Year 10 Work Experience 2021 – 2022
What is work experience?
Work experience is an opportunity for students to visit a place of work and learn about a work based environment. It does not necessarily have to be connected to what you want to become but can also help inform and give vital experience when making decisions on future career choices.
When is Year 10 Work Experience?
We are really pleased to offer the opportunity to our Year 10 students to take part in a work placement outside of school this year. The placement dates will be Monday 13 June to Friday 17 June 2022. During this week, students have the opportunity to learn vital employability skills by working with an employer and experience the world of work in order to prepare them for their future pathways.
Next Steps
For students to take part in a work placement, here are the next steps:
- Launch assembly took place on Tuesday 1 February where students were given details about the programme (see Important Documents below for a copy of the assembly slides).
- Parental Consent Form needs to be returned to school by Friday 18 February (a copy is in the Important Documents section below)
- Students can start researching a placement and approaching employers.
- Support will be given during Personal Development lessons about how to contact employers.
- Once a placement has been agreed by an employer, student and parent, the Work Experience Placement Form needs to be returned to school. This must be signed by the employer and parent/carer.
- Health & Safety checks need to be undertaken before students can start their placement. The earlier that the placement form is returned, then this process can start immediately. The final deadline for return of placement forms to allow a student to take part in the Work Experience week is Friday 13 May 2022.
Essential Information
- On Monday 6 June, a Work Experience Preparation assembly took place to give students important information regarding the work experience week (See Important Documents below for a copy of the assembly slides)
- Students with confirmed placements were also given a Work Experience Journal to complete during the week (a copy is in the Important Documents section below)
- The first page of the booklet needs completing before Monday 13 June. This page asks important information about the placement so that students are prepared for going out of school.
- At the end of the booklet, there is an Employer Assessment page that employers can complete at the end of the week. Students can then keep the booklet and use for future reference.
- A letter and a copy of the Journal have been sent to all employers in advance.
Important Documents
Work Experience Launch Assembly Initial Letter to Parents Parental Consent Form Introductory Letter to Employer Work Placement FormWork Experience Final Preparation Assembly Work Experience Journal
Year 12 Work Experience 2021-2022
We are really pleased to offer the opportunity to our Year 12 students to take part in a work placement outside of school this year. The placement dates will be Monday 11 July to Friday 15 July 2022. During this week, students have the opportunity to learn vital employability skills by working with an employer and experience the world of work in order to prepare them for their future pathways
Next Steps
For students to take part in a work placement, here are the next steps:
- Launch assembly took place on Monday 4 April where students were given details about the programme (see Important Documents below for a copy of the assembly slides).
- Parental Consent Form needs to be returned to Miss Penman in school by Friday 29 April (a copy is in the Important Documents section below)
- Students can start researching a placement and approaching employers.
- Once a placement has been agreed by an employer, student and parent, the Work Experience Placement Form needs to be returned to school. This must be signed by the employer and parent/carer.
- Health & Safety checks need to be undertaken before students can start their placement. The earlier that the placement form is returned, then this process can start immediately. The final deadline for return of placement forms to allow a student to take part in the Work Experience week is Friday 24 June 2022.
- More information will be given to students to help prepare for their placement in the lead up to the Work Experience week.
Important Documents
Work Experience Launch Assembly Initial Letter to Parents Parental Consent Form Introductory Letter to Employer Work Placement Form
Virtual Work Experience
Virtual Work Experience placements are available through the following organisations. New placements are added continuously so it is important that students check the websites regularly for suitable opportunities:
- Speakers for Schools. There are many placements available with national employers that students would not normally be able to access. These placements can be completed online and will often be over one day, several days or a week. Students can sign-up using the website, search for available placements, apply and receive further information if successful.
- Springpod. Students can set up a login to access the work experience placements and apply for suitable opportunities.
Work Discovery Week
Work Discovery Week is Sunderland’s annual work experience event that’s become a national blueprint on how to engage young people with business, and how to encourage them to gain the skills to improve their employability.
Each year more than 1000 young people take part in a range of challenges, activities, workshops, inspirational lectures and exciting demonstrations held at the Stadium of Light and at businesses across the city.
Events can range from how to construct a racing car to how to control an 8ft high robot, and the fun activities all have a serious message, showcasing the diversity of jobs available across a wide range of sectors.
From brick-laying and welding demonstrations to high-tech challenges, more than 40 city businesses take part.
The event gives students access to some of the city’s biggest employers.
Sector Days:
Our Year 10 and 11 students are able to get involved in sector days throughout the year for industries including: health, utilities, hospitality, engineering and manufacturing, retail, ICT.
Guest Speaker Days:
Students are able to attend guest speaker days throughout the year, giving them the chance to listen to motivational talks by leaders from some of the North East top businesses.
Work Discovery Sunderland is also partnered with the Industrial Cadets Scheme, which allows students taking part in Work Discovery to work towards either a bronze or silver level Industrial Cadet award.
