World of Work: General Work Experience
Learner Profiles
Sarah - Teach Dance
Sarah, South Shields enjoys drama and PE at school and wants to teach dance and be a choreographer. Read more...
General Work Experience
Work experience does not have to be organised by other people - you may be able to organise it yourself! Many students do this in the 6th form or at college, especially if they have free mornings or afternoons in their timetable, but if you check it out carefully you may be able to do this if under 16.
Why do more work experience if I have an organised placement anyway?
The key difference between this kind of placement and your organised placement is that you have arranged this work experience yourself. This immediately shows enthusiasm, motivation and inititative. You have decided that you want to make good use of your time and as well as gaining valuable work skills and personal contacts for the future you can give yourself a head start in your chosen career. Sweeping the floor in your local garage on a Saturday morning or spending some time filing in a Solicitor's offce in your holidays can be an excellent way of preparing you for the world of work.
Where should I arrange to go on work experience?
This will depend first on what you want to do and second what is available in your area. If you're really keen on working with animals or IT, try out your local vet surgery or computer centre. Other ideas could be local shops, hair and beauty salons, leisure centres and charities. You don't have to link work experience with the type of work you want to do, many employers are impressed with any type of experience you have had of work, it means you have gained an understanding of the difference between being at work and being in learning.
Can I organise paid work experience?
Some people would argue that if you carry out duties for an employer to gain work experience then by rights you should be paid. This must be a decision for you to make as you are the one doing the work. If money is important to you, look for a part time job instead. However, if the area of work you want to go into is very competitive and you think the longer term benefits of unpaid work experience outweigh the need to be paid then go ahead and arrange your own placement.
How do I arrange my own placement?
If you know where you want a few hours work experience just go and ask - they can only say no! You may need parents' permission (possibly in writing) and the employer has to be careful that they have the necessary safeguards in place to protect you such as the correct insurance and CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) checks. When work experience is organised by the school all this is taken care of, but arranging your own placement can be very different. You could always ask the work experience coordinator in school for advice, or contact your local authority.
How much work experience should I do in my own time?
This is up to you, maybe a couple of hours every Saturday, maybe longer during school holidays. See what fits in well with your learning and other commitments and if in doubt start off with a small amount of time then do more if you manage it.
If I want to spend my spare time doing something else what is there?
Check out the sections on volunteering and part time jobs to see what else you could do if work experience is not possible. There are also plenty of other things you can become involved in which will help develop those all important employability skills. Are there any clubs you can join locally? What about sports, drama or music? There may be schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme or Young Enterprise in your school/area. Check out the links in this section to see what kinds of things are available in your area.
