Work experience is a very important part of preparing you for life beyond Longfield. It offers a unique insight into the world of work, which cannot be replicated in the school environment. It gives you the opportunity to know how it feels to work alongside adults; how people work together; how things get done; and how work differs from school. It is an invaluable week, where many new skills can be learnt.
Work experience does not necessarily have to link to your chosen career. Many young people do not know which career path they may take, but it gives you the opportunity to see what the world of work is like. Work experience will help you to learn about punctuality, dress code, communication, time management, as well as allowing you to develop new skills and experiences.
All students have to find their own placements. Finding your own placement is the only way to guarantee the job of your choice. Many places of work are used to offering work experience placements and are happy to accommodate students. You may know a person at a company that you can approach. Alternatively, you can send letters/emails to companies asking for a placement. Some students have even just walked in the door and successfully asked for work experience.
It is a proven fact that students enjoy and get more out of their placement if they find a placement themselves. This might be through contacts with family and friends or by asking local businesses. Don’t be afraid to approach companies and ask for work experience. It may be that your tutor could offer some support and advice with this.
All work environments have to, by law, be Health and Safety compliant to ensure that staff are not exposed to any unnecessary risk. Any organisation must have Public Liability Insurance for under 16s. When enquiring about a placement, please check that this requirement has been met, otherwise you will not be able to attend your placement at this company. The company will need to provide the academy with their Public Liability Insurance details for us to hold on file.
You need to complete the online forms through your Unifrog account. This starts the process of getting the agreed placement approved. Without approval, your placement cannot go ahead. Therefore, it is vitally important that you enter the details as quickly as possible to get the process started. The guide linked in the button at the top of this page provides step-by-step assistance in completing these forms. If you are unsure or have further questions, please contact the academy.