Work experience is an opportunity not to be missed. You will be able to see first hand what it's like to be 'at work'; testing out a career idea, seeing how you cope with some responsibility and asking questions of people in the job about how they achieved their goal. There is always something to be gained from work experience whether it's the placement of your dreams or not - welcome to the world of work!

Placements are usually organised through your school. You will be told when work experience takes place, whether it is one week or two and what you need to do to make sure you can go on placement. There will usually be forms for you and your parents/carers to complete.

In many cases you can choose your own placement, but not always. If you can choose your own this is a great opportunity to go somewhere you've always wanted to go, you will just need to make sure it is an employer who is able to take you. Sometimes it's best to just leave it to fate, usually any experience is valuable. Try not to take the easy way out and spend your placement with a member of your family at work - work experience is a lot more real in a new environment with new people. If placements are scarce, though, you may not be able to avoid this.

Work experience usually takes place in Key Stage 4 during Year 10 or Year 11. You may also have organised work experience throughout the year as part of a course you are taking such as a 14-19 Diploma or a specific school programme eg, a Young Apprenticeship. In this case it could be a block of time each term or maybe one day per week. Many more courses will involve work experience as part of your learning.

As you are in the real world of work you can face real problems which need to be dealt with. These could range from your superviser not being in that day and you not knowing what to do, to feeling that you are being bullied or harrassed by a member of staff. You will be fully prepared by your school about what to do in these situations and you will always have a number you can call if you need help. See the 'links' for general guidance on what to do if you have problems on work experience.

This is unlikely but may not be impossible. Lots of checks have to be made before a work experience placement is declared suitable for a young person, and the employer must be fully informed about who is coming to spend their time with them. It may be that if there is enough time, and a good reason, you can change your placement but if it's short notice, or you have already started, the likelihood of being able to change is very slim.

Work experience can help you in all sorts of different ways from enabling you to try out a career idea you have to simply being able to observe people at work and see what it's like to achieve daily tasks. You can also see important skills in action; how many times have you been told that teamwork and communication skills are vital at work? Now you have a chance to see why.

Most young people have one work experience placement at Key Stage 4 lasting one or two weeks. However, you may also be able to do work experience as part of a course. This may also happen in Year 10 or 11 but it might happen post-16 when you are in the 6th form, at college or training with a work based learning provider. Work experience would also be gained on a Young Apprenticeship or on a Foundation Learning programme.

This often depends on the reasons why you don't attend; for example, they could be health or behaviour related in which case work experience may not be appropriate. Sometimes a shorter placement might be arranged, or perhaps a day or two per week. Whoever is working with you should be aware of work experience and they can check out your position with your school. In addition, you could see Connexions or ask your local authority what would apply in your case.

Young people with disabilities are able to take part in work experience in the same way as everyone else in their year group or on their course. However, as you would imagine the nature of your disability would need to be carefully considered so that a suitable placement is found. In some cases health and safety rules may not permit you to work in certain environments (especially if under 18) but all people concerned will try to make reasonable adjustments to enable you to have the placement of your choice.