My opinion about work experience…
This blog post is written by a work experience student sharing his opinion and tips about work placements.
HI, my name is Kieran and I’m a year 12 student based in the marketing department on work experience. Here, I’m going to suggest to you why I believe that work experience is vital for anyone, whether it be in year 10, year 12 or at uni itself, as getting used to a working environment in an area in which you are interested in is vital for you future.
Work experience is essential for anyone in life, as it gives them a stepping stone into work, whether it be a paid placement when at university, or just an unpaid internship over a summer holiday at the end of your A levels. Any experience in a field that you are looking at going into is priceless, especially when looking for a job is concerned. Potential employers like to see that an applicant for a job at their business has had relevant experience, even if it is not a very long time, any experience is better than none at all.
It is true that sometimes the work experience may not live up to your expectations. The good thing is that if you do not enjoy the environment that you are working in, or the jobs that you will potentially end up doing, then you can change the area of work. Bad work experiences may occur at one of your first placements (either in year 10 or 11), or later when your ambitions are more focused on one area, like when you are doing your A levels. If this, however, happens at uni and you do not like the work that you are doing, then something may be wrong, as your course and placement will usually be put hand in hand, to suit your interests for the future outside of uni. But there will always be someone there to help you if any issues, such as this, arise during work experience.
Here are some tips for when on work experience that I find useful:
First of all, have an open mind about your work experience. If it is in an area that you are interested in, well great, but if it isn’t, you always have the chance to change your opinion. And if it helps you in the future, well, it can’t be that bad, can it? No matter where you are working, the likelihood is that you will end up somewhere that you want to be, like me in the marketing department.
Secondly, make sure you take as much in as you can, because you may only end up doing one thing for the whole time you are at your placement; so make sure to be involved with the whole department, as you will get a better image of what working in a business environment is actually like.
Thirdly, be positive and have a smile on your face, this way, the employer will be more welcoming and willing to talk to you and will actively involve you in more activities if you seem enthusiastic about your placement.
Don’t forget to make the most of your opportunities at your work experience as it is majorly important for your future, and do what you can to get the best placement possible. When in your placement, make sure you do a varied amount of work to get a good idea of what your preferred department does on a daily basis. And…just try and enjoy it!
Worcester Student Life 