Y10 work experience! Where to start?

[Ormirian]

Got a letter from school telling us that DS1 would be doing a weeks' work experience at the end of the year. We had to arrange it (with guidance from school) but they would run CRB checks etc if needed. Oh yes, and it had to be done by the end of this term.

How? Where? What?

I have no idea at all what he should do. He wants to work in the music shop for a week but I don't know if that's a worthwhile idea.

He was oringially thinking of doing engineering via an apprenticeship but all the places that would offer the sort of thing he is interested in are miles away and would be difficult to arrange transport to. Meanwhile he has decided he wants to teach music although he seems a bit hazy on the details

How important is this week? Is it going to be looked at by future employers as evidence of anything? If so, of what? Do we have to get it right or will a week doing anything work-based do?

I am a bit lost....

That's brilliant Ormirian. We're working blindfolded here. Thanks a million. Will get onto it now!
Thanks again.

bumping this from a previous poster.

Anyone's child volunteered at NT? Or local nursery/primary?

Ds1 was never asked to do a work placement, but Ds2 school has it has a regular part of Year 10. He isn't very organised or literate [has EHCP] but good with children and willing to muck in.

I'm at a loss really because he needs to need so much supervision/explaining/reminding to get anything done (has HFA) Are employers used to this in 15 year olds? He is very articulate though and polite.

Feel angry with school for making me feel so helpless. I know it is not their fault, but why do they have to make me and him feel second best? What about a bit of prompting on ideas for placements, instead of saying it needs to be organised by student fullstop.

Dh is self employed and most of friends and family do not do anything which would be remotely transferable to ds (mostly self employed or in another country)

I'm a teacher who has done lots of work experience visits. Lots of students (girls especially) go to the local nurseries and primary schools. Some go to shops - the best shop was Waitrose, they gave breakfast and lunch in the cafe!
A lot of other students work with relatives. The ones who can't be arsed to arrange a placement end up working at school helping the caretakers/office staff.

I've been thinking a bit more and feeling a bit more confident now that the best setting for ds would be outdoors, helping others or doing something quite simple and practical/stamina based, so I think the NT might be the best place to start, or some historic house and garden.

I can remember doing work experience at school and being given completely the wrong placement; I was as good as gold, as quiet as a church mouse, and learnt nothing except to keep my head down.

Knittingwithnettles Do you have a country park nearby? That was the fallback work experience placement at school, a week being a park ranger. They started off litter picking and progressed to helping with the little train.

Like everything else related to schools, sounds to be lots of variation from one school/area to another.

Our son's school have a list of local employers willing to offer the work experience, so it's just a matter of choosing a few and sending off the applications. Works very well as the "employers" are vetted and the school have all the paperwork in place, i.e. EL insurance, employment policies etc.

I think it's sad that some kids end up doing work experience in schools - that's not going to give any experience of the real world.

My work placement wasn't actually in a school - it was helping in a old folks' drop in centre - but I was completely the wrong person - too quiet and shy; they needed someone bubbly and outgoing to cheer them up!

Helping in a real school would have been perfect for me - and given me authority - I think some children/teens come out of their shell relating to younger children, and gain gravitas.

Park ranger sounds another good idea for ds; I'l look into that. There's also the local museum - may have reopened by next June.

Teacher here too - Noble's summary is 100% correct.

My daughter did work experience last year. The school (outstanding in all areas) offered no help at all other than call us in for a 2 hour meeting telling us it was the students responsibility to sort out. My daughter has no idea what she wants to do - she just wanted to work at the stables where she rode regularly. In my indignation I told her no chance she had to do something 'useful'. She organised nothing. Good placements went quickly - no chance at Vets or Hospitals for example. I managed to sort out places at the leisure centre, hairdressers, local farm shop & travel agents through people I knew - all which she dismissed haughtily. In a moment of exasperation I just said stuff it and let her goto the stables for week (which then shut down but that's another story).

Now we are in year 11 with end of secondary looming and she still has no idea what to do.......................................

Stables sound like a very good placement though? Surely that is useful enough..and quite hard work into the bargain.

unfortunately son hates animals, unless it is resident pet

I know what you are saying knitting - it was a good placement and hard work but she rode there 3 days a week and worked from 8 til 5:30 on Sundays anyhow so it was nothing new. I wanted her to interact with adults more - answer phones, deal with customers, that sort of thing. Of course, you can't force your children to think like you and I caved under pressure. My daughter knows to get me when I'm busy and stressed and I'll do anything for an easy life......
Some of my year 10 boys got placements at primary school, particularly helping out with PE/sport. If you know a primary school teacher maybe something to enquire about.

I am distressed about this, too.
DD refuses to consider something ordinary like chatting to folk in a care home, helping in a charity shop or sweeping up hair in a salon.
So she is getting upset (crying fits) that her queries to other possible employers are not successful.
DD shrieks at me if email the WE person at her high school to ask questions, like what happens if they don't arrange their own placement.
Whole thing is a giant hassle.

I am completely freaked out by thought of DD in my office! We would argue so bad.

Had this nightmare last year. Lots of places now wont take under 16s as too much hassles. We randomly got a week at our local Pets at Home branch. DD loved it and was the envy of her friends who got to be at their Dads office

DD spent two days of a two week placement in an ice cream shop .... hated it so much she returned to school on day 3, and she absolutely hates school .

I used to take work experience students. I used to tell them it didn't matter whether they loved or hated the actual job, it was experience of being in a workplace that was useful. Very different from school. Being in a much wider age group, a different hierarchical structure, a much longer day, access to customers or service users, following instructions in a new environment, being without the support of their friends or teachers etc etc so I would argue all work experience is relevant regardless of where it is or whether it's a job that you actually want to do.

DS1 did his Y10 WE in a book warehouse. 8.00 - 4.30 with lots of time spent putting dust jackets on books and heaving boxes around. It was very useful as an experience in what the world of work might be like if he didn't work a bit harder at school so he could get a job doing something he actually wanted to. The company he worked for were lovely, gave him a good reference and a book token. He sorted his own Y12 WE out, one week with GE and one with Airbus.

I would say the best thing would be a shop/cafe /restaurant where they might keep them on for a Saturday job.