Work Experience
A young person who has four or more encounters with an employer is 86% less likely to be unemployed or not in education or training and can earn up to 22% more during their career.
We believe every student should have meaning full encounters with employers in the local area to ensure they gain a broad and diverse knowledge of employability, an insight into opportunities and expand their knowledge of career possibilities.
Year 9 students undertake a day work shadowing which gives them the opportunity to have a meaningful encounter with an employer. They find out about a wide range of jobs and understand how the subjects they learn at school connect to their future.
Year 10 students will participate in a Get Work Ready Day. This is a day where there is a carousel of employer workshops, all introducing the young people to the skills and qualities employers look for. They also provide honest feedback on their engagement, teamwork and communication skills.
Students will take part in interview skills workshops with employers bringing their own personal journey to share with the students. Students will discuss how to prepare for interviews, how interviews are formatted and the best way to answer interview questions.
Year 12
Recent statistics from High Flyers Research reveal that over half the recruiters in The Times Top 100 Graduate Employers said that students ‘who have had no previous work experience at all are unlikely to be successful during the selection process and have little or no chance of receiving a job offer for their organisations’.
With so much competition for university places and then jobs, it can be difficult for students to make their CV and personal statement for applications stand out from the crowd. Gaining work relevant/ industry related work experience adds a valuable ‘extra string to a student’s bow’, with many benefits they can talk about in their university, job or degree apprenticeship applications.
In year 12 students carry out 4 days of Work shadowing with an employer linked to their initial pathway plans.
All resources to aid our students with the work experience/shadowing process and parent/carer information and documents can all be accessed via our school website.
For all of our students we ensure that preparation for work experience is carried out in school, largely as part of the Life skills program, so that students will feel confident when they embark upon their experiences. YC Hertfordshire also support pre preparations and post evaluations of students experiences. This supports us in making more informed plans for future years.
