Work Experience (WEX)
In year 10 and 11, and beyond, you will find that work-related learning and enterprise activities, as well as going on work experience is available to all students and it forms part of the Academy's curriculum in KS3, 4 & 5. Work experience may involve work shadowing, that is observing someone else doing a job, or it may mean undertaking duties yourself.
Why work experience?
Find out about the world of work from the inside! Work Experience does not necessarily have to link to your chosen career, many young people do know which career path they may take, but WEX gives you the opportunity to see what work is like i.e. travelling on public transport, the working hours you have will be different to those you spend at the Academy, working with others, types of roles available, the clothing required for different positions etc.
Talk to students who have already gone on placement and you will soon learn what a valuable time it can be! Here are some of the reasons why.
You will have come across people doing various jobs when visiting shops, hotels and hospitals, hearing your family talk about their jobs - and perhaps going into their workplaces - but that's quite different from spending a week actually being part of an organisation. You'll get to know how it feels, how people work together, how things get done and how the workplace differs from school.
WEX does not necessarily have to link to your chosen career - many young people don't know what career they want to follow. You may have read careers information and watched DVDs, but actually being in the workplace, observing or doing a particular job yourself, really bring things to life. You'll be able to answer lots of questions. Is the job or workplace like you imagined? Can you see yourself in that setting, doing that kind of work? Would you enjoy the training or education needed for the job? You also learn about the skills and qualities that employers look for.
Relate your studies to working life
You will see how important good communication, literacy, numerical and ICT skills are in the workplace. Depending on your placement, you may find out how things you have learned in school subject areas, for example, Science, Design Technology or ICT are put into practice.
But I already have a weekend job...
You certainly will have learned something from any work - paid or unpaid - that you have already done. But you can add a lot to this through work experience. Firstly, you can choose working situations that you would find difficult to obtain as a weekend job. You are likely to learn much more about the whole organisation - how the business works, the range of jobs within it, and so on. Work experience can also be valuable when you are applying for jobs, college or training courses later on; it will be a useful addition to your CV.
Finding a placement
It is a proven fact that students enjoy and get more out of their placement, if they find the placement themselves, therefore we encourage each student to find their own placement, perhaps through contacts with or through family and friends.
Staying safe
All work experience placements have to, by law, be Health & Safety checked, and employers should ensure that you are not exposed to any danger. The Academy will arrange for the Health & Safety checks to be carried out. Any organisation you work in must meet the Health & Safety requirements, this includes Employers Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance (where appropriate). You will not be allowed to be placed in any organisation that does not meet the required Health & Safety standards.
Frequently Asked Questions
In which year do I do work experience?
Year 10.
When will do my work experience
Monday 19th - Friday 23rd July 2010.
Is work experience compulsory at Longfield Academy?
Yes.
Will I get paid for my work experience?
No. Your work experience is just that, experience. You will not be offered any payment nor should you seek it.
How do I find a placement?
Use the contacts around you i.e. family, friends and neighbours. Talk to lots of different people to get ideas. Use the Connexions website to identify job areas, speak with your tutor, teaching and support staff.
When should I apply?
NOW! It is never too early to make enquiries, with more people doing vocational courses, competition for placement can be fierce, so it's important to start planning early. The deadline for submission of forms is 12th February 2010.
What sort of information should I be thinking of when applying for placement?
You should be thinking of the types of areas you are interested in i.e. retail, sport, administration work. You should also think realistically about the areas that you are able to travel to and how you would get there i.e. bus, train etc. Would you be able to get there on time.
Will the Academy pay for my travel to my placement?
No. It is the responsibility of parents/carers to pay for the travel to their child's placement.
Are there any job areas I should avoid?
Construction is a very difficult area to get a work experience placement as companies will not consider a student under the age of 16.
What information does the school need to know?
When you have confirmation that you will be offered a work experience placement, ask the person/company to send you a letter offering you a placement via the Academy. You will need to know the contact details i.e. named contact, address, telephone number, e-mail address to enable you to complete the application form that the Academy will give to you on Monday 30th November 2009.
Does the Academy prepare me for my work experience placement?
There is an Evening Meeting for students and parents/carers on Tuesday 24th November 2009 at 7pm, as well as assemblies for Year 10 students throughout the year to prepare for work experience. Prior to you going out on your placement, you will have preparation sessions within your Citizenship lessons whereby all aspects of work experience will be covered and it will answer any queries or concerns you have about going out on placement.
Will someone from the Academy come and see me on placement?
The Academy will endeavour to visit all students whilst they are on their placement, however, some types of jobs do not allow for a visit to take place i.e. if you are out on a delivery, if your placement entails visiting different sites. If this is the situation, and a visit can not take place, the company will at least receive a telephone call from the Academy to see how you are getting on.
Will I have to complete a work experience Diary?
Yes. Each student will be given a diary to complete which covers key skills, what you do each day on your placement, what you like doing and what you don't like doing. This diary is a great resource to use as evidence when applying for an application to sixth form, a job, training course or to college. It shows the experience you had whilst on a placement.
Will I receive a certificate in recognition of completing my work experience placement?
Yes. Each student will receive a certificate to show that they attended a work placement which details the company name and the date attended. This can be used in conjunction with the work experience diary when applying for sixth form, a job, training course or to college.
What do I do if I have a problem whilst on my placement?
If you do experience any problems whilst on your placement, don't just walk away! First of all, talk to your supervisor and explain the difficulty. He or she will be keen for you to have a good work experience and would rather you speak up. If this doesn't resolve things, talk to your parents, and most importantly, contact the Academy. There will be an emergency contact telephone number detailed at the bottom of your work experience diary that you can call.
Will I receive feedback regarding my placement when I return to school?
Yes. Citizenship lessons will review the work placements, diaries are collected in and discussed with students and certificates issued. Each student will be spoken to in their Citizenship lesson and their teacher will discuss the placement with each student and give them any feedback received.
Who do I contact about work experience at Longfield Academy?
Mrs Tamsin Mutch - tamsin.mutch@longfieldacademy.org
Head of Citizenship Plus Faculty
Mrs Alison Williams - alison.williams@longfieldacademy.org
Faculty Administration Manager
Mrs Trisha McMahon
Connexions Personal Advisor (in school on Tuesdays)
Mrs Lesley Tannock
Connexions Personal Advisor (in school on Fridays)
Finally...
Your time on work experience is likely to be something that you never forget. It could affect the decisions you make about your future! So, make the most of it, plan ahead, organise effectively and enjoy it.
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