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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Y11 Work Experience: How to set it up?

15 replies

Erebus · 15/09/2013 14:00

What did your Y11 do? We've just been told we need to get DS1 sorted for next Sept when he'll be 15 and in Y11. It has to be 2 continuous weeks.

DS thinks he might be interested in engineering but of course which engineering company is going to allow a 15 year old into a big machinery area? Would it therefore a waste of time him writing to all the companies on a nearby Industrial Estate?

I work in an NHS hospital where there might be 'opportunities' but I know that naturally patient confidentiality and so forth is a real issue, and a lot of areas just won't let and under 16 in them.

Any ideas, experience or tips would be hugely helpful.

TIA

OP posts:

Original poster

Erebus · 15/09/2013 14:06

Just seen another thread recently about WE. I'm a bit heartened that others see it is a bit daft for a 15 year old with what will probably prove to be at least 6 more years of formal education in front of him trying to get WE at 15. Ironically, it's this 'extended childhood' thing that's lead to compulsory 'education' to 18; but it also means that 15 year olds are legally completely considered to be children, like a 10 year old might be, for insurance and CP issues in a workplace now.

OP posts:

AgentProvocateur · 15/09/2013 14:12

I'd be surprised if you were told that "you" needed to get his work experience sorted. Surely it's up to him to research this then apply? I'd look very dimly on someone's parents contacting me about WE.

AgentProvocateur · 15/09/2013 14:14

BackforGood · 15/09/2013 14:17

My ds did his (last 2 weeks in Yr10) and got a place at the local law courts by writing to them - we didn't know anyone. He absolutely loved it, so it might be worth writing a letter, but it should be written by him, not you, and, if at all possible hand delivered by a smart, polite young person.
Of course the best way in is to know someone who will then go in and ask their company, being able to say he's a nice lad, etc, but we don't always know someone in the right trade!
Good luck

senua · 15/09/2013 14:17

We've just been told we need to get DS1 sorted for next Sept

So the current Y11 are doing it now? Ask them!

Get networking with the year above: if they don't know detailed specifics for your school / locality, then no-one does.

MaureenMLove · 15/09/2013 14:23

Tell him to speak to the careers officer at school or the current head of yr11 or his pastorial care officer. The school will probably have a big list of companies that students go to year after year. Or, call the local education office and speak to their work experience team.

FannyMcNally · 15/09/2013 14:28

Our local schools have a stock of companies that take on year 10 WE students. There are a wide variety and all have to go through a vetting process and are under no illusion that they can get away with just letting the students make tea! If none are suitable you are welcome to make your own arrangements but the school need to know and check them themselves. We wouldn't have known where to start left to our own devices! Although you can arrange your own WE in later years, it is compulsory in year 10 (or year 11 in some schools), this is a good time before all the hard graft for exams start and also can give the student an idea of what A-levels to take. It al

cory · 15/09/2013 14:39

What AgentProvocateur said. Imo the important thing at this age is not that they actually get to work in the exact area they might work in when they are grown up: it's the whole thing around finding out about possible jobs, writing to the companies, being rejected by some and finally finding something.

And even if you are not allowed into the machinery area, it would still be useful to see how a company operates as a company.

Dd wanted to do something theatre related. The local theatre made it clear that they could offer no backstage experience but that what they did offer (basically front of the house experience working with sales and promotion) was still a valuable opportunity for prospective actors since it gave a useful insight into the theatre as a commercial enterprise: all the little bits that have to click if you are ever going to fund an actual production. She saw their point and would have been very happy to get it, but there were too many other applicants and she ended up doing something totally different.

BackforGood · 15/09/2013 15:30

Do check with your school though - my niece managed to get herself set up with a marketing company (friend of her Uncle) and then the school said she couldn't do it as they (the school) hadn't done a H&S check on that particular company.... it was an office, not a building site!.... so just check if the school actually want you to get your own places or not.

creamteas · 16/09/2013 19:58

Do you live near a university?

DS2 did work experience in their engineering dept and had a fab time. He spent time in the materials testing lab helping out with experiments.

Lonecatwithkitten · 16/09/2013 20:50

I am a work experience ambassador in my area. The most important part of work experience is that the student organises it themselves, that they get interview experience from it and that they discover that all jobs have boring bits.

bigbluebus · 16/09/2013 21:05

backforgood The place my DS went to for W/E in Yr 10 hadn't been used before so hadn't previously been inspected. The school had to arrange for it to be checked out - which is why the deadline is December for June placements in his school.

maree1 · 17/09/2013 00:20

Work experience can take many forms - londonmumsmagazine.com/2013/creative-writing-magic-money-cards
Too many companies charge schools to supply lists of potential companies and then do little else. Lonecat is correct. Students will learn a great deal from trying to dig out opportunities for themselves. And reading a recent newspaper article on the industry sector or trade magazine headline online will give that little extra to talk about at an interview.

Kez100 · 17/09/2013 02:39

My son wrote to about 10'companies and had varying replies from no, nothing and sorry come back when you are 18. While moaning about this to someone, it was suggested he write to a freelancer in our town, which he did and got a yes! He was sorted by the Christmas for the following July.

So, get in early. Help your child to find addresses and warn them it may take some time as lots of companies cant help and you habe to keep hoing until you find one (much like real life!) but, otherwise, let them do it themselves. It's really not rocket science and when they get the yes letter and open it, it's really exciting for them and empowering to know 'they did it'

tiredaftertwo · 17/09/2013 08:32

I think it is getting increasingly difficult for under 16s - I agree they are treated as 10 year olds by large companies when thinking about the legal implications. I am not sure sending 15yo off under the radar to tiny outfits is what was intended!

Anyway, look at organisations that have education or public engagement as part of their remit - museums, regulators (Ofcom etc), professional organisations (perhaps he could loom at engineering ones), city farms, the BBC. I have known under 16s get WE with all of them. I really would not worry about it being relevant to what he wants to do - try by all means but the main thing is to get something and get in early.

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