Any ideas for work experience for a 15 year old girl with zero contacts.

[VegIn1Bed]

We’re stumped.

Dd volunteered in a charity shop weekly for 3 months for her dofe. They took quite a few people

Sorry, should have said she was 14.

I can’t believe she has ZERO contacts. Do you know anyone who works anywhere?

I agree that finding out her interests is essential, more employers will take an enthusiastic kid (eg loves books in a local bookshop) than someone who looks like they’ve been forced into it.

Some employers won’t take 15 year olds. And certainly won’t have 14 year olds. The last two weeks on term are in July. August and late July birthday DCs are still 15! They are not 16 like the majority and some companies just won’t have them. It cuts down options when places are in short supply anyway. That’s why the schools need to get involved. To say it’s all y10 and negotiate. When it’s DIY you get fobbed off because “we only take them if they are 16” is trotted out.

You don't need contacts!!! You just ask EVERYONE!!!

What is she interested in? Do the school have a list of "friendly" employers who they have used previously?

I've had 2 go through work experience, just phoned around all the local businesses. Or why not post on Facebook or spotted.

Primary schools, vets, shops - eg waitrose and waterstones, hairdressers, ..

The local library.

The school will almost certainly have a list of employers!?!
My DD didn’t have employer contacts as such as most 14/15 year olds don’t. OP use the school list and your and your DH’s local knowledge based on what type of things your DD likes. Work Experience is really just a tick box exercise if your DD doesn’t know what she wants to do or can’t find anything she really likes she will just have to pick the best option out of what is left.
Around here Work Experience is carried out in the June of year 10 so kids will be age 15 or 14 no 16 year olds.

DD1 did work experience at a housing association and DD2 at a local solicitors. We didn’t have contacts, the girls phoned around local businesses.

DD1 did work experience at a housing association and DD2 at a local solicitors. We didn’t have contacts, the girls phoned around local businesses.

Local church.

In fact, if you're near me, I'll arrange work experience for her.

Local sports centre. It’s were I got the bug to be a sports and swimming coach. They normally have lots of progression and course they can do.

Lots of people do their life guard at 17 then use that for extra work whilst at college/uni etc..

Try local cafes, hairdressers, shops, chemists, garden centres, nurseries, animal shelters, farms - at the end of the day while the school likes them to find somewhere they would like to have a career in, at 15 not many know what they want to do. Working in solicitors, banks, etc is difficult as they cannot do much when they are not allowed to see client files. Mine just got work experience for the sake of filling the time. Dd has since got a bit of paid work in a cafe.

Bookmarking....some excellent ideas!

It's hard isn't it. We will be looking for next school year and will just email as many places as we can find!

If it's for this summer she's left it very late I'm afraid.

Get a CV together, it doesn't have to be long, she can just put subjects she's doing at school, any after school activities and jobs around the house. Then look at companies locally, find a suitable named contact (from the website) send them a letter and CV, paper letter in the post, include an email address so they can reply. Expect to send LOTS. Most won't get a reply (as I said, left very late) but she might get lucky. She doesn't need personal connections although they always help. Oh, and contact should be made my her, not you. It always looks better if the student does the legwork themselves.

Local library?

You don't need a cv for 5 days of Year 10 work experience!!
I don't know when work experience become a thing but I did mine in 1990 and my sister in '87. So hardly a new concept. You'd think schools and all local businesses and industries would have a well practiced scheme of organising work experience by now. It's not meant to be about actually working for 5 days but shadowing someone to learn about what a company or job entails.
OP what does your daughter enjoy doing in her spare time?

Most work experiences have a short application process online or cover letter.

You don't need a cv for 5 days of Year 10 work experience!!

No, of course you don't. The point of sending a CV though is to show potential providers you are keen and are taking the whole thing seriously. It's to increase your daughter's chances of getting a 'yes' from employers. Some employers have a proper application process with interviews for Y10 work experience placement. These companies are also some of the best placements to get on, lots of airlines (for example) do this. The OPs daughter would be too late for this kind of scheme though.

What about a local church? Some do all sorts of things for the community and so even if not religious there might be opportunities. My church has had DofE volunteers and some are hard work, others a dream to have. They have opportunities to write up articles so they get reporter experience, helping with youth groups, serving teas to the elderly, coming up with craft ideas, all sorts.

Well what does she want to do for a career? Presumably she has some interests?

Because 15 is really too young and most “exciting” places won’t let you anywhere near the exciting bits think about practicalities.
I would always advise students to go somewhere where they are actually allowed to do stuff, even if it doesn’t fit in with future career plans. Having to be there in time and work with adults is an experience in itself. If your work experience will lead to a Saturday job - even better!
My students’ top placements were M&S, Boots, local farm attraction, horse stables, old primary school, supermarkets, McDonalds.

Waterstones, John Lewis & Ikea all take year 10s for work experience near us, it really doesn't need to be relevant to your career plans. It didn't even get a mention on UCAS forms in this house.