As a high school student, work experience will typically be the first time you step foot into the real world and learn what it’s like to be in the workforce.
Around 75% of work experience participants have said that it has provided them with new skills and an increase in confidence; so with school careers advisors at the ready, work placement should be the start to discovering the career path you want to take in life.
As a young person, it can be confusing to know where you would like to have your work experience placement, as there are millions of job positions and career fields to choose from. Typically your school will help offer careers advice by making you take a career tests to figure out where your strengths may lie or a job that would suit you. Whilst this may help some, some other great starting points include:
Even if you’re unsure of your ideal future career, there is work experience available for everyone in range of industries. It is okay to spend a week in an industry that may not exactly be your passion. The point is about gaining experience and new skills, as well as discovering whether or not a field is right for you. School work experience does not have to reflect your career goals, it may be a week for you to step outside your comfort zone into a job position you wish you could do, or it may be a time to test whether or not a passion of yours could turn into something more.
Here are 10 work experience ideas that you may spark your interest, or may inspire you to branch out into a similar field:
Volunteering for a week in a store such as the Salvation Army, Brotherhood of Saint Lawrence and Vinnies can really open up your eyes to how hard life can be for some people, and how you can make a big difference. It provides a rewarding work experience in this important field; it will look great on your resume, and help improve your people skills from dealing with a variety of customers.
Work experience at your local area police station could also be a great opportunity to see life from a different perspective. Throughout the week you would be learning how the force functions, the different roles and the different and unique situations officers have to deal with on a daily basis.
If you feel your future career may be in the broadcasting industry, consider applying for work experience at a television studio or radio station to understand what happens behind the screens to determine if that is the place for you.
Many work experience students commonly complete their week of placement at a primary school (sometimes the one they went to) or a kindergarten; this offers a great opportunity for learning how to work with children, as well as seeing if teaching is an opportunity that may spark your interest in the future. Childcare centres are always happy to take on board school students for a week as it is a rewarding experience for all.
The 21st century has seen technology become a core component of our daily activity, if information systems, web development, digital design or media communications is something you see your future self doing, then explore the massive world of digital media to gain experience in a part of your choosing.
Hospitality is a major industry that is considered a popular and promising TAFE course and as a future career. Having work experience in a reception centre, cafe, restaurant or other hospitality place is a great way to learn a variety of skills and see where a career in this field may take you.
If animals or veterinary science is a major passion for yours and a possible career, completing a week of experience in a vet clinic or animal care shelter offers you the best kind of start to this exciting career. Even if working in a vet isn’t your calling, animal shelters are always looking for volunteers who are caring and fun loving people.
If you are considering studying a degree is science or medicine, it is worthwhile to find work experience placement in a research centre based on an area you find interesting such as biology, chemistry or physics. Not only will the week help determine if that type of career is right for you but it will also give you an interesting insight into the life changing work people do every day.
If you’re a sports enthusiast and see yourself playing a sport or being a part of its organisation, there are many clubs of all sizes and in all sports willing to offer a students a week of work experience. There are sometimes actual programmes available at specific clubs or sports centres that you can decide to pick from or simply express your interest for a week of valuable learning.
There are actually many work experience programmes designed for secondary school students to gain an understanding of the specific field and what work is like within that industry. These placements are often highly limited and require more than just a cover letter and resume to apply for; however they are well worth the hard work and are considered very rewarding for students.
Whatever you choose for your Year 10 Work Experience, it is important that you gained something out of it.
Whether it is a new skill, interview tips, networking, or you find out you wouldn’t particularly like to work in that field, any work experience as a young person, is considered to be good work experience.
Thanks Guys
Jeffrey Anderson
Workplace Learning Coordinator
