Work experience and exchanges

If you are in a school, college or university, you should consult your careers guidance advisors. If you are unemployed, unwaged or in employment, contact your local Jobcentre or:

• Connexions personal advisor - careers advice for people 13 to 19.
  
• Careers services information from Learndirect or Learndirect Scotland.

• employment sites
  
• employment links for disabled people
  
• voluntary work and using your gap year

This will be different depending upon whether you are still at school, at college or university or unwaged.

Work experience undertaken as part of a course should contribute to and complement the skills and knowledge you need for your qualification. You should also consider work experience as part of a career planning programme, even if you may work in a completely different employment sector or job later.

You will be picking up ideas, skills and experience that will be useful to you in the future (even if your work experience is disappointing). You will also be able to add aspects of your experience to your CV (Curriculum Vitae) and applications for employment. If there are problems, though, you should let the organisers know in order to resolve any problems.

The former DfES produced a good practice guide for futher and higher education institutions Providing work placements for disabled students. It is aimed at staff and co-ordinators and provides practical advice and a guide to institutions' duties.

• Bridging the Gap - reports from university projects on work experience, 2001.
  
  
• Careers Europe - information includes European transnational work placement project report.
  
  
• Company Guide to work experience - covering frequently asked questions, the type of work a student can do for you, the things you need to consider before employing someone on a work placement, (e.g. payment and insurance and more), from the National Council for Work Experience.
  
  
• Connect Youth International - promotes exchanges of young people between the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, including youth exchanges, voluntary work and other projects, with information about grants and training materials for anyone providing international and inter-cultural experiences for young people, from the British Council.
  
  
• Good Practice in Industrial Work Placement - a guide for staff, aimed at supporting students studying chemistry and physics.
  
  
• HSE Risk Education - information and resources for education providers on risk assessment and risk management.
  
  
• InsightPlus - an accreditation scheme for students gaining skills through part-time work and voluntary work.
  
  
• Learning Support for Disabled Students Undertaking Fieldwork and Related Activities - webguides, funded by the HEFCE for staff, to support inclusion, considers a wide range of issues and places the involvement of disabled students at all stages.
  
  
• Links to Employability and Work Experience - Chapter 6 Section 5, Government's response to the Dearing Report.
  
  
• National Council for Work Experience - information and advice for university students, staff and employers, includes vacancies, conferences, events, features and case studies.
  
  
• Providing work placements for disabled students: a good practice guide for further and higher education institutions (2002) - aimed at institution staff responsible for placements: placement organisers, subject tutors and disability officers/learning support coordinators (.pdf)
  
  
• The Right Start Work Experience for young people: health and safety basics for employers - from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), website also has other relevant materials.
  
  
• Student placements and projects - employers' guide to projects, placements and finding students.
  
  
• Student Work Experience Record Book - Tutor Support - online with bibliography, written for work experience from schools.
  
  
• Trident Trust - provider of work experience placements, also information for parents, child protection guide for employers, overview of child protection issues and procedures, health and safety information.
  
  
• Trident Trust's Health and Safety website - interactive website with online test, designed to raise awareness of health and safety issues.
  
  
• Work experience and careers - resources on work experience from Hertfordshire Grid for Learning.
  
  
• Work Experience - A Guide to Promoting Quality - guides on curriculum areas and their relationship to work as well as a guide on good practice in work experience, from Learning and Teaching Scotland.
  
  
• Work Experience - Legal Responsibility and Health and Safety - DfES guide to legal responsibilities.
  
  
• Work Related Learning Report - report focuses on how to expand students' work experience opportunities and to facilitate closer relationships between key partners..
  
  
• Work Related Learning (WRL) Toolkit - staff development resource for advisers or managers in LEAs, Careers services/companies, EBPs etc. to use in their work with schools, colleges and training providers, online in PDF format.

Resources to help you make the most of your work experience include:

• Creating a work experience portfolio - simple record sheet to use, with examples of your work, in recording your work experience, from University of Ulster.
  
  
• Hobsons Graduate Career Centre - has information and tips on how to search for and apply for work experience, internships and placements and making the most of your experience.
  
  
• More Than Work - advice on finding work experience and the skills you can develop, from NASES.
  
  
• Putting a spin on work experience - advice on including work experience in a CV, resume or application form (US site).
  
  
• STEP - Skills Online helps you record your experience and prepare a project report with helpful student guides.
  
  
• Student Guide - to support the development of skills through reflective learning, from the National Council for Work Experience.
  
  
• Work experience in magazines - helpful information for people looking for work experience in magazines and journalism.
  
  
• Work Experience - doctorjob.com - good articles on the value of work experience, also employers offering work experience, useful links for law students, organisations and experiences from recent undergraduates and graduates.

Please note: Some of these sites charge for their services - inclusion in these pages does not constitute a recommendation or any guarantee of quality.

For many more links to organisations providing overseas work experience, conservation work, expeditions, field work, voluntary work and placements, visit our voluntary work section.

There is some key information for students and advisers about choosing an organisation to travel and work with outside of the UK, from the Year Out Organisation. There is a code of practice for organisations, a set of student guidelines (questions to ask when choosing an organisation to travel with) and information and guidelines for student advisors.

• Activate - job and career site includes work placements, voluntary opportunities and temporary jobs.
  
  
• AIESEC - exchanges and work abroad programmes, operates also in the UK and Europe, includes articles on work experience issues.
  
  
• AIESEC in the UK provides useful information on companies and also links to some other information sites.
  
  
• AIPT - providing opportunities in the US for international students and opportunities abroad for US students.
  
  
• Backdoorjobs - mainly US opportunities, including adventure, camps, ranches and resorts, environmental, sustainable living, artistic, community, overseas settings.
  
  
• BBC Work Experience - offer a broad range of short, unpaid work experience placements.
  
  
• BUNAC - overseas work and travel programmes.
  
  
• BUTEX (British Universities Transatlantic Exchange Association) - information and database of opportunities on studying in the UK, studying outside of the UK and exchange schemes.
  
  
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) - includes work and study exchanges around the world, for US students, and within the US for international students, includes information on health, safety and responsibility.
  
  
• Connect Youth International - promotes exchanges of young people between the United Kingdom and other countries in Europe, including youth exchanges, voluntary work and other projects, with information about grants and training materials for anyone providing international and inter-cultural experiences for young people, from the British Council.
  
  
• Coolworks - summer and winter jobs mainly in the US, especially in resorts, parks, camps and on water.
  
  
• Cultural Cube - information and programmes, including working holidays in USA, Europe, Australia, UK, internship or work experience programmes in Armenia and USA, volunteer work in UK, Armenia and Italy, budget accommodation information, diving courses in Australia and Fiji, also message boards, and mailing list.
  
  
• Dr Job - work experience information including employers, features and profiles.
  
  
• European Commission - traineeship opportunities for graduates from EU countries, five-month periods of in-service training, requires good knowledge of one Community language and satisfactory knowledge of one other.
  
  
• European Work Experience Programme - commercial organisation providing opportunities in England.
  
  
• GO Wales - subsidised work placements in small businesses for students and graduates in Wales.
  
  
• hotrecruit - part-time, temporary, seasonal and full-time jobs, including unusual opportunities.
  
  
• IAESTE UK - International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience - providing science, engineering and applied arts undergraduates with training experience abroad relevant to their studies, mainly summer placements.
  
  
• Information for students about part-time jobs - although it includes information about Suffolk bye-laws, it contains useful information for students on types of jobs on offer, including babysitting, paper rounds, working in an office, cafe, shop or hairdresser, agriculture, horticulture or riding stables.
  
  
• Institute for Experiential Learning - internships and work experience in Washington, DC (USA).
  
  
• International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE) - course-related vacation training abroad on a reciprocal exchange basis for science, engineering and applied arts undergraduates.
  
  
• The International Federation of Medical Students' Associations (IFMSA) - professional and research exchange programmes for medical students
  
  
• InternJobs.com - internship and work experience opportunities for students and recent graduates (US site).
  
  
• InterExchange - American non-profit making organisation providing opportunities for au-pair work, working and travelling in the USA for overseas students, US summer camps, working in US companies, teaching, working or internships abroad for US students.
  
  
• i-to-i - work experience opportunities, including the media, business, medical observation around the world.
  
  
• JobMonkey.com - summer jobs, seasonal jobs, unusual opportunities including canneries, fisheries, resorts, lodges and parks, airlines and airports, land tours, guides, outdoor activities, teaching abroad, casinos, gaming and gambling, ski resorts, cruise ships, sailing and river boats.
  
  
• Jobpilot.com - options include permanent, graduate/entry level, freelance/contract, work experience/internship, student jobs, most employment sectors, Europe and worldwide.
  
  
• Just Jobs for Students - holiday, part-time, year out and graduate jobs in the UK.
  
  
• Knowledge Transfer Partnerships - business based training and personal and professional development, whilst managing a project within a company, also opportunities for academic staff in FE and HE.
  
  
• Leonardo da Vinci Student Placement Programme - run by organisations, including some colleges and universities, apply through your college or university.
  
  
• National Association of Student Employment Services (NASES) - jobshops available to students at universities, also provides work experience information, jobsearch skills and more useful information.
  
  
• The National Council for Work Experience - information and advice for university students, staff and employers, includes vacancies, news, events, publications, advice, also information for academics and employers.
  
  
• PAYAway - working holidays, GAP year opportunities and jobs abroad, including a magazine for working travellers, descriptions of work available for worker travellers, links to organisations providing paid and voluntary jobs overseas, country information and other links.
  
  
• Placement UK - placements in the UK for international students.
  
  
• PLOTEUS (Portal on Learning Opportunities) - information on studying in Europe, including educational institutions, guidance and advice services, exchanges and grants and useful information on living in another country.
  
  
• Ragtime - placements with BT.
  
  
• Refugee Council - has a work placement scheme.
  
  
• shadowing4success - for students at school, college and university, a work shadowing scheme offering 2 days with 10 professionals. Apply by 30th April 2004.
  
  
• STEP - for students and graduates, summer placements, short placements, industrial placements for 12 months, also FAQs, projects and case studies, Skills Online to help record your experience and prepare a project report with student guides, also information for universities.
  
  
• Talentladder - work placements for students.
  
  
• Transitions Abroad - online magazine and resources including studying and travel, volunteering, internships and work experience.
  
  
• Travellers Worldwide - teaching, conservation placements, work experience in a range of occupations including Journalism, Law, Medicine, Architecture, Tourism, Veterinary, also learn a language, cultural exchange and other courses, from Travellers Worldwide.
  
  
• Trident Trust - provider of work experience. placements, also information for parents, child protection guide for employers, overview of child protection issues and procedures, health and safety information.
  
  
• Trident Trust's Health and Safety website - interactive website with online test, designed to raise awareness of health and safety issues.
  
  
• Traineeships at European institutions - information about a range of European institutions, also information about work experience, working and volunteering in Europe.
  
  
• US - UK Fulbright Commission - advice and guidance for UK and US people wishing to study in the UK or US , including work experience, awards and scholarships, short courses, admission test information, US study programmes in the UK, professional licensing issues and useful links to other information sites.
  
  
• USIT on the Net - summer schools and work exchange programmes, travel, in Ireland, for students and young people, factsheets are also available from USIT offices on working in the US and around the world.
  
  
• Virtual Xchange - student placements for women, includes tips on working abroad, advice on CVs and placements in Europe, links to placement and recruitment services, advice for companies, also IT skills, personal skills e.g. stress and time management, office skills especially in Finland, Spain, Sweden and the UK.
  
  
• Volunteer work placements - from Travellers Worldwide site.
  
  
• WITEC - student placement programmes for women on science, engineering and technology.
  
  
• Work Experience Fairs 2005 - 06 - fairs planned in the UK, for finding employers and other forms of work experience, mainly for university students.
  
  
• workSMART - your rights - working students - key information for working students from the TUC, about wages, tax, breaks, discrimination issues and other employment rights.
  
  
• WorkUK - work experience in the UK.
  
  
• Year in Industry - paid employment and management training opportunities, with some sponsorships available at the end in selected companies, with information for students, companies, teachers, advisors and parents.
  
  
• Young Enterprise - business experience programmes for young people 14 - 19.