Work experience is exciting and valuable. It is an opportunity to learn things in a different way:
- It gives you the chance to find out what work is really like.
- It will help you become more aware of the links between the skills and knowledge that you are acquiring in school and life outside school.
- It can give you the chance to find out about particular jobs, and about work in general.
- It can help you to think about your ambitions in a more realistic and informed way, and it should let you consider a wider range of options.
Your Connexions West of England Work Experience Certificate Log Book/Log Book Plus will help you to understand how your work and key skills will be useful and how you can relate your interests to a placement.
Use the Plan-it quizzes (if your school uses this system) to start thinking about your skills and qualities and the things you’d like to achieve.
Visit www.connexions-direct.com/jobs4u for details of 100s of different jobs and information about qualifications and training.
Use your Connexions/Careers Library or Young People’s Information Point for ideas. The computer software available - Careerscape, Careers Information Database (CID) and Kudos – will help you find out what jobs might suit you.
Work Matters will give you some basic information about the local job scene – the number of people in work, what they do, how much they get paid. You’ll find copies in the Connexions/Careers Library, Young People’s Information Point and at www.connexionswest.org.uk/pdf/work_matters_2005_061.pdf