IYSS

Work experience

Work Experience normally takes place during Year 10 and placements for students in Coventry & Warwickshire are usually arranged by Connexions staff.  If students find their own placement it must be agreed with the school.  Connexions staff will make checks to ensure it is a safe place to work and that it meets all the necessary Health and Safety guidelines.

At this stage, lots of students are undecided about the career they want to follow, or the sort of work they want to do.  This is when you might find it useful to use a computer programme called Kudos, which is available at most of the schools in Coventry & Warwickshire.  The programme includes a questionnaire which analyses your responses to the questions and comes up with a list of suitable careers.

Where possible, you wil be given a placement in a location offering the type of work that interests you.  Unfortunately places can be limited, especially for the more popular types of work so don't be upset if your placement turns out to be unrelated to the career ideas you have.  Try to enjoy the opportunity of doing something new in a work environment as it will give you some valuable experience of the world of work.

Don't be afraid to ask questions beforehand - for example you might need to know what sort of clothing you should wear, what are the hours of work, bus times, etc.  If you have any worries about your work experience, speak to your Personal Adviser or school Careers Co-ordinator.

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