Work Experience


  • Work Experience
  • Work Experience
  • Work Experience
  • Work Experience
  • Work Experience
  • Work Experience
  • Work Experience

What is work experience?

  • Work shadowing is an informal type of work experience where you observe someone in their role to understand how they do their job.
  • This is usually short term– aimed at providing an insight rather than hands on experience.
  • Virtual Work Experience - live, online opportunity to hear from employers.

Why do we provide work experience?

Going into a particular work environment to find out a little more about the profession you are interested in.

  • Provide motivation for exams in the future
  • May cause a change in your career path
  • May help with applications to University (UCAS forms) / Jobs

The benefit of work experience

1. Raise pupils’ aspirations by

  • Broadening individuals’ horizons
    and increasing their knowledge and understanding of the available opportunities in employment.

2. Raise levels of motivation and achievement by:

  • Promoting the development and self-esteem and self-confidence.
  • Relating learning and curriculum content to future opportunities including the world of work.
  • Helping pupils to develop skills associated with success in education, training and employment.
  • Helping pupils to develop the skills and flexibility needed to manage changing career opportunities.
  • Challenging occupational stereotypes.
  • Explore options they may not have considered or had assumed would not be open to them.

    What year group does it involve?

    • Yr 13 A) face to face experiences - mainly occurs in June
    • Yr 13 B) virtual placements - occurs throughout the year. Faciliated in the Careers HUB which allows this to occur during school time.
    • Yr14 – Generally placements for students who require experience for UCAS who have previously missed this in the past year (limited face to face placements and virtual experiences. Autumn term only)
    • Yr12 – some opportunities but there is an age restriction on many companies

    What are the steps undertaken to secure a work experience?

    • Parental Consent forms signed (one combined form) - To be returned to form teacher (or Mr Laird)
    • Student phones placements (see list attached) Or school applies for specific areas (see attached sheet)
    • Deadlines for work experience
    • Hospital based workshops and work experience - Early September
    • School applications (specific companies) – Before Halloween
    • Pupil organised placements – Completed indemnity /insurance forms to be signed and returned mid term of Spring term (mid February)

    Virtual Placements

    • www.speakersforschools.org
    • Register on the speakers for schools website
    • Search and apply for placement
    • Mr Laird / Mrs Skuce will verify the application
    • A link will be sent to your email
    • Virtual Placements during school time will take place in the Careers HUB

    The industries / organisations that help us provide this for our pupils?

    The areas of careers used in the past include:

    This only a guide and phone numbers and contact names will change through time
    Below is a list of the general areas of work experienced in the past

    Download Work Experience Positions

    Remote work experience during Covid-19 pandemic

    Please click the buttons to view the pieces of information

    Virtual Work Experience Remotely
    Virtual Work Experience Opportunties
    Generic Information
    Gaining Experience to Studying Medicine in the Time of COVID-19
    Factsheet - Creative Industries
    Factsheet - Health & Social