer noted that ‘taking students on work experience, you get an opportunity to engage, inspire and inform young people about what working life is really like.’ 

Benefits include

Increase in knowledge of the world of work and the workplace – work experience can increase students’ occupational knowledge and understanding of the skills, attributes and qualifications required. 

Breaking the cycle – many young people today find themselves in a situation where they cannot get a job because of lack of experience so taking part in a planned work placement gives them this valuable experience. 

Improvement in communication skills – work placements help young people to gain experience in working with new and older people, enhancing their social and communication skills. 

Learning about the recruitment process – applying for a placement provides the opportunity to learn about recruitment e.g. how to apply for a job, prepare for job interviews and building a CV. 

Students spend one or two weeks during the year at a local business, understanding what is involved in the operation of the business, undertaking work in situations and experiencing the nine to five that the world of work will bring. 

We have a range of local businesses which are happy to take our students and introduce them to their potential careers. 

Students are encouraged to maintain a journal of their activities to enable them to reflect on their experience whilst follow up interviews with the careers tutor enables them to decide on the next step towards achieving their career goal.