What is Work Experience?
- It is an opportunity for a student to spend an agreed period of time in the workplace, usually two weeks.
- The placement is unpaid and the student carries out set tasks according to the Job Description agreed with the employer.
This enables the student to:
- Experience working with adults and see how a workplace operates.
- Develop and practise a range of skills.
- Become more confident of their own abilities.
- Think in a more informed way about their own future and work decisions.
What benefits are there for Business?
- Interviewing and supervising students on placement provide excellent opportunities for staff development in the company.
- The profile of the company is raised amongst students, parents and teachers.
- Support for the local community is demonstrated, providing good public relations.
- Students bring their own skills, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective with them to the work placement. This can be surprisingly valuable for many companies.
- Young people can be assessed by the company for parttime or fulltime work.
- Feedback can be given by employers to education so that young people are better prepared for the job market.
- Students are offered an insight into the company, which may encourage them or their friends to think of it when looking at future employment.
We ask employers to ….
- Plan a programme in the workplace that will give students a range of experiences.
- Organise an interview with the student to negotiate objectives and to confirm a suitable match.
- Arrange staff supervision for the student to give support, instruction and advice.
- Complete an evaluation report which contributes to the student’s school record of achievements.
Basingstoke Consortium provides …
- Local organisation of work experience in close liaison with employers and schools.
- Placement Description(s) negotiated individually with each employer.
- The highest quality match of student to placement, using individual guidance and carefully developed systems.
- Employer Help Line for any queries.
- Professional vetting of placements so that both employer and student are safeguarded by having a safe and suitable placement. We will give full advice and support in these areas as needed.
- Feedback from our annual reviews so that employers are fully informed.
- Local recognition of the considerable value of work experience through an annual mailing of Certificates of Thanks.
If you are an employer and can help with providing a work placement please click on the following link, complete the form and one of our Work Experience Officers will contact you.