Work Experience Suggestions

[EvianBaby]

It's a while since I've been here but still a few familiar names around.

I need to come up with some ideas for a lad (15 I think) who is coming in for a couple of days for work experience. Handily my boss's have just sort of lumped this with me and although I'd hoped to get him to spend a bit of time with each department they are either unavailable or uninterested, which is wonderfully helpful.

I don't want him going away having hated it so if anyone has any constructive suggestions for things to fill his time for the 2 days that mean I don't have to babysit him the entire time I'd be grateful to hear them. We're a smallish construction company and he'll be spending his time in the office.

[woofgang]

Have you spoken to him about what he is interested in seeing/doing? You might ask him to bring a list of questions he has about what you do or you might produce a list of questions yourself....things he has to go and ask people...find out....experience....

[bednobs]

you might have to wait and see if he's gormless or intelligent first.
What do YOU actually do in the office?

[EvianBaby]

I've only dealt with his mother other the phone, who tells me he wants to run his own company - he's not sure what sort of company which is why I'd hoped to get him to spend some time with our MD, project manager, QS and accounts who are all doing they're best to be unavailable.
I do various things, ranging from HR, marketing/social media/website, H&S and everything in between so I've got plans to get him to do a bit of research on our competitors web presence and do some audits of the safety wear and training for our site teams but struggling to come up with enough to keep him busy and not bore him to death.

[EvianBaby]

*their best

[bednobs]

do you chase up invoices? write letters? call people?

[Rockrose]

spreadsheets that need compliling, or databases - anything techy

[derekpara]

I have been responsible for organising Work Experience for over 40 years, both for my school and, when I 'retired,' for three Outer London boroughs, and Iam still at it at over 80, visiting companies for Health and Safety checks and offering advice. Work experience is basically 'job sampling' for a week or two.

I love the scheme, and any company/employer who tells me that they aren't interested in offering a placement to a school pupil nearing his/her entry to the job market has, in my opinion, no right to criticise schools for producing children unready for the world of work.
Having got that off my chest let me answer your question. Firstly, Year 10 work experience should, ideally, be of two weeks duration; the second week being the most beneficial for obvious reasons. However, some schools have now reduced this to one week, which although not ideal is better than nothing and can still result in a very helpful report for the student's CV. ' A couple of days' work experience seems odd to me. Is he coming during the Sumer holidays ? If so, the school will have no involvement and no responsibility.
Ideally the student should spend his time in as many departments as possible to find out what the company actually does and to pick up basic employability skills on the way. These include skills which are not measured by GCSE exams but are essential to getting and retaining a job; I mean things like, punctuality, being a good team worker, being reliable, diligent, trustworthy and willing to work and learn new skills.

So a varied, planned, programme is the best plan and will go a long way to ensure success for everyone, especially the student. Please ask me for any further guidance; I will be happy to help.

Cheers.

D

[Tilly2]

That is a really helpful post, Derek. I'm sure Evian will find that very encouraging.

[derekpara]

Thanks Tilly. xx

D

[Paigntonian]

National Park warden, zoo worker, river, pond, lake bailiff, steam train volunteer...

[bednobs]

it's going to be a bit tricky to do all that in a construction company office

[derekpara]

Paigntonian, I take it that your suggestions are light hearted ones. I have placed a student in London zoo but he was looking after stick insects !

The risk assessments for working with large or dangerous animals, open water areas, or open access steam trains would be so restrictive as to make the placement almost meaningless. OK for more mature people but not 15 year olds.

[derekpara]

Evian. It is considered good form to acknowledge answers to a question on AB.

[EvianBaby]

This is my first opportunity to take a look at the rest of the answers since yesterday so I apologise this was not quick enough, but thank you for your responses none the less.

He is only with us for 2 days as the rest of his 1 week placement will be spent with other companies. I have managed to get some of the other department managers to commit to spending some time with him and have set him a research task to complete in between other jobs. Thanks for the input.

[derekpara]

Thanks, Evian.

His placement seems a waste of time and effort to me. Too little time to make an accurate assessment of him.

[Peter Pedant]

well put Derek para

I had got to the bit where the construction co wasnt interested in supplying work experience and thought - the lad will pick THAT up in 5 mins ....

reminded me of work experience in - - 1968.

[cassa333]

Oh the joys of work experience. My two 15yr olds went off to their first day of a two week stint today.

I’m assuming he will be office based the whole time! If he is then get him to be the junior.

Filing, copying, data entry, tea maker and Goffer. That sort of thing.

What sort of construction does the company do? You could set him a task of comparing one thing with another?