Work experience is a valuable chance for pupils to gain insight into the working world, develop new skills, and explore potential career paths. It will enhance college and sixth form applications and CVs and improve chances of gaining an apprenticeship after Year 11.

How to Get Started:

• Reflect on Interests and Strengths: Think about subjects you enjoy and activities you excel in. This can help identify potential career fields. The Unifrog platform will be a great place to start with this.
• Research Opportunities: Investigate local businesses, organisations, and industries that match your interests. Don’t hesitate to reach out to family, friends, or school contacts for suggestions and connections. Businesses and organisations who offer apprenticeships are often well placed to support with Work Experience placements – search for these on Unifrog (select ‘All tools’ –> Apprenticeships).
• Prepare A Cover Letter: Having a well-prepared cover letter ready can make a strong impression when applying for placements – which skills are important to business and career? Which do you already have?
• Reach Out Early: Many businesses plan their work experience programs well in advance, so it’s beneficial to contact them early to secure a spot and not miss out. Try to find a specific person to contact, rather than a generic email address.

Support and Resources:

• Guidance: We will organise sessions on cover letter writing.

• Speak to your teachers, PPMs, and other staff for ideas and support.

• Careers Manager Meetings: Schedule a meeting with Mr Huckstep for personalised guidance and support.

Success Stories:

Hearing from past pupils can be inspiring. Here’s what one of our alumni, Alex, had to say about their experience: “My work experience at a local tech company not only helped me understand the industry better but also confirmed my passion for software development. It was an important experience in my career journey.”

Work Experience placements at University of Birmingham will be released later on in the new year, but it is still particularly beneficial to gain work experience in an area of interest.

When we return in January, we will collect some information on pupils’ ideas for Work Experience, such as:

• Career/Subject interests?

• Businesses/organisations you could contact?

• Who have you contacted?

• What do you hope to learn or achieve from the placement?

We are here to support you throughout this process. If you need any guidance or have questions, please feel free to reach out to your form tutor or our careers manager (Mr Huckstep).

Let’s make this Work Experience Week a memorable and meaningful one!