Work experience
Work experience or work-based learning is an important part of education for employability, and is intended to give a student an idea of working life and the key skills needed within the workplace.
Every student is entitled to at least one week of work
experience during their last two compulsory years at school. Pupils
are encouraged to find their own placements by writing to employers
or through family and friends. All students, from those taking the
fewest examinations to those who will take degrees, need real
knowledge of the world of work.
Benefits of work experience
What students do on work experience
What parents/guardians can do
Limits on the
jobs students can do
Work
experience arrangements
Medical information
considered when organising a placement
Accidents while on
work experience
Child
protection issues
Insurance
Contact between
children and their school during the placement
Hours required
Tax and
National Insurance (NI)
Work experience
out of the area
Contacts at
the school if there is a problem
The benefits of work experience include:
- confidence building
- understanding the world of work, eg dress code, behaviour
- understanding relationships at work
- development of student's health and safety awareness
- contribution to the development of key skills in young people, eg communication, numeracy
- increased knowledge of the opportunities and career paths available
What students do on work experience
As far as possible students should undertake real
tasks to give them an idea of the work carried out by the employer.
They should gain an understanding of how the company is organised
and run, and of how enterprise, creativity and innovation help
business growth. A programme should be organised for the student,
and employers should monitor what the student has achieved. Every
student should have a work experience logbook in which they can
record their progress.
What
parents/guardians can do
Parents/guardians can offer valuable support in
finding placements. Your written consent is needed before a
placement can begin and you will have information about the
arrangements and will know how to contact the school if your child
reports a problem to you about their placement. You will also be
asked to provide medical information, which could affect the
health, safety and welfare of your child while on a work
placement.
Once on the placement, parents should discuss the arrangements
for lunch and break periods with their child and make sure they are
suitable. If a student leaves the employer's premises during lunch
or break periods, no liability can be accepted by the employer or
the school for any incident that may occur.
Limits on the jobs students can do
The Education Act 1996 and local byelaws place
limitations on the type of work which students can experience. The
school's work experience co-ordinator can give further advice on
this.
Work
experience arrangements
If a school
enlists the service of the local education partnership, they will
carry out the necessary health and safety procedures, and negotiate
the whole programme for the school with employers. This includes
providing the student with a job description. Work experience
organisers have a duty to assess the ability of a work experience
placement provider to provide for a student's health, safety and
welfare while on work experience. If a placement is deemed
unsuitable by the work experience organisers the school is notified
not to proceed with the placement. Employers also need to inform
students of their main duties and tasks, the type of work, any
associated specific risks and their control measures, and to remind
the students of their responsibilities while on placement.
Parents/guardians will also have to be told of these
risks.
Medical information considered when organising a placement
Each student's health should be considered before a
placement is chosen; for example someone with asthma would avoid
dusty places. If a student is on medication the employer must be
informed. The parents will be asked to provide medical information,
which may affect the safety and welfare of their son or daughter
whilst on a placement.
Accidents while on work
experience
It is the responsibility of
the employer to report any accidents, incidents or dangerous
occurrences that occur on site following their normal procedures
for such reporting covered by the 1995 Reporting of Injuries,
Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). The
employer must report any such accidents or occurrences to the
headteacher or work experience co-ordinator or the work experience
organisers of the school and the student's home if a telephone
number is provided.
Child protection issues
Schools should have given consideration to
preparing students to deal with and report incidents that they feel
uncomfortable with during their work placement. Employers should
take account of child protection issues under the Criminal Justice
and Court Services Act 2000.
Insurance
The employer's insurance company must be informed
of the employer's intention to take on a work experience student.
Where a student will be travelling in a vehicle for the purposes of
work the vehicle insurance must cover them. Where a liability can
be demonstrated then:
- injuries caused to others on the premises, others not on the premises, damage to others' property and damage to employee's property should normally be covered by the employer's public liability insurance policy
- damage to the employer's own property should normally be covered by the employer's material damage policy
- injuries to the student while on work experience will be covered by the employer's liability insurance policy
The Local Education Authority (LEA) work experience scheme requires the school staff to make a visit to the employer during the placement in order to monitor and review the progress of the student.
Hours required
The working time regulations 1998 apply to students
on work experience. However, the number and pattern of hours worked
is normally agreed by the provider, school and student. If
possible, normal hours should be worked, but students are not
allowed to work outside any hours specified by legislation.
Tax and National Insurance (NI)
Students on work experience must not be paid and
will not pay tax or NI contributions. Employers can assist with
travelling or lunch costs if they wish.
Work experience out of the area
If a student wishes to undertake work experience
out of the area then parents/guardians are responsible for making
the appropriate arrangements for travel and accommodation. There
could be problems with obtaining a placement suitability visit in
these cases and the work experience co-ordinator should be the
first point of contact if information on this is required.
Contacts at the school if there is a problem
Each school has a work experience co-ordinator who
can be contacted at any time during the work placement.
Parents/guardians and employers should be given the name of the
work experience co-ordinator and their contact telephone number
prior to the work placement taking place.