Experience in the workplace is a vital aspect to understanding potential career pathways and also the wider labour market. Taking time to engage with employers not only gives insight to what work in the real world can entail, but also provides an opportunity to put into practice many of the skills that are first developed in school such as CV writing, teamwork and working to strict deadlines.
The modern workplace is constantly evolving and offers a more diverse array of pathways than ever before. As such, it is impossible to grasp a true perspective on the world of work from a single week at a prescribed placement.
The Dixie Work Experience Programme
We begin an introduction to work experience in Year 9 through the PSHE curriculum where students are educated about the importance of work experience and how to seek out placements.
In Year 10, through our enrichment programme, students are exposed to various career simulations. This involves activities such as online work experience with JP Morgan, an insight into the legal system with mock trials and a taste for entrepreneurship with the Young Enterprise business challenge.
Ideas for work experience
With a foundational understanding established from our in-school provision, we encourage students to be independent and outward-looking to seek out their own work experience placements, the options for which are as follows:
Part-Time Work: Any paid employment (e.g., retail, hospitality, tutoring) counts as valuable work experience, demonstrating responsibility, time management, and customer service skills.
Work Shadowing/Insight Days: Shorter placements (e.g., one day to a few days) where the student observes an employee to gain an insight into a specific role or industry. This is great for exploring highly competitive fields like medicine, law, or finance where full placements may be limited.
Virtual Work Experience Programmes: Online placements offered by various providers and large companies (e.g., Springpod, Forage, Barclays LifeSkills). Students complete projects, watch video tutorials, and engage in online sessions to gain insight into a sector like digital, technology, finance, or law.
Online Career Taster Experiences: Short, focused online programmes (sometimes called ‘Taster Days’) that introduce students to different career paths within a large organisation (e.g., the BBC’s ‘Get In’ experiences).
Online Challenges and Competitions: Taking part in skill challenges like WorldSkills or sector-specific competitions (e.g., in coding, engineering, or business) can demonstrate skills and interest to future employers or universities.
Regular Volunteering: Committing time to a charity, social enterprise, hospital, care home, museum, or local council. This is highly valued, particularly when done on a regular basis (e.g., every Saturday morning), showing sustained commitment.
Nuffield Research Placements (STEM): A competitive, paid programme that gives Year 12 students a four-week placement working with professional researchers in STEM fields.
School or Community-Based Enterprise: Setting up and running a small business, social media, or event within the school or local community. This develops entrepreneurial and project management skills.
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award (DofE) or National Citizen Service (NCS): Programmes that involve community action and skill development, which employers and universities recognise as valuable non-formal experience.
Further Support
Students are supported to find placements that suit them through our use of the Unifrog platform, which gives access to a range of resources that aid in finding a placement. We also conduct dedicated meetings with the careers team to guide students towards opportunities that suit their personal ambitions. By the time students reach their post-16 studies, they are therefore well informed and confident about their choices for study, as they are able to determine where they can best see themselves fitting into the modern workplace.
