How to find work experience these days

[wizzler]

Dd is 15 and has been asked to sort out work experience. She is considering law ( doesn't really know but that's an option) so work in an i office would be a good idea

None of the places we went to with older Dc even have people in buildings, and certainly aren't set up for work experience.

Just wondered if anyone had any brilliant suggestions? Seems to me they would be better off staying in school for that week

With difficulty. Most young people at ds's school went to somewhere their family member worked at.

But as you say so many offices are still working from home at the moment.

DS had an amazing opportunity but it had to be cancelled as it was in person.
In the end he did it online with my DH’s friend and totally unrelated to his subjects!
Both my kids’ WE and any volunteering they’ve done has been through word of mouth or a contact.

He was isolating ^

Try the local Police station it would give an insight into the law I know the Police used to take on work experience students but it may be different now.

Often through someone you know, but yes it's much more difficult with so many people working from home.

It's who you know....and not really much help if you don't know anyone. If ringing around hasn't worked, you may have to go for something less related. Any work experience will be better than none. Then in the future you might be able to organise something with a law firm.

The trouble is that many of the people and cases law firms deal with will be highly confidential. So there would only be general office-based things your daughter could do at this age, so just as well do something in a different area for now. Filing and printing is also not common place anymore so the more junior tasks are in short supply.

Most of the kids went with a family member last year, that wasn't possible for DS and we scrambled around trying to find him anything at all, sod relating to what he wants to do!

He ended up working in a hotel for the week, at the end of which they offered him a job as a kitchen porter, which he still does now, every Saturday.

I think that just the experience of having to be at work from 9-4 (in his case) for a week was really worthwhile. He was exhausted and it's definitely inspired him to work harder at school so he can perhaps go to uni.

In Scotland schools sort out work experience placements. About the only thing we get right though.........

We take on work experience kids, usually 2 a year.
Cast the net wide and make sure it’s your DC contacting not you. A parent enquiring for us is an automatic “no”

OP What about your local citizens advice bureau?

It's a nightmare. DD was supposed to do hers last November, the majority of children were still 14 and even apart from lots of companies working from home, most don't take secondary school children and definitely not for just one week.

We got lucky that the career advisor has a decent amount of contacts and found something for DD but it is just ridiculous to just work for a week when it's not even anywhere your interests.

In the end it was scrapped, Covid and too many restrictions. They said they will try to reschedule for Summer but I still hope they don't manage it.

The Courts sometimes allow work experience, as a member of the public if they are back open you can sit in the gallery. Def email the partners of local law firms for guidance they’ll have some departments more open to allow experience.

In my workplace (huge financial services organisation), it definitely isn’t who you know. There is a nationwide application process (on the website) and every application is considered equally. We are not permitted to give informal work experience or to influence the process.

We really struggled to find work experience. In the end, DD found some at the local cinema. Nothing related to what she was interested in, but it did develop some useful skills - customer service, etc.

15yo DD has missed her school's deadline for securing a work experience placement to take place end of May. The problem is she has no idea what she wants to do and she wasn't particularly enthusiastic in her search. I think she's now at the mercy of the school's placement service who will try and find something for her. Quite a few of her friends have ended up with placements at their parents' place of work, although they were discouraged from doing this. Lots of businesses reluctant to offer work experience to under 16s with covid restrictions and so many still WFH.

I've given up and sorted something for her where I work. It's so difficult this year and they have already missed so many days in the classroom.. I think they should abandon work experience and perhaps just review the pros and cons of different careers for half an hour in class

DD got yr 10 WE in district council legal office. And it was excellent. She sat in a tribunal, shadowed council lawyer in magistrate court, typed in case notes. I did have to ask my friend who works for council to nudge the legal department for a response. I probably have 5 viable ideas for what WE current yr 9 DC will do in 18m time.