Preparing students for Work Experience Helena Collins www.collane.ie

1
Preparing students for Work ExperienceHelena
Collinswww.collane.ie
2
First impressions are important

• The students represent the teachers and the
  school and therefore the preparation of the
  student for work experience is of key importance

3
Current Employment Market

• More challenging
• Use this as a Positive
• The students need to take themselves seriously
  and be focused about where they are going, what
  they want to achieve and more importantly, what
  they can do

4
Planning and Preparation

• WHAT LOCAL EMPLOYERS ARE LOOKING FOR
• ATTITUDE Diligent, conscientious, honesty,
  reliability, pleasant, enthusiastic, willing,
  respect for company and staff.
• SKILLS Communication, literacy, computer (what
  is specific to their work experience)
• EXPERIENCE Doesnt necessarily have to be course
  related use experience in how they can apply
  themselves eg. Sports, projects, interests
  hobbies, part time work etc..
• QUALITY!

5
Examples

• Examples!

6

• Work experience may not create an immediate job
  but it is a great reference point where they
  could be contacted again at a later date if a
  vacancy arises or recommend them for another
  position through their business networks.

7
Preparation

• The student should be focused and clear about
  what they can do and what they want to achieve
  out the work experience placement
• Personal and vocational skills audit
• Identify and be clear about specific goals
• Types of tasks that they feel comfortable doing
  and what they would like to improve on or learn
• Identify the days and hours that they can give a
  commitment to
• Location
• Type of work environment

8
Preparation and Planning

• The student needs to be aware of their weaknesses
  in skills, attitude and ability as well as the
  barriers, challenges or difficulties they may
  experience in the workplace.
• They should have contingency plans in place to
  deal with any challenges they may feel might
  hinder the success of their work experience
  placement

9
Strengths What areas do I feel comfortable in? Skills Ability Attitude Weakness What areas do I need to improve? Skills Ability Attitude
Opportunities What are the benefits for me? What is there for me to achieve? Barriers What is preventing me from being successful? What issues do I have to overcome?
10
Curriculum Vitae

• This document is used to promote the student to
  the prospective employers.
• Recommended that the CV should follow a template
• Employers are now screening cvs and interviewing
  students for work experience placements.
• They identify areas of competencies expressed in
  the CV that are relevant to their organisations
  requirements,
• CV should reflect this by providing the relevant
  information.

11
Curriculum Vitae

• It is a selling tool, which should be accurate,
  adapted
• to suit the position being applied for, amended
  and
• updated to reflect new modules and work
• experience. What was used last year is no longer
• current.
• LAYOUT
• LANGUAGE
• SPELLING
• ACCURACY AND NEATNESS
• RELEVANCE OF INFORMATION PROVIDED

12
Covering letter

• The covering letter is a tool used to screen and
  identify the competencies of the applicant.
• e.g. Initiative, neatness, attention to detail,
  grammar, spelling, relevance of information

13
Covering Letter

• Points to be included in letter.
• Addressed directly to the person responsible for
  recruitment
• Title and position
• Reference made to where the position was
  advertised
• Clarify the position which the candidate is
  applying for
• Provide an outline of their qualities, skills,
  attitude
• Letter can be handwritten or typed
• Accuracy, layout, grammar and spelling are
  important.

14
Obtaining Work Experience

• Identify companies
• Identify the most appropriate contact person
• Forward a copy of CV and letter either by email
  or post
• Follow up with a call either in person or by
  telephone

15
Going for Interview

• Preparation is very important it gives the
  student confidence. This is also useful for their
  Learner Record and Assessment Report
• Talk to somebody
• Do some research
• Review their personal and vocational skills audit
• Practice answering questions
• Bring a copy of their CV
• Dress neatly and appropriately
• Get clear directions

16
Under the Employment Equality Act 1998

• Employers are obliged to ask competency based
  questions which enable them to assess the
  candidates ability to carry out the tasks
  assigned to the position they are recruiting for

17
Questions

• Therefore, they would ask questions which start
  with please describe or explain what you did
  when
• These are not hypothetical questions starting
  with when would you,,,, or how would you.
• With competency questions, you have to explain
  the process or procedure in how you carried out
  or dealt with a particular situation you had
  experienced.

18
Co-ordination Question

• Please describe a situation when you had
  several tasks to complete in one day and your
  supervisor asked you to complete another
  activity.
• This is normally followed by a probing question
• How did you prioritise your workload and how
  did it affect you in completing your work load at
  the end of the day?

19

• The students should be able to talk
  comfortably about what they can do, how they
  applied themselves to and the approaches they
  took in carrying out their course work and their
  interests and hobbies. Honesty is always
  recommended.

20
Work Experience

• KEY TIPS
• Always be on time..
• If they are not feeling well..
• If they are unsure about the task given to them
• If they have not completed a task
• They should be thorough and neat in their
  approach to their work. Keep their work area
  tidy..
• Give adequate notice
• They should try to find a way of fitting in
• Look for other things to do
• Observe or assist them
• Keep a daily record

21
Daily Record

• From an employers perspective
• Provides focus and information of what the
  student has completed and identify areas where
  the student still needs to gain experience in
• Assists in evaluation

22
Concerns of employers

• They dont have sufficient time to guide the
  student
• Not enough work to keep the student busy without
  supervision
• Having allocated tasks to be completed the
  student does not arrive for work
• The tasks assigned do not challenge the student
  and provide the opportunity to develop
  sufficiently
• The student reacts negatively to constructive
  criticism
• The student does not participate actively with
  the team, to support and observe them

23
Feedback from employers

• Great resource to assist company during busy
  periods, get tasks completed that are left and
  provide cover and support for staff
• Fresh ideas of how things could be carried out
  more efficiently or up to date procedures and
  processes
• Good opportunity to identify potential employees

24

• The success of the student on work experience
  placement is a reflection on the tutors and the
  Institute

25
Overview Questions

• Planning Preparation
• C.V. Covering Letter
• Interview
• Conduct on Work Placement
• Expectations Feedback from Employers

26
Thank you!Presented by Helena
Collins049-4371500www.collane.ie