2016 Work Experience Explained

TERM 2 WEEK 8, Tuesday 14thJune – Friday 17th June, 2016

TERM 4 WEEK 9, Monday5th– Friday9thDecember, 2016

What is it?

Work experience is when you can spend a short period of time in a workplace to:

  • Be actively involved in gaining knowledge of the world of work.
  • Learn about specific careers.
  • Experience adult roles and responsibilities.
  • Develop social and communication skills in a work environment.

Advantages

You will:

  • Gain skills associated with finding and maintaining employment.
  • Develop greater awareness of employer/employee expectations.
  • Increase understanding of the relationship between school studies and other requirements of the workplace.
  • Build networks within the specific career.

Prohibited Activities

  • Air travel on charger flights and aircraft other than those providing regular Public Transport Service.
  • Use of prescribed or other dangerous machinery by any person under 16yrs unless appropriate supervision and training is given.
  • Travel by helicopter.
  • Travel outside the 12 nautical mile limit at sea.
  • Scuba/deep sea diving
  • Attendance at abattoirs

Information

  • Work experience is compulsory for all yr 10 students and is one week in duration.
  • You are encouraged to find your own workplace as this is part of the learning experience.
  • No two students will be placed at the same employer unless otherwise allowed by Mr Potter.
  • Do not choose work experience where you have a casual job.
  • Occupations must be in line with interests and abilities.
  • You must not be paid for work experience otherwise insurance becomes void.
  • A report will be written on you by your employer.
  • You will be contacted and/or visited by a teacher from school during the week of work experience.

Before Work Experience

The steps to organize your work experience are as follows:

  1. Ensure that you have given the “The Workplace Learning Guide for Parents and Carers”to your parents.
  2. Read this document “Work Experience Explained” as well as the “Students Guide to Workplace Learning” (posted in the Careers section of the school website) to get a good understanding of expectations of work experience.
  3. Contact places you would like to do work experience preferably in person and use the following statement as a guide to ask: “Hi, my name is ……… and I am a Year 10 student from JJ Cahill Memorial High School and I am enquiring about the possibility of doing work experience at this business?”. Also hand the “Letter of Introduction” to the boss or manager of the business which highlights what the employer needs to do. Ask for this letter back if they so “No”.
  4. When you find someone who is willing to take you on for work experience you need to get the employer to fill out the employer section of the “Student Placement Record” as well as giving the employer the “The Workplace Learning Guide for Employers”. Also make sure that your parents/carers fill in the parent section of the Student Placement Record and return to Mr Potter before Friday13thMay, and Friday 4th November for the second week of work experience in term 4.
  5. Contact your supervisor one week prior to the date you will be doing work experience(by Monday 6st June, and 28rd November)to remind them that you will be commencing work experience the following week.

During Work Experience

Give the Attendance Recordand Employer’s Assessment Report to your supervisor as soon as you arrive on the first day of Work Experience.

1. Contact: If you have any problems in the workplace or if you are sick or unable to attend work, you must ring your employer before you would normally start on the job, and then ring Mr Potter on 9669 5118by 9am and leave a message.

2. Attendance Record: Your employer/supervisor will sign your attendance sheet each day. Return this to Mr. Potterwhen you are back at school.

3. Employer’s Assessment Report: Your employer/supervisor will complete this report on your last day. I suggest you read over this document before you start work experience to ensure you know what needs to be done to get a good report. Return this to Mr. Potter the following week after you finish work experience.

After Work Experience

Thanks to Employer: Your employer has done you a favour by giving you their time and allowing you to do work experience with them. You may wish to thank them in a number of ways; Write a letter of thanks (Mr. Potter can give you an outline for the letter), or give a thankyou card.

All the best year 10 and please see me as soon as possible if you have any concerns

Mr. Potter (Careers Advisor)