If you could redo School Work Experience?
- Thread starter Drill Masters
- Start date
I don't think 2 weeks school experience is enough. I think to get a good idea about work you need several months.
In two weeks very few firms can teach you anything but the most basic of chores so the work experience person ends up getting all the "making the tea and sweeping up" type jobs. Yes, there are some sectors where it's a bit easier, but two weeks simply isn't enough.
If we took someone on it would take them that long just to learn how we do things, who our clients are, what they do, etc. so they would end up going back having not done any "live" work.
In two weeks very few firms can teach you anything but the most basic of chores so the work experience person ends up getting all the "making the tea and sweeping up" type jobs. Yes, there are some sectors where it's a bit easier, but two weeks simply isn't enough.
If we took someone on it would take them that long just to learn how we do things, who our clients are, what they do, etc. so they would end up going back having not done any "live" work.
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O
Officebird
When I did my work experience I worked as a dental nurse. I got the fillings ready, held the sucker thing in peoples mouths and prepared injections etc as well as reception duties. It was good fun but I don't think it taught me much except that men like a young girl in a nurse type uniform!
Up this way they have a special kind of work experience for pupils they think are going to fluff their exams. They get placements for one day a week for a year. This is a much better idea, it's just a shame it's only for one type of pupil. We had a couple where I used to work and they didn't bother showing up after the first couple of weeks. If the more studious of pupils were offered this chance I think they would have taken it more seriously.
Lack of work experience is a massive bar to employment. I've recently had a work placement girl in the office for almost 3 months. She was 19 and had like a million A grade GCSE's and several A grade A levels. Unfortunately for her she had never had a job in her life and her CV wasn't that impressive. She went on a course we have here where she has to attend job search for 13 weeks, and they teach them interview techniques etc. She got a work placement with me 4 days a week (at no cost to me). She was good at some things but incredibly shy and didn't have a clue how an office worked. In the first week I had a client meeting and I asked her to make tea for us. The look she gave me! Anyway after about 8 weeks she applied for a job, with her placement here on her CV and she got it. She left after 10 weeks to work in administration at a care home and is apparently doing quite well.
The scheme is great. I got a free employee (who I can get rid of at any time if they are awful), she got something to put on her CV and her new employer got someone half trained. Everyones a winner! Thats what work experience should be. 3 months at the end of school learning the ropes in your chosen career path.
Up this way they have a special kind of work experience for pupils they think are going to fluff their exams. They get placements for one day a week for a year. This is a much better idea, it's just a shame it's only for one type of pupil. We had a couple where I used to work and they didn't bother showing up after the first couple of weeks. If the more studious of pupils were offered this chance I think they would have taken it more seriously.
Lack of work experience is a massive bar to employment. I've recently had a work placement girl in the office for almost 3 months. She was 19 and had like a million A grade GCSE's and several A grade A levels. Unfortunately for her she had never had a job in her life and her CV wasn't that impressive. She went on a course we have here where she has to attend job search for 13 weeks, and they teach them interview techniques etc. She got a work placement with me 4 days a week (at no cost to me). She was good at some things but incredibly shy and didn't have a clue how an office worked. In the first week I had a client meeting and I asked her to make tea for us. The look she gave me! Anyway after about 8 weeks she applied for a job, with her placement here on her CV and she got it. She left after 10 weeks to work in administration at a care home and is apparently doing quite well.
The scheme is great. I got a free employee (who I can get rid of at any time if they are awful), she got something to put on her CV and her new employer got someone half trained. Everyones a winner! Thats what work experience should be. 3 months at the end of school learning the ropes in your chosen career path.
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C
compuclean
My work experience was only one week, but I tell you, it made all the difference.
It was for a local frozen food and ice cream distribution company. On the first day, I was put in the sales office - I didn't make or receive calls, I was just told what they did and shown the computer system. Pretty boring, but informative.
The second day, I was out on the wagons, making deliveries in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, York and Whitby. Fantastic - to be riding shotgun in a refrigerated lorry. Cool!
Day three I was in the freezer. We're talking a warehouse that is kept at -18. Even with all the protective gear, it was cold. Just for fun, they put me in their on Day 4 too. But it was great, I was picking orders that were to go on the lorry.
Day 5, I was in the finance office. Boring, but informative again. So in the course of five quick days, I was shown the ropes of the whole business. At the end of it, the Director called me into his office, said that I had done well, gave me a tenner and a box of Cornettos. Cool!
Get's better. Jump forward three years, I've just left college. Wanting to get straight into work, I nip around all the offices in my area, dropping off CVs. This place gives me a call - convo goes something like this:
"I remember you from being here on your work experience. We've got a job that needs doing on the computers - it's very boring, it's data entry, and will only last about 6 weeks. You interested?"
Yup, I was. Worked there for three and a half years. During that time, I got the idea for CompuClean - it was whilst working at that place that I realised how grubby computers got - the keyboards were filthy, and when I opened up the units to replace parts, they were disgusting inside.
Would I change my work experience? Not a chance!
It was for a local frozen food and ice cream distribution company. On the first day, I was put in the sales office - I didn't make or receive calls, I was just told what they did and shown the computer system. Pretty boring, but informative.
The second day, I was out on the wagons, making deliveries in Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, York and Whitby. Fantastic - to be riding shotgun in a refrigerated lorry. Cool!
Day three I was in the freezer. We're talking a warehouse that is kept at -18. Even with all the protective gear, it was cold. Just for fun, they put me in their on Day 4 too. But it was great, I was picking orders that were to go on the lorry.
Day 5, I was in the finance office. Boring, but informative again. So in the course of five quick days, I was shown the ropes of the whole business. At the end of it, the Director called me into his office, said that I had done well, gave me a tenner and a box of Cornettos. Cool!
Get's better. Jump forward three years, I've just left college. Wanting to get straight into work, I nip around all the offices in my area, dropping off CVs. This place gives me a call - convo goes something like this:
"I remember you from being here on your work experience. We've got a job that needs doing on the computers - it's very boring, it's data entry, and will only last about 6 weeks. You interested?"
Yup, I was. Worked there for three and a half years. During that time, I got the idea for CompuClean - it was whilst working at that place that I realised how grubby computers got - the keyboards were filthy, and when I opened up the units to replace parts, they were disgusting inside.
Would I change my work experience? Not a chance!
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R
Rhyl Lightworks
I'm too old to have experienced this, but from the view point of an employer, who has given work experience to quite a number, I would say it all depends on the individual doing it. Some regard it as a good skive (2 weeks off school) and for them 2 weeks is too long. Others could stay for much longer, and many ended up with holiday or weekend jobs after (one even became a full time employee when he left school). I would look for something that interested me, if I could find such a placement.
Barrie
Barrie
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M
mitch@volume
i did two weeks in the local snooker/pool club. spent the morning cleaning and polishing the wood on the tables. then the afternoons were spent having pool lessons with the club manager who was an ex UK pool pro 
- total learn't about business and work 0
- can i now play pool and snooker well? Ooooh Yes
It was great !
- total learn't about business and work 0
- can i now play pool and snooker well? Ooooh Yes
It was great !
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