Western Student Connections

Work ExperienceVs

Work Placementhttp://www.wsc.edu.au

WSC Employers Database3866 Active Employers

198 newly registered in 20122359 Inactive Employers

What is Work Experience?VEiS: Work experience is an invaluable

teaching and learning strategy that supports students test their growing

capacities in a real workplace and helps them attain the vision we have for them.

• enterprising and capable citizens;well prepared to take charge of their future;gain the skills and confidence to be independent;self-aware, resourceful;alert to the choices and opportunities available in their lives

Career Education FocusCommunity-Based Learning

Enterprise FocusStudent Mentoring

KLA Focus for Work Experience

The Employers Guide to Workplace Learning 2012:Work Experience:These programs are usually undertaken by students in Years 9 or 10 with some opportunities in Years 11 and 12.Work experience provides a general introduction to the ‘world of work’.Young people are able to:

observe a variety of work being done;undertake supervised work appropriate to their skill level; ask questions about the workplace;gain general skills related to being at work;learn how enterprises work and how to be enterprising;

complete course assignments relevant to the industry or workplace;find out about training and employment opportunities;fine-tune their career aspirations and career and transition planning.

Work Placement VEiS:Work placement is a planned opportunity in a quality host workplace that enables senior school students studying particular industry-based courses to practise and develop their industry competencies and their employability skills in a vibrant real work context.

Work placement is a mandatory component of the industry-based vocational education and training (VET) courses that students can choose as part of their studies for the NSW Higher School Certificate.

NSW Board of Studies

Principles Underpinning Work Placementhttp://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au

(Each ICF)

NSW DEC

Workplace Learning PolicyProcedures and Standards

https://www.det.nsw.edu.au/vetinschools/worklearn/worklearnpolicy.html

NSW BOS

Support Document for Students with Special Education Needs

http://www.boardofstudies.nsw.edu.au/voc_ed

NSW DEC

Preparing Students(VEiS intranet site)

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

• Preparatory activities must include emphasis on student safety and well-being

• In the case of HSC VET work placements, a student’s lack of work readiness, usually in spite of substantial efforts by staff, cannot be used to bar a student from attempting a placement.

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Key areas suggested for including in preparatory activities (1):

• Introducing workplace learning: purpose, focus and implications for students

• Student Placement Record, Safety and Emergency Procedures-Student Contact Card and the supply of mandatory guides to employers and to parents/carers

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Key areas suggested for including in preparatory activities (2):

• Work readiness• Understanding host employer expectations • Safe learning while in the workplace: WHS• Student welfare and well-being• WHS online information: http://www.wsc.edu.au/swl.php

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Key areas suggested for including in preparatory activities (3):

• Safely managed travel arrangements• Student responsibilities – a long list• Student conduct in the workplace – Code of

Conduct

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Key areas suggested for including in preparatory activities (4):

• Additional pre-requisites – e.g. White Card, Safe Food Handling

• Dealing with problem situations • Planning for post placement follow up.

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Other areas to consider including (1):• Personal presentation and first impressions• Communicating appropriately in the

workplace• Working with others in the workplace• Quality of work undertaken by the student

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Other areas to consider including (2):• Pre-placement interviews with the host

employer• Generic workplace skills: answering the

phone, taking messages, customer service and employment related skills.

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Developing student work readiness• Work readiness can be viewed as both a process

and a goal that involves developing a student’s workplace-related attitudes, values, knowledge and skills. This enables students to become increasingly aware and confident of their role and responsibilities, usually as entry-level workers in enterprises where customer satisfaction, operational performance, and frequently financial return, are vital.

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Work readiness involves students having what employers call the right attitude:– Appropriate personal presentation, being reliable and

punctual– A positive attitude to the work being done and to

spending some days in the workplace– Realistic expectations of the work that an entry-level

student will be able to do– Willingness to learn– Willingness to be supervised, follow instructions and

wear personal protective equipment (PPE) as directed

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

– Capacity to function and communicate appropriately in an adult environment without the support of other students

– Confidence to ask questions to clarify instructions– Completed preparatory activities that include

WHS awareness and practices, acceptable behaviour and student conduct in the workplace (including child protection issues) and the circumstances for using emergency contact procedures.

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

– Organise travel arrangements that they can safely manage to and from the workplace.

– Make arrangements to ensure their attendance for the duration of the work placement

– Understand their individual responsibility for providing and completing relevant paperwork

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

– Understand and demonstrate willingness and capacity to meet employer expectations and priorities

– Have some knowledge of how to serve customers, as appropriate.

– Know how to deal with being really busy in the workplace, and what to do when things appear quieter in the workplace

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

– Understand that for HSC VET students, work placement is a compulsory part of the course and their performance in the workplace provides evidence to their teacher and host employer of their developing competency and progress towards reaching industry standards

– Understand the consequences of unsuccessful work placement.

Preparing Students for Workplace Learning

Post Placement Follow-up– Follow up activities are not optional– Seek evaluations or reports from employers and

possibly parents/carers– Provide students with a journal and make it an

assessment task– Decide with students on the follow up activities

well before students start their placement