Work Experience Assembly – February

Balfron High School pupils will have the opportunity to complete a one week Work Experience Placement and achieve the Work Placement SQA unit during S4  (this unit has 6 SCQF points at level 4 or 5).

Information is shared during the S3 work experience assembly in February with current S3 pupils and their form class leaders:

• Mrs Patrick shares information regarding the benefits of completing a work placement and the evidence required to achieve the SQA unit.
• 3 pupils share their experience of and advice for finding a useful  work experience placement – they advise S3 pupils

– to start looking quickly

– that they should try to find a placement linked to their                                   interests or skills or career goals

– about the support they gained with their own career                                    planning during their placement

– about how the placement allowed them to develop their                             employability skills.

•     
• Mrs MacNeillis  explains the paperwork required for a work experience placement and the importance of having the placement risk assessed.
• 
• Please contact Mrs McNeillis, Mrs Gallagher or Mrs Patrick for work experience information.

The steps required for work experience are:

Step 1  –  complete and return the Parental Consent Form  to your form class leader (WorkExp Parent Consent Form 2015 (1) (1)) by 2nd March 2018.

Step 2 – complete a career and skills review (in form class/PSE) with your form class leader.  This will help you identify what type of company/job/career area you would like to know more about.  You will then conduct research and find out who to contact for appropriate work experience .  You will work on Assessment task 1 in your Work Experience Work Book in PSE and in Form class during S3 – this is where you record all the information you need in a .

Step 3 – contact appropriate employers and ask if they can offer you a placement during the week 10th -14th September 2018.   It is useful to use your networks/contacts when conducting this research but ensure that you find an appropriate placement (one which related to your career/skills development).  Remember to keep evidence/notes for the unit that you have done this research and who you contacted eg keep notes of names/company names and copies of letters/emails.

Step 4 – when you have received verbal or written agreement from an employer that they can take you – collect an Employer Pack from Mrs Gallagher.  This includes a Self Found Placement Form (WorkExp SelfFound and Flexible Placements Form)  and the Employer Letter (WorkEEmployer Letter).  Remember to keep your form class leader up to date with developments.

Step 5 – you will receive confirmation from Mrs Gallagher that your placement has passed Risk Assessment and you will get a list of information you need to know eg their address, your start time, etc. You must fill this information into Assessment Task 2.  (Both Assessment tasks can be found in GLOW/Work experience Tile/S3 work experience planning folder.)

Previous pupils’ experience of work experience:

• “my week proved to me that I definitely want to follow this career path – it has made me work harder to make sure I get the grades I need”
• “I thought I wanted to be a teacher – my work experience made me see that I did not enjoy this type of job”
• “my week showed me that the job is not what  thought it was – I am now not interested in a career in law and have arranged another work experience in the summer to help me decide what I do want to do”
• “I improved my network of contacts – the employer has given me names of colleagues, one who has agreed to offer me another week next year”
• “I left it too late and did not manage to arrange a placement with the employer I wanted”

Previous pupils’ advice for finding a useful work experience:

• “you must start looking and phoning people early – you have a lot of competition (from S5/6 pupils as well as other S3 pupils)”
• “speak to people for ideas – speak to parents/carers, your form class leader (as they know you well) and Mrs Patrick/Mrs Gallagher.”
• “consider the location – I decided to apply to a business in Glasgow as I wanted to work on my confidence of getting the bus and taking responsibility”
• “don’t just take the easy option (eg of working at your neighbours shop) – although it will be useful for your communication skills it might not help with your career journey”
• “remember to take notes if you get to see something useful – I had the chance to visit a court when I worked with a lawyer and I used it in my application to University”