Work Experience

Finding Your Own Placement

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Why find your own placement? 

Finding an own placement means that you should undertake a suitable placement that is of interest and personally rewarding to you. It also helps to develop communication, resourcefulness and initiative and will help to ensure that you have access to a wide range of jobs and employers.

 Making the most of work experience

To get the most out of work experience, you should plan ahead and consider what you would like to do. You may want to think about:

  • Careers you are currently considering. 
  • What sort of person you are? (likes and dislike) 
  • What is important to you in a job? (working with people/computers/animals etc)
  • What type of environment you would like to work in? (outdoors/shop/office/factory etc) 
  • Do you want to try something that interests you or try something new? 
  • How far you are able to travel? 

If you are still unsure why not think about: 

  • What are your favourite subjects at school? 
  • Do you attend a club or have a hobby outside of school that could link in to a placement? 

Finding an employer 

Once you have decided what you would like to do for work experience, you will then need to try and find an employer.
Below are some ways that could help: 

  • Ask family and friends. 
  • Contact employers that you know of. 
  • Use the Internet to search for employers in the sector you are interested in. 
  • Ask your school if they have any contacts through careers related activities they do. 

Hard finding an employer? 

Due to your age it sometimes can be difficult to get a placement in the job area that you are interested in. However, if you have a specific job in mind, consider the skills that you could learn in a slightly different area that would be relevant. 

If you wish you become a doctor think about possibly working in a nursing home. 

If you wish to become a vet think about working in a kennel/cattery. 

If you wish to become a teacher think about working in a children’s nursery 

Contacting an employer

Once you have found an employer that you would be interested in carrying out your work experience at you can use our Guide for Contacting an Employer to help make contact.