Work Experience
Monday 8th July – Friday 12th July 2024
Work experience is time spent in a workplace learning about a job role, a company or a career sector. Work experience provides a fantastic opportunity for students to gain new skills, raise their aspirations and develop their understanding of the world of work.
At Ipswich Academy students in year 10 will be doing a one week placement in the summer term with a local employer to gain experience of the world of work. It can take many months to source and secure a work placement due to the high level of competition and fewer opportunities from employers willing to take on school aged children. For this reason, it is important to start the process as early as possible.
Due to the amount of time it takes to find suitable placements for students in the areas they wish to experience, students are encouraged to source their own placements with the full support of the school.
Benefits of work experience
- A placement with a company prepares students for the world of work, and illustrates how they need to get along with colleagues and superiors.
- It also provides an insight into a potential future career – it can cement a chosen path, or dissuade students from taking it at all. Either way, it’s much better to find out early if a particular career is not for them.
- Students see the relevance of what they are learning at school. For example, working within a small technology business would illustrate the importance of an IT or Computing qualification.
- A relevant work placement will motivate students to work hard at school, having seen what exam success could lead to.
Work Experience Process
Work experience will take place from Monday 4th July – Friday 8th July 2024.
Step 1: Students should begin to research companies where they would like to do their work experience. It helps to have a list of a few companies as sometimes they may have to contact more than one before getting an offer.
Step 2: Students should contact the company or companies that they wish to have a placement with and ask if they can offer work experience.
Step 3: Once students have been offered a placement, they need to complete the placement form on Unifrog.
Step 4: The employer is notified by email, and they confirm that they follow best practices in:
- Safeguarding
- Health and Safety
- Risk Assessment
- Insurance
- GDPR
Step 5: The parent/carer signs an agreement.
Step 6: The placement coordinator reviews all the information provided by each party, and gives their consent.
Step 7: Students make contact with their work placement provider to confirm arrangements including working hours and dress code.
Step 8: Students attend their placement from 8th July until 12th July 2024.
Top Tips For Securing A Work Placement
- Make a list of 10 places.
- Call/visit local businesses and ASK! E.g. “Hello, I’m enquiring about the possibility of organising a work experience placement from 8th July”. They will tell you what to do next.
- Competition for work experience can be really tough, so you’ll need to make the right impression when asking for it.
- Be selfish. Don’t ask for you AND a friend- you are unlikely to find a placement this way.
Please click here to access a template letter which can be used to communicate with potential work placement providers.
Useful Resources from Unifrog (Sign in required)
Students
A guide to placements / work experience– Students: how to find it and how to be successful on it
How to use the Placements tool– Here’s how our Placements tool works, including an introductory animation and a walkthrough video.(Please note: you have to be logged in the student side first)
Filling out student initial form– a walkthrough Loom video for this process, as well as the attached Powerpoint guide.
Work Experience Journal – Resource to download first
Parents
Placements / Work experience: Guides for Parents– Guides for Parents – Everything they need to support their child to have a good work placement
How to use the Placements tool– Here’s how our Placements tool works