Providing work experience opportunities
The work experience process, benefits to employers and young people, and how to get the most out of the experience.
One challenge that most businesses face is finding the right people to help them develop and grow.
As an employer, you could provide a young person with a quality work placement which would give them a positive experience and increase their employability skills. It could also help you to build a dynamic and productive workforce amongst other benefits of work experience.
By providing a work experience opportunity, you would also be contributing to the education process and the economy as a whole.
This guide provides information on the different types of work experience opportunities that your business could provide including work experience opportunities for students still at school and work experience opportunities for young people and graduates. There is also guidance on ensuring a safe work experience placement and preparing for the work experience placement including health and safety and risk assessment considerations.
It also highlights the type of work experience activities you could provide so that both you and the young person get the most benefit from the process.
Benefits of work experience
Explore the many benefits that work experience opportunities bring to businesses, young people, and the wider community.
Work experience is an opportunity to introduce young people to the reality of working life. The experience they get during their work placement can help them develop practical insight and skills to help them secure and sustain future employment.
By taking students on work experience, employers get an opportunity to engage, inspire, and inform young people about what working life is really like.
Benefits of providing work experience for employers
Offering work experience can bring a number of benefits to you as an employer:
Promotes your company profile
Establishing your business as an employer that offers young people work experience opportunities will build a positive image of your company and one that people easily recognise.
Contribute to your corporate and social responsibility (CSR)
Providing work experience opportunities will contribute to your CSR duty. This will be seen favourably by customers, suppliers, and the wider community.
Better connection with your community
By offering work experience opportunities to local schools and education providers you can add value to and make meaningful connections with your community.
Find new talent
Work experience programmes are a great way to tap into new talent as young people seek jobs following full-time education. Having an established connection with young people gives you a competitive edge over those employers that don鈥檛 offer work experience placements. You will also get insight into what potential recruits look for in an employer as generations evolve.
Skills development
Involving your employees in the work experience placement and providing potential management opportunities can help your staff develop their supervisory and managerial skills. This will help staff feel motivated and invested in your business helping to contribute to staff retention.
Get additional help at no cost
Employers are not obligated to pay for work experience placements, so you have the opportunity to get additional help at no extra cost. This can be beneficial to both you and the work experience placement, for example, if you have a large project that requires additional resources. This also offers the opportunity to provide an enriched experience for the placement student.
Innovation and new ideas
Young people often bring fresh ideas and approaches which may open up new opportunities for your business. They may also be able to inject some innovation into your business and offer alternative solutions to challenges.
Promoting diversity
By offering work experience placements to young people from various backgrounds you will promote diversity in your workplace.
Gain a competitive edge
By establishing a relationship with local education providers and being viewed as an employer that provides young people with opportunities you will have a significant advantage over your competitors especially when it comes to recruitment.
Work experience benefits for young people
There are a number of benefits that work experience placements can offer young people:
Skills development
Work experience gives young people the opportunity to develop skills essential for working life such as time management, teamwork, business etiquette, communication, and problem-solving.
Career path
Young people can get an insight into what is required to work in certain industries when they take up a work experience placement. It will help them decide what career path to follow.
Personal development
Work experience helps young people build transferrable skills that they will be able to use in other jobs. They will also gain confidence by taking on a new challenge.
Connections
Work experience provides young people with the opportunity to connect with local companies and meet new people who can help them on their career path.
Insight into recruitment
Applying for a work placement provides the opportunity to learn about recruitment processes eg how to apply for a job, prepare for job interviews, and build a CV
Work experience opportunities for students still at school
Employer guidance on arranging work experience placements for students still at school.
There are various ways that you can advertise or source work experience opportunities.
Alternatively, you may wish to use one of the following organisations to manage work experience opportunities on your behalf. These organisations provide a brokerage service to 91香蕉黄色视频 employers and school career teachers in arranging work experience placements for post-primary students.
Speakers for School
You can host work experience opportunities through Speakers for School. They can help you advertise your opportunities and connect you with suitable work experience candidates.
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Business in the Community Work Inspiration
is a national, employer-led campaign that aims to make work experience more meaningful, relevant, and inspiring for young people.
Schools and colleges
A number of schools and colleges encourage young people to find their own placement. However, there are occasions when careers teachers will source placements for the students.
Some schools and colleges have also developed partnerships with local employers. You could get in contact with schools in your area to see if you could establish a partnership for work experience.
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Arranging work experience
Issues to consider when thinking of taking part in work experience include:
- Duration of placement - most schools and colleges prefer a five-day block placement, however, some may be open to three or four-day placements.
- Age of students - most students go on work experience in year 12 (age 15-16 years old) and/or year 13 (age 16-17 years old) or year 14 (age 17-18 years old).
- You do not have to pay students on work experience a wage.
Work experience opportunities for young people and graduates
Detailing work experience opportunities for young people and graduates.
There are ways you can source or advertise work experience opportunities for young people and graduates.
Work Experience Programme
The Work Experience Programme provides employers with the opportunity to offer meaningful work experience which can provide a valuable contribution to the development of people鈥檚 employability skills and career aspirations.
Read full details on the Work Experience Programme.
Connect with local universities and colleges
Some universities and colleges establish partnerships with local employers to generate work experience placement opportunities for their students. You could get in contact with local universities and colleges to establish a work experience partnership for your business.
Find contact details for .
Preparing for the work experience placement
When preparing for a work experience placement, you should ensure a placement plan has been drawn up and communicate with the young person beforehand about what to expect.
Providing as much information as possible about the placement to the young person in advance gives them a clearer guide about what to expect and reduces their anxiety.
Before starting, the placement supervisor should try to inform the student about the following:
- where to go on their first day
- who to report to
- start and finish time
- breaks
- lunchtimes
- canteen facilities or alternatives
- dress code (smart/casual can be confusing, so you could provide a few examples)
Placement Plan
Placement plans provide both the supervisor and student with a placement structure.
You may wish to consider incorporating the following into the placement plan:
- welcome and overview of the company
- induction - health and safety, confidentiality
- provision of uniform/pass if required
- tour including canteen and toilets
- instruction in the safe use of any equipment including IT equipment
- timetable for the week
- what activities the student will be doing
- details of any projects they may have to complete
- review of placement when completed
It would be beneficial both for you and the student to spend some time before the placement commences identifying different tasks, projects, and activities that they can work on.
Ensuring a safe work experience placement
To ensure a work experience placement, you should look at insurance, health and safety, risk assessment, and child protection issues.
There are a number of things you should ensure are in place before a young person starts their work placement.
Insurance
You should ensure the young person is covered by your company's public liability and employer's liability insurance. Read more on liability insurance.
In addition:
- you may be required to provide proof of this liability insurance to the school or college
- you may also have to sign an indemnity form which the school or college will provide
For further information, .
Health and safety
You are responsible for the student's health and safety while they are on placement with you. See health and safety basics for businesses.
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Legal constraints
Employers should be mindful also of the following legal constraints in place to protect the student.
Students should not:
- be asked to work outside the hours of 9am to 5pm
- be asked to work more than 36.25 hours per week, excluding travel or lunch breaks
- work for more than five days in any consecutive seven-day period
- drive, manage, control or move mechanically propelled vehicles
- undertake work experience in a place where they are under the statutory age limit
- work in ways prohibited for under 18 year olds eg on aeroplanes, the airport apron, boats/ships, or portside
- undertake placements working at heights, in confined spaces or with dangerous substances
Read more on employing children and young people.
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Risk assessment
You should ensure your risk assessment is up-to-date to include work experience students. Read more on health and safety risk assessment.
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Child protection
Your staff should be made aware of your organisation's child protection policy.
You should consider the following:
- Do you have a child protection policy or procedure in place?
- Basic child protection training is required if there is a named supervisor with responsibility for trainees.
- Is the named supervisor checked through AccessNI? Read more on AccessNI criminal records checks.
- A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required if the employee's specific job purpose includes looking after under 16 work experience students. .
- As part of the risk assessment with regards to the placement, have you considered the location, travel and access to confidential material?
- Instructions and guidance should be given to all employees in relation to bullying, inappropriate behaviour, and language, including horseplay. Read more on bullying and harassment.
- The need for one-to-one work with a single adult should be avoided wherever possible.
Work experience activities
It is worth taking time to plan activities for a work experience placement so that both you and the student will get the most out of the experience.
Work experience should be beneficial both to you and the young person, so it is essential they are given as much insight into the world of work as possible.
This will allow opportunities for professional development and ensure they can demonstrate their practical experience to potential employers in the future.
Work experience tasks
Some suggestions for the types of tasks include:
- offer them a project to work on during the placement
- identify some work shadowing or team working opportunities
- assign a task for them to work on which is supervised but with scope to use their own ideas and creativity
- some administrative tasks such as answering telephones, sending emails, minute taking or filing
You could also ask the student directly if they have any suggestions for what they would like to do, or improvements they think could be made within your business.
Boosting business and talent through a work experience placement - Causeway Coffee
How Causeway Coffee, based in Ballymoney, took on a work experience placement to help meet demands and develop new talent.
Causeway Coffee, a multi-award-winning speciality coffee roaster based in Ballymoney, County Antrim, roasts ethically sourced beans from around the world.
Graham Watts, Co-Founder and Managing Director, explains how Causeway Coffee developed staff through work experience placements and the positive impact on their business.
Why we explored work experience placements
"Internal and external factors drove Causeway Coffee to explore work experience placements. Strong growth created a need for additional 91香蕉黄色视频, but tight margins prevented us from hiring a full-time employee. We also wanted to invest in future talent and find someone who could be a potential long-term member of our coffee family. Therefore, we found that work experience placements provided an ideal solution, allowing us to train individuals to our specific standards."
"A neighbouring company's positive experience with a work experience placement through Ulster Supported Employment Limited (USEL), a public body serving individuals with disabilities or health conditions, encouraged us to reconsider our recruitment strategies. My background in recruiting and managing large teams made my skills a natural fit for mentoring and developing someone seeking employment."
How we helped our work experience placement get started
"We designed a tailored training plan. This approach maximised the benefits of the work experience placement for both the placement and our company. The plan prioritised developing the placement's communication skills and confidence by exposing them to sales and marketing. We also leveraged the placement's IT aptitude, giving them hands-on experience in e-commerce, social media management, and website development. This approach enabled the placement to apply and refine their IT skills in a real-world business environment."
Local help and 91香蕉黄色视频
"Taste Causeway, a local collaborative network for the food and hospitality industry, 91香蕉黄色视频ed us throughout the process. The network facilitated informal discussions about the challenges and rewards of onboarding new team members, enabling us to exchange ideas and problem-solve. Additionally, employment advisors at the local Jobs & Benefits Office, from the Department for Communities, offered guidance."
Benefits of taking on a work experience placement
"Because the work experience placement required no financial commitment, we faced minimal risk compared to hiring a permanent employee. However, we understood that a successful placement demanded a commitment of time and resources to develop their skills and knowledge, ensuring a truly beneficial experience."
"The work experience placement benefited both parties. It allowed Causeway Coffee to manage its workload with additional 91香蕉黄色视频, and it gave the placement a significant advantage in the job market. The placement developed skills, knowledge, and confidence that will make them invaluable in their future job search. Our team found the experience surprisingly rewarding for everyone involved."
"The placement's fresh perspective, with insightful questions and innovative ideas, prompted Causeway Coffee to reassess some operational methods. This experience underscored the importance of fostering an open-minded culture and empowering staff. We maximised the training plan's effectiveness by granting the placement autonomy within a 91香蕉黄色视频ive framework, which resulted in positive placement engagement and business benefits.."
"Although the placement lasted only 13 weeks, the training programme forced us to work quickly and focus on helping our placement gain experience in each aspect of our business. The programme's flexibility, which included frequent reassessments with the placement, created a dynamic learning environment. We often paused training to reassess our processes and make quick changes. This helped our placement work through ideas dynamically, with often immediate results. Clearly, Causeway Coffee benefited, as we tightened up and improved our systems and processes with fresh ideas."
Monitoring the work experience placement
You can monitor the work experience placement by ensuring a member of staff is assigned to 91香蕉黄色视频 the student.
A member of staff should be identified as a point of contact to 91香蕉黄色视频, supervise, and mentor the student during their work experience.
This person can also liaise with the student's school or college during the placement.
The work experience placement supervisor should:
- create a placement plan for the student
- contact the student prior to placement and let them know where to go on their first day
- welcome the student and carry out their induction to the company
- ensure the student is treated as a young adult who is making a valuable contribution to the team
- be approachable and offer positive feedback
- be the first point of contact for the student in any instance of absence
- encourage the student to reflect on what they have learned on a daily basis and how these new skills could enhance their CV
- where possible, meet with the student at the start and end of each day
- liaise with the school or college before, during, and after the placement
A teacher or representative from the school or college may want to make a visit during the placement or telephone to discuss how the placement is going and what the student is achieving.
Work experience review meeting
On the last day, where possible you and/or the placement supervisor should meet with the student to discuss their placement.
You may wish to discuss the following:
- the student's achievements
- lessons learned
- how the experience relates to their education and career plans
- if there are any positions coming up in the company they may be interested in
You will usually be asked to complete a student assessment form. This is a very useful document for the student as it can be used in the future as a CV reference.
Work experience feedback
You may also be asked to complete an employer assessment form for evaluation purposes.
This will allow a critical analysis to be carried out. All suggested recommendations/improvements should be followed up by the school or college.
Providing work experience opportunities - Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful (video)
Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, explains how providing work experience opportunities has benefited their organisation.
Ian Humphreys, Chief Executive of Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful, explains how providing work experience opportunities has benefited their organisation.
An environmental charity, Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful campaigns directly to the public to bring about positive changes in behaviour.
Providing work experience opportunities is part of the organisation's ethos and in this video, Ian and Community Development Officer Nicola Murray, talk about how they prepare for new work experience students, tasks that the students get involved in, and challenges and benefits to the business.
In addition, work experience student Alastair Fenn, who has subsequently been employed by Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful in the role of Environmental Quality Assurance Officer, describes his experience of Business in the Community's Responsible Internship Programme and the opportunities it provided in helping to progress his career.