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Secondary education

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Original poster

Year 10 work experience - is it still common?

72 replies

chayngeling · 13/01/2023 06:37

One of our local secondaries does year 10 work experience, but not the others. I'm wondering how common it is generally? I know my school did it back in the eighties. These days companies are a lot more conscious of regulations and (I've heard) unwilling to have under-16's in the workplace, so it must be quite difficult to arrange, especially post-covid when everyone is hybrid working. (I know some companies do virtual work experience weeks, but it's not going to work for a wide range of job types).

OP posts:
OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 09:21

Normal parents take their children to parks, museums, free children's activities, etc, and then they do get to know local organisations. My children did work experience with a local park they had been visiting all their lives.

What an ridiculous take. Unbelievable. Obviously I've sat in my arse rather than ever leaving the house with my kids. God the sweeping judgement of anyone not like them by some posters is crazy on this site.

Thistooshallpsss · 13/01/2023 09:23

Back in the nineties several children all for completely different reasons had shocking experiences on work experience weeks put me off completely also it is who you know so pretty unfair.

Saisong · 13/01/2023 09:33

Our local school still do them in y10, I think most take part. They use an external company that keeps a database of employers. Parents can also suggest placements, but they have to be vetted (presume dbs, insurance etc). Kids have to apply online like a mini cv (in reality just things like clubs they go to, sporting achievements etc). They also get interviewed. My DD got a placement at a local supermarket, they looked after her very well, she tried lots of things and enjoyed the experience. They have asked her to come back for a Saturday job as soon as she turns 16.
It was an extremely positive experience for her as she is naturally very shy. At that age I think it is very rewarding to be exposed to the world of work. Seems a shame that some schools don't offer it.

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 09:37

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 09:21

Normal parents take their children to parks, museums, free children's activities, etc, and then they do get to know local organisations. My children did work experience with a local park they had been visiting all their lives.

What an ridiculous take. Unbelievable. Obviously I've sat in my arse rather than ever leaving the house with my kids. God the sweeping judgement of anyone not like them by some posters is crazy on this site.

ok, say if you have taken your children out and about locally as they have grown up, then you know places and people you can ask about work experience - that is how it works.

It is "people you know" but it is you who is in control of that - there is a huge victim mentality at work here, people complaining they dont know anybody, when they have never got to know anybody

Unfortunately, it is the children who suffer if the parents have not been part of the local community in any way. These are the children we help out with work experience placements, as a school

CrapBucket · 13/01/2023 09:39

My 16 and 17 year olds have done 3 lots between them but its utterly hit and miss and down to who the parents know.

Luckily I have a job where I meet lots of people who don't mind doing me favours, I have a massive family and I'm a gobshite so I have been able to sort nice opportunities out. It has cost me a fortune though because it has involved train fares etc.

CrapBucket · 13/01/2023 09:42

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 09:37

ok, say if you have taken your children out and about locally as they have grown up, then you know places and people you can ask about work experience - that is how it works.

It is "people you know" but it is you who is in control of that - there is a huge victim mentality at work here, people complaining they dont know anybody, when they have never got to know anybody

Unfortunately, it is the children who suffer if the parents have not been part of the local community in any way. These are the children we help out with work experience placements, as a school

Show quote history

This is nonsense. I have taken my children out plenty, however, each place might accept 1 or 2 kids at a push. So for a yearful of children in a small market town, they can't all go to the library/museum/art gallery the same week...

Lougle · 13/01/2023 09:48

DD2 did hers on a farm last summer. It took ages to sort it out but she enjoyed it.

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 09:48

Unfortunately, it is the children who suffer if the parents have not been part of the local community in any way. These are the children we help out with work experience placements, as a school

It's incredible how people can't imagine why what they do isn't possible for others.

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 09:54

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 09:48

Unfortunately, it is the children who suffer if the parents have not been part of the local community in any way. These are the children we help out with work experience placements, as a school

It's incredible how people can't imagine why what they do isn't possible for others.

WHy is it not possible? You presumably spend time with your children, you presumably take them out?

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 10:01

I'm just amazed that you can't imagine why some people and families may not have the same abilities, resources and skills.

SnowAndFrostOutside · 13/01/2023 10:03

I remember two kids doing it at my work, but they are kids of colleagues who shadowed their parents. I have no idea if there's a formal route to this, other than just follow your parent around.

I take my DC out but I doubt I can 'work my relationship' at the local soft play or gym just because I'm a customer there every once in a while.

underneaththeash · 13/01/2023 10:05

megletthesecond · 13/01/2023 07:16

They do it here but it has to be arranged by parents. Only people with lots of contacts managed to do it in DS's year. DS couldn't do it where I work and no one else replied to his emails.

Same here! Apparently it was compulsory and had to happen in the summer holidays....err no.

We're fairly well off, but I don't know anyone who would babysit DS for a week over the summer.

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 10:06

CrapBucket · 13/01/2023 09:42

This is nonsense. I have taken my children out plenty, however, each place might accept 1 or 2 kids at a push. So for a yearful of children in a small market town, they can't all go to the library/museum/art gallery the same week...

Show quote history

No, not the same week, but generally, if an organisation has gone to all the trouble of setting themselves up to take work experience candidates, then they will offer it over more than one week, so there is the whole summer, and half term breaks as well as the time allocated by the school - there are always going to be many students doing their work experience at a different time

megletthesecond · 13/01/2023 10:06

For goodness sake nim, that's not how it works. We've lived in the same town and been everywhere. I had no contacts for DS's work experience. Many companies refuse it due insurance and lack of staff to supervise them. Everyone I know got it via family contacts, I don't have this.

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 10:07

SnowAndFrostOutside · 13/01/2023 10:03

I remember two kids doing it at my work, but they are kids of colleagues who shadowed their parents. I have no idea if there's a formal route to this, other than just follow your parent around.

I take my DC out but I doubt I can 'work my relationship' at the local soft play or gym just because I'm a customer there every once in a while.

Have you asked? Lots of students do work experience at such places, that they have got to know while growing up

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 10:09

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 10:01

I'm just amazed that you can't imagine why some people and families may not have the same abilities, resources and skills.

It takes zero resources, and I cant imagine what special skills you need to take your children out, but yes, there are parents who dont. and these children are the seriously disadvantaged ones, not just in terms of work experience opportunities

Mumsafan · 13/01/2023 10:14

I think it depends on the school but in the main I think it's pointless.

DS1 spent 2 weeks with my husband in construction. Has nothing to do with his current career.
DS2 spent 2 weeks at his old primary school as a teaching assistant. Again nothing to do with his job.
DD only had to do a week, most companies wouldn't allow kids due to Covid stuff so she spent a week as a PE teaching assistant at her current school and it's prep school. (she says it's put her off having kids! 😂)

Her school said it was to ensure they had some experience of the workplace. Quite a few of them in her year, including her, have a small part time job anyway. I think it's an outdated thing.

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 10:17

It takes zero resources, and I cant imagine what special skills you need to take your children out, but yes, there are parents who dont. and these children are the seriously disadvantaged ones, not just in terms of work experience opportunities

No, I'm talking about extending that to work experience opportunities.

TizerorFizz · 13/01/2023 10:17

@Nimbostratus100
I think you are talking to one but have missed the signals. Most of us know someone to ask. Father of Dc for example? Grandparents?

OneFrenchEgg · 13/01/2023 10:18

I think you are talking to one but have missed the signals.

One what? Me? You're assuming I do nothing with my kids. Fgs.

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 10:19

I have been a secondary teacher for decades, and have always taken an interest in work experience, and been one of the assessors.

Places I have seen students ask about placements, or seen parents set it up for them include:

Local parks and children's activities that have been visited
Local museums and art galleries that the children know
Local charities that the family has supported, or been supported by
Local services that the family has used, hair dressers, libraries, etc
Local businesses that the family have used, bakers, green grocers, etc
Local churches, mosques, places of worship where the family is known
Local sports clubs that the family have supported
Other local families, met in parks, children's activities, voluntary work, services, etc

Both my sons did their work experience in a local park where they had spent a lot of time growing up, they did a lot of gardening, coppicing, wildlife surveying, etc . They still feel a deep connection to that local park now, years later.

I helped run a guide company for a while, and lots of parents who new each other through this helped each other out with work experience placements for each others children as well

Clymene · 13/01/2023 10:26

We do it and the school arranges it. It's really bad asking parents to do it because it really counts against less privileged families

TeenDivided · 13/01/2023 10:31

I guess it depends on the point of work experience

  • to learn how to do letters of application & interviews (then it should be the child not via the parents)
  • to see whether a career is of interest (then it shouldn't be reliant on parental contacts as less well off parents won't have contacts at solicitors, vets, doctors, software companies, other high end jobs)
  • to go to work, turn up on time, and do some busy work (fine let whoever organise it)
Quite possibly most people can ask for something from someone, but to get WE of use for the child is harder.
Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 10:31

Clymene · 13/01/2023 10:26

We do it and the school arranges it. It's really bad asking parents to do it because it really counts against less privileged families

It doesn't count against less privileged families in any socioeconomic sense, only against less active parents, who might still have work contacts, even if they have managed to raise children without personal contacts in their local community!

I have seen hundred of students depart on work experience every year for decades, the vast majority of students can and do facilitate it for themselves, with or without parental support - this is to be encouraged as it is part of the whole "experience" - finding your position for yourself

However, the school does help with those who are "Less privileged", but this is often being less privileged by the parenting style they have been brought up with, and it disadvantages them in more ways than just difficulty finding work experience, and it has nothing at all to do with family finances or resources. Just with parental time and input

Nimbostratus100 · 13/01/2023 10:32

sometimes, students are just unlucky, have multiple places to ask, but no one who can accommodate them, maybe all already full, etc.