work experience for schoolchildren

tanith

If it teaches kids nothing else it shows them that the world of work is harder than being at school, and that they have to turn up every day and do a full days work.. I think for a lot of them its a shock to the system and also realising this is how its going to be for a good many years..... oh biggest shock to my grandson when he realised he'd no longer get the Summer off............ I had to smile...

MarieMc

My work experience was a week in the local library. They taught me how the Dewey Decimal Classification system worked and tbh I spent most of my days shelving returned books.
I was also shown how to use their computer system and was allowed to serve customers.

Halfway through the week I was taken upstairs and asked to join a few of the employees while they done a book reading "class".
It was actually pretty cool, an author came to visit and we were shown how to read books to children (holding book correctly, speed of reading, pronunciation and emphasis on words), then we all had to stand up and read to the "class".

I must say though that place was pretty laid back, as I am working in Accounts now and everything is rush rush and deadlines, not at all like that in a library lol :rotfl:

chumbasmum

Some pupils chose something that they go on to love and chose subjects accordingly. Some choose placements that they go on to hate and rule out as a career. Some pupils have been offered jobs or apprentiships when they have impressed their placement.

The problem is when pupils may not live in the area where there are much choice of placement. If nothing else they give pupils the experience of getting up, attending work, working with probably a wide range of people and age ranges which is all good life experience. They may also see how much they have to work for sometimes little money.

Savvy_Sue

sueeve wrote: »

As for the girls who stacked shelves. If they decided to get a bit more focussed in order to avoid that, that's brought them to a reality of what they need to do to avoid it. A reality which they can't be taught so effectively in the classroom.

:rotfl: I know, I used to tell my 3 that it was worth passing your GCSEs to avoid re-arranging the underwear in Primark, there always seems to be some youngster stuck with that when we pass through!

sock-knitter

my son love his work experiance placement, every friday since sep he has been at a garage, learning all about car mechanics, he's doing the same next year, adn want to do mechanics at college, and do the job in future. other son wants to be a bus driver, so school have arranged him work experiance as a driver;s mate for a local delivery company, he dosent start til next sep, so dont know if he'll find it useful or enjoyable

uolypool

My son has just been told his work experience placement for Oct ,he will be working at the firm of solicitors I used when I seperated from his dad:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:.He actually asked my solicitor if he could do his work experience there in 2006 when I took him to an appointment I had with her as he had a dentist appointment beforehand, she told him if he was still interested when the time came to call and speak to her secretary which he did,he is really looking forward to it as this is what he wants to become eventually

Felicity

I worked for a Tourist Information Centre for 2 weeks, great experience which I enjoyed and got a lot out of.

I also did a week in a hotel, they just used me for cheap labour over christmas but I suppose any experience is good.

I believe work experience to be so valuable I did a sandwich degree, took a year out to work in a related field. It worked for me and helped me stand out above my peers after graduating.

Sequeena

For my work experience I spent 2 weeks in a primary school. I enjoyed every moment of it but can't say I really benefitted from it.