How to get your own work experience placement

Work experience involves working for an organisation so that you can explore your career options, learn about a job and gain skills. There are many types of work experience, from school work programmes to internships and voluntary work.

Work experience usually involves students working 1 day a week over 5+ week and does not involve payment from the employer.

Applying for work experience is very similar to applying for a job. Here’s a guide to help you search for and complete work experience.

Step 1: Choose a job/industry you'd like to try

It's a good idea to do work experience related to an area you're already interested in. For example, if you want to get into healthcare, find some work experience where you help people.

Step 2: Find helpful contacts

Helpful contacts could include:

• people your family/whānau or friends know or that they use for various services

• people in your clubs, sports teams and other community groups

• people in your workplace if you have a part-time job

The Gateway Coordinator can also help.

Step 3: Prepare your CV

In your Gateway class you will be given a template to prepare your CV. Your CV showcases your skills, abilities and achievements to an employer. You can email your CV to potential employers when you ask for work experience.  But, remember to update your CV or cover letter so that it is relevant to the position you are applying for.  Think about past experiences or skills you have that might align with the type of industry/company you wish to do your placement with.

Step 4: Make Contact

Either call or email the company, askign to speak to a manager or supervisor if possible.  If you do email, but do not hear from them in a few days, it's a good idea to call them to follow up.

Here is an email template for you to modify:

Hi there, my name is *** and I am a Year 12 student at Rangitoto College.

I am in the Gateway programme and am currently seeking a work experience placement at your company, which would enable me to find out more about the industry.

Work experience involves attending 1 day a week, over 5+ weeks and DOES NOT involve payment.

I also have experience in *** (list any experience you have, part time work etc).

If you would be interested, please email me or call on *****

Thanks *** (your name)

If you hear back from the employer and they are keen for you to do work experience with them, then email them back thanking them for their response and let them know that they will hear from the Gateway Coordinator to set the placement up. 

Then email their name, phone number, company name and email to the Gateway Coordinator so that a time for an interview and dates/times for you to do work experience can be arranged.