Let’s talk about work experience...
So, what is work experience?
Provide you with an insight into the world of work.
Give you practical experience with an employer and allows you to develop your workplace skills.
Help you to get a better sense of your future career path.
Enable you to build a relationship with a local employer and make a lasting impression.
Work Experience is a period of time where students work for/shadow a company or organisation to gain experience of a particular type of work.
Work experience can:
Why is work experience important?
It can help boost your confidence, improve your communication skills and help you learn how to work within a team.
Helps you think about what you might like to do in the future.
Learn how to network with employers.
A chance to test out an industry and see if it could be right for you.
Here’s what other students say about work experience...
Finding your
work placement
Step 1 - Know yourself
Here are some questions to help you think about the type of work experience you may want to do…
What are your favourite subjects?
What are your hobbies and interests?
What skills do you already have?
What skills do you want to develop?
There are many different sectors to choose from.
Here are some examples:
Construction
Hospitality
I.T
Education
Science/Health
Sports
Beauty
Arts
Look for the different sectors that are available to you in your local area
Step 2 - Explore your options
Social Media
Look on social media for any local companies that fit the type of work you are interested in. You can send them a message and ask if they would like to have you come in for work experience.
Job Websites
Register on volunteer, apprenticeship and job websites to search for companies and contact details.
Contact
Emailing, telephoning and visiting employers in person to make an enquiry about work experience.
Word of mouth
Talk to friends, guardians, family members and enquire if they can help out or support you in finding the right employer.
Step 3 - Setting up your placement
There are many different ways to contact employers to set up your placement. Here are some examples:
Ask your teachers
Talk to your teachers and ask for help.
Ask if they know of any companies that may be right for you.
Research
Research the company and find the name of the key person to ask for.
Remember:
Work experience is meant to be an
enjoyable experience for you.
Even if the job isn't exactly what you want to do in the future, you'll still gain important skills that can be super useful for later on in your career journey!
What do employers expect?
While on your placement there are a few key things that employers will expect from you to make sure that the experience goes well:
Be on time - Make sure you arrive for your placement on time and ready to start your day, plan your journey in advance!
Be polite and respectful - It’s important to always be polite and respectful of the people around you. It’s important to listen and follow instructions.
Embrace the challenge - It can be hard being in new surroundings with new people, be open to the new challenges you’ll come across, as these will help you to build your skills.
Ask questions - this shows your employer that you’re interested, and helps you gain a better understanding of your role.
Employer Testimonials
Amy has conducted herself really this week on her placement. She is a very mature and capable person, who has shown enthusiasm in her work and was happy to ask questions if needed. Her quality of work she has undertaken has been exceptional. It’s been a pleasure to have her on placement this week.
It was an absolute pleasure having Kate join us for a weeks work experience. She was enthusiastic, asked great questions and really sociable. She got involved with a mental health project and presented this back to the marketing team who were very impressed with her presentation skills and the standard of work produced.
Student Testimonials
I enjoyed everything about my work experience because it gave me an insight into what I could do in the future. It helped me recognise my strengths and weaknesses. Everything was perfectly organised and it was flawless.
Everyone was very welcoming and were happy to help with anything I needed assistance with - customers were also very kind and talkative. Jobs given helped me to build up my confidence and communication skills.
I understood what future employment will look like.
How do I get started
with Connect?
Step 1: Download the app
Type ‘Connect Placement Manager’ into your app store and download the app.
If you don't have access to a smartphone, your email invite will include a link to your online portal.
Step 2: Log into the App�
Scan your unique QR Code or click the link in your invite email and create
your own password.
Step 3: Select Your Industry Preference
Next, you can select the industries you’re interested in.
If you’re unsure - take the careers insight test to see what could be a good fit for you based on your interests.
Once you finish your placement, you may have a better idea of your future interests - take the test again to see if your preferences have changed.
Step 4: Inputting your placement
Once you have found your placement - add the details of your employer into your app so your teacher can verify that the placement is safe and planned!
The information you must ensure is correct and up to date is;
Step 4: Inputting your placement
Make sure you get your placement information on to your app at least 6 weeks before your placement start date.
Step 5: Placement Verification
Your teacher will verify or deny your placement based on whether all of your details are fully complete and approved.
Check your app to see the status of your placement.
What else can you do in your app?
Skills Builder
Take assessments to identify your key skills
Employability Quizzes
Complete quizzes to help prepare for your placement
Badges
Collect badges as you complete activities in the app
Certificates
When you finish your placement, you’ll receive your certificate complete with feedback from your employer - so make sure you do your best to impress them!
How do I input
my placement
on the
Web Portal?
Portal Home Page
You can also access your placements through the web portal, you’ll find the link to this in your invite email.
Submit your placement details
Your dashboard will give you instructions on what you need to complete.
Your next steps
Once you get your invite email - download the app to get started!
You have until 6 weeks before your work experience week to confirm your placement.
Good Luck!
Believe in yourselves, enjoy the experience and embrace the challenges that
come your way.