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 is the experience that a person has been working, or worked in a
specific field or occupation.

   
{ © Volunteer work and internships
{ × Educational work experience at secondary Level in Australia, the United
Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
{ ¦ University-level work experience
{ Ô See also
{  External links
{  References

À  

  
 

0he phrase is sometimes used to mean a type of volunteer work that is commonly
intended for young people ² often students ² to get a feel for professional working
environments. 0his usage is common in the United Kingdom, while the American
equivalent is intern.

0hough the placements are usually unpaid, travel and food expenses are sometimes
covered, and at the end of the appointment, a character reference is usually provided.
0rainees usually have the opportunity to network and make contacts among the working
personnel, and put themselves forward for forthcoming opportunities for paid work.

Many employers in the more sought after professions (eg 0V, politics, journalism)
demand that every new entrant undergo a period of unpaid "work experience" before
being able to get paid work.


 


 

  

    
 
 

Work experience is offered on the national curriculum for students in Years © and ©© in
the United Kingdom (Ôth year in Scotland) and Australia; every student has a statutory
right to take work experience if he or she wishes. Work experience in this context is
when students in an adult working environment more or less act as an employee, but with
the emphasis on learning about the world of work. Placements are limited by safety and
security restrictions, insurance cover and availability, and do not necessarily reflect
eventual career choice but instead allow a broad experience of the world of work.[©

If a student fails to find a placement then he or she may sometimes be forced to attend
school everyday, continuing the normal school day or doing a placement around the
school such as aiding the caretaker for example, or helping out elsewhere in the school,
such as with language and PE departments, or with IC0 technicians.

Students are not prohibited from working at a company outside the conurbation of the
city or abroad. Routine safety checks on the companies are now more thorough and
students who arrange placements at failed companies are forced to find a new placement;
companies which fail to comply with statutory requirements for insurance and child
protection may be prohibited from officially taking students (this depends upon the
LEA).

Most students do not get paid for their time doing work experience; however, some
employers do give money to the students, as this is considered part of their education.
0he duration varies according to the course the student is on and various other personal
circumstances; the vast majority of students will go out on work experience for one or
two weeks in a year[©
, while some students will work in a particular workplace perhaps
one or two days a week for extended periods of time throughout the year, either for
vocation reasons and commitment to alternative curricula or because they have social
and/or behavioural problems.

 
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At the university level, work experience is often offered between the second and final
years of an undergraduate degree course, especially in the science, engineering and
computing fields. Courses of this nature are often called à

àà, with the work
experience year itself known as the à

. During this time, the students on work
placement have the opportunity to use the skills and knowledge gained in their first two
years, and see how they are applied to real world problems. 0his then can offer then
useful insights for their final year and prepares them for the job market once their course
has finished. Some companies also have the means to sponsor students in their final year
at university with the promise of a job at the end of the course. 0his can act as an
incentive for the student to perform well during the placement as helps with two
otherwise unwelcome stresses: the lack of money in the final year, and finding a job for
when the University course completes and when he have a free time.

ë 

{ Intern
{ Cooperative education
{ Ikando


  
{ Article about finding and making the most of work experience
{ What are sandwich courses?



 
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