Work experience - year 10

[Trappedmumof3]

Hi, DD1 is in year 10 and I need to arrange work experience for her for a week in June. I'm totally stumped and would love some suggestions!

She's bright and into maths and chemistry at school but has no idea whatsoever what she'd like to do when she's older (how many 14/15 year olds do?!).

I've contacted a couple of companies but had no reply from them weeks later and have run out of ideas for her. Her school has a few options that they can arrange, but they're all in local schools and nurseries and that's her idea of hell!

Any suggestions? We're based in East Sussex so if anyone happens to be looking for someone, please let me know!!

Thanks so much!

Lots of places won't take under 16s due to insurance. Mine did WE at a place that takes volunteers (including Duke of Edinburgh). It wasn't in an area that they were interested in but they got to see the world of work and see what they did and didn't like. It was still a learning experience.

My local library is very accommodating for this type of thing

My Ds2 did a week at a local outdoor activities centre; a mate did a week at a local gym. DD did a week at the biggest local library.

DS1 did catering placements at a local cafe and a secondary school, in the canteen.

You really need to ring companies up rather than emailing them so you can get an answer quickly. And better for sure if your DD does it. I drafted a little script for students in my form to follow - first thing is say who you are and where you are at school, then ask if they do WE. If not, thank you and goodbye. At least you get some answers. Loads of them would be "miss we emailed and we haven't heard" well no, get on the phone.

Do you know anyone who runs their own business who can help? I agree tho it is getting harder as a lot of firms don't want to take anyone under 16 as it is so complicated. Where I work now we won't accept anyone under 16 and even then it is so hedged about with rules (eg they are not allowed to leave the site on their own).

My org has just stopped offering work experience placements as we were getting 60-80 requests a year and it's become unworkable

The expectation of ESCC and schools for places to offer fully supervised placements for children for entire weeks at a time, for about 8 weeks per year is totally unrealistic. They need to rethink this and I have explained this to the WEX coordinator.

DD did a 1 week work experience last year in y10. We insisted that she should try to secure it herself (with our help and guidance) and it worked: She sent out 13 emails with her short CV to small(ish) companies (architecture agencies in our case) in our local area. And she received 2 positive responses the following day! Larger companies have too many processes in place, too many requests etc. Hope that helps. Good luck!

The Met Office offers both in person and virtual work experience opportunities, if she is interested: https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/about-us/careers/in-person-work-experience-opportunities

This is the expectation of the government for T-levels, though. Many schools and colleges have been pushed into running T-levels, not through choice.

I agree it's unworkable, but the alternative is to seriously limit the post 16 qualifications they offer!

I told the school under 16s are not really able to work even as volunteers.

Ds2 same, got the email this week.

Are you near Brighton? Try The Pensions Regulator. Also ask friends who have interesting jobs. I have a policy of never refusing requests for work experience so often have 6 or so a year or varying ages just because someone asks me.

Did you do a google search?

"Chemistry work experience year 10"

Maybe stick in your location as well or your county and see what comes up?

Thanks for the suggestions, I'll look into them! I had such good work experience (twice!) when I was at school / college that I had high hopes for my kids ... turns out not to be as simple as I'd thought!

Agree with others that she is more likely to get a positive response if she contacts them herself, rather than you, and that large companies tend to be too process heavy to make it happen.

For places like councils or universities, get her to try and contact a specific department(s) rather than generically to the whole council. LinkedIn can be useful for finding named people at smaller businesses.