A work placement, is a period of supervised work, where students work for a company or organisation in order to gain work experience.
Work placements are a fantastic way to gain real-life work experience and can help you develop necessary skills and knowledge that employers look for. Sixth form is a great time to explore your career options and work experience can help you make an informed decision on your career intention. A work placement is a chance to impress a future employer and we have had students offered apprenticeships for when they have finished college and part time jobs whilst studying. At the very least you will have valuable experience to put on your CV! It is encouraged that you complete a placement to develop employability skills. This can be a range of placements including social action, volunteering and personal projects like employability or fund raising. Look on our employer directory page for more information or arrange a work placement meeting with one of our team.
We have three main areas which have compulsory placements as part of their triple course; Health & Social Care, Business and Sport. If you undertake this, there are compulsory placement units where you need to complete hours in specifically relevant placements. You will need to complete this to complete your course.
Work experience helps students gain valuable experience to prove their suitability for vocational degrees, as well as transferable skills for all UCAS applications. The following courses will expect to see evidence of work experience on university applications, but even if a student is applying for a course not listed here, it will enhance their application.
If you feel confident to contact an employer yourself, go for it! You can contact an employer through email, letter, phone call or in person. It is normally best to start with a phone call to enquire as to whether work experience is something the company can offer you and then they may wish to see your CV. Remember when contacting an employer to always be professional and polite. If you would prefer to email or write to an employer, make sure you include a cover letter as well as a CV. Click this link to discover how to write a great cover letter for work experience- work experience cover letter template If you need help contacting employers, we can offer you 1:1 support to help with your telephone skills or composing your email. Alternatively, we can contact an employer on your behalf!
Firstly, don't panic! They are aware that you are only at college and may never have had an interview before. Secondly, remember to book another appointment with a work placement officer or the careers advisers who can help you prepare for your interview (if you book in with them with notice they will be able to provide you with a mock interview).
Also, don't forget to click here and check out these interview tips - Prospects Website Interview Tips
