We have been delighted with our Work Experience Student from Kelsey Park Sports College. His enthusiasm for learning has been endless and he has been a pleasure to have on board at PCBS. So much so I am handing over the reins of our blog to him this week….here’s a year 10 student’s perspective on the whole Work Experience Experience !

When you think of work experience you think of a student running around making a decent cup of tea of everyone else… That’s not work experience is supposed to be. Employers do not realise the real benefits of offering work experience placements to students. Employers have a golden opportunity to pass on knowledge and teach students who are entering the working world for the first time how to be the perfect employee, and this doesn’t include running around for tea and coffee and watering plants. It includes employers teaching students about punctuality and their attitude towards work, but most of all, to give them first hand experience in a field of work in which the students are interested in.

Students are also blinded by this awkward stereotype of being a giant shark’s water boy and being made to fetch it a good cup of tea or sharpening pencils, however students do not realise the benefits of securing a placement with any organisation. Firstly with current world events, finding work experience placements consists of the exact process and holds the same status of finding a real job. Nowadays it’s hard to find a placement that’s available, so even to be able to get a placement should make students most grateful. Moving on after leaving your placement doesn’t only give you a good recommendation on your CV when applying for jobs and college and sixth form places, it can also lead to a possible job opportunity in the future whether it be part time or full time.

Schools choose a specific two week period for students to go out and do work experience, this period of time various from depending of the school, however normally another school has the same two week period so there is high competition for spaces. Work experience placements are usually sorted out by the schools Work Related Coordinator. During the two weeks of work experience students should be given practical work which the business has expertise in. Work experience is a golden opportunity for the students and for the organisation, so taking on work experience gives your organisation a vantage point which everyone else is looking for.