Work Experience at Fort Street

Work Experience at Fort Street

WORK EXPERIENCE AT FORT STREET

Work experience is a program for year 10 students

It is optional, but highly recommended. Here’s why…

Work experience is more than a checkbox on your resume; or something you “have to do” in year 10. It is fun and it unlocks doors to opportunities!

Work experience bridges the gap between your studies and the workplace. It helps you build your confidence and skills ready for work

What Counts as Work Experience?

Work experience is any activity that helps you learn more about the workplace. It’s an experience that supports your knowledge and skills related to a chosen career path.

While traditional work experience opportunities see you spending a week or two with an employer, it includes other experiences such as:

Workplace Visits & Tours: Where you spend the day touring different workplaces, hearing from employees and learning more about the careers on offer.

Job Shadowing: This is where you’re paired with different professionals and spend a day or two with them, observing what they do and learning about their work.

Work Placement: This option allows you to spend a dedicated amount of time getting hands-on experience in a workplace. You could spend one day a week on placement for a set amount of time or complete your placement as a block for a week or two.

THE BEST WAYS TO FIND WORK EXPERIENCE

There are LOTS of ways to find work experience, so it’s essential to stay open to new ideas and opportunities. Work experience is most beneficial when you use it to explore your ideas and uncover new ones.

Remember to stay curious and give something new a go! Here are our top tips for sourcing opportunities near you:

  1. Networking: Use your networks to find opportunities. For example, ask your parents and family if their workplaces offer placements. Personal connections often open doors to valuable work experiences.
  2. Career Services: Speak to your school’s careers adviser. At Fort Street, that’s Ms Salisbury (office in the library). She’ll provide information on employers who offer work experience and help you find the right fit for you.
  3. Volunteer Opportunities: Consider volunteering in your community. Volunteering allows you to contribute to a cause and provides a chance to develop skills, make connections, and showcase your commitment.
  4. Online Platforms: Explore online platforms dedicated to job and internship postings, such as Linkedln, Seek or Indeed. Create an online profile and set up job alerts to stay in the know about opportunities.
  5. Cold Outreach: Take the initiative by contacting companies or professionals in your field. Craft a well-written email expressing your interest and highlighting your skills. Many successful work experiences start with a proactive approach, demonstrating your enthusiasm and commitment to potential employers. Ms Salisbury is very happy to help you with this.

WHERE CAN WORK EXPERIENCE LEAD YOU?

Work experience can help you open many doors! Some opportunities you undertake may help you clarify where you want to steer your career.

And others can be the starting point for bigger and better things, such as:

Understanding yourself: talents, aptitudes, interests

Finding the Right Career Path: Work experience is a compass that guides you toward your possible future career pathways. By actively engaging in different roles, you can discover your strengths, preferences, and areas of interest, helping you make informed career decisions.

Understanding Role Preferences: Work experience is a trial run. It helps you to see whether a role aligns with your interests and goals. If so, that’s brilliant. If not, at least you now know that, and can begin to consider other possible career paths instead.

To do a work experience placement there are some legal requirements, and some (but not much) paperwork required by the Department of Education. Please make an appointment to speak with Ms Salisbury to get copies of the paperwork and to discuss possible opportunities and host employers. All year 10 students are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity and start thinking about potential experiences this year.