Looking for work experience

[yorkiepudd 10]

Hi

 

My 14yo (will be 15yo in April) daughter is looking for a year 10 work experience placement during the 2 weeks of Monday 4th July 2016 to Friday15th July 2016 and I am suprised how difficult this is proving.

 

So many places don't seem to do it anymore and out of the ones that do, she has not received a single response to calls or letters.

 

So, does anyone have any opportunities, preferably in retail. She is looking for a career in fashion or beauty but would love some experience in customer service to prepare her for this.

 

She can travel anywhere in Sheffield but the South East of the city is preferred.

 

Please let me know if you have any openeings or any suggestions where there might be an opportunity.

[fox20thc 10]

Have the school not offered to help? I know when I was working in another job I was approached by a local school liason person to ask if the firm I was working with could accommodate a work experience placement.

 

Small businesses tend to be put off with the amount of form filling and H&S assessments that are undertaken prior to them being deemed 'suitable'.

 

I'd call the school and see what relationships they have made with local businesses to accomodate pupils.

 

there is information about whats in it for employers here

Edited February 17, 2016 by fox20thc

[Chelle-82 10]

Have you tried local shops or even hair salons? I know it's not retail but it is customer orientated and hair salons love a sweeper upper

[yorkiepudd 10]

Thank you fox - I have thought of that as a few websites have mentioned that you have to apply through the school. It would appear that the school want you to take anything on offer where as she was looking for something more specific but that might have to be looked at again. Appreciate the suggestion though

 

Thanks Chelle - we have done just that and she now has an appointment tomorrow for just that.

[Gingerchick 10]

My son is also looking and it is proving very difficult. The school have asked pupils to use there initiative and try and find there own. My son has phoned and e-mails loads of places with little response.

[jensen1378 10]

When I was at school they found places for you lol, guess they have gotten lazy thorough the years.

[Victoria1867 10]

Hi - you could email [email protected] we may be able to help or point you in a direction?

[sgtkate 10]

Have you tried talking to Sheffield Futures:

 

http://www.sheffieldfutures.org.uk/home/careers_advice/

 

They are a youth careers services and might be able to help find a placement.

[hyper 10]

When I was at school they found places for you lol, guess they have gotten lazy thorough the years.

 

spoken like a (non) expert.

 

Y10 school experience places were found by an agency (might be the council I don't know). This service was free of charge. They then levied a £20/placement cost to the school. The price has gone up astronomically since then.

Imagine a year group of 200 kids and the school pays £50 (I have assumed this cost, so please correct), that's £10k out of the school budget .... quite a number I'm sure you will agree.

 

I know this, as my lad was in y10 in the first year his school gave up on this, so I asked.

[yorkiepudd 10]

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions.

 

It appears that this thread may have brought on a couple of opportunities.

 

I was finding it very frusttrating that there was so little interest and bad information. We searched high and low but it was proving very difficult.

[morecamberox 10]

We used to offer work experience placements, and found it a fun and rewarding experience for all concerned. However, some years ago, the regulations were changed and we had to guarantee that each pupil would work with a minimum of two employees at any time. As a small company, we found this very difficult in practical terms, especially since pupils were often sent out with a driver on delivery runs, and we would have had to suffer the expense of sending an extra employee out on each run simply to act as 'chaperone'. There was also a very low limit of weight of goods that the pupils were permitted to lift.

 

I can understand the thinking behind the regulations, but unfortunately it means that many local small businesses are very reluctant to take anyone on.

[yorkiepudd 10]

We used to offer work experience placements, and found it a fun and rewarding experience for all concerned. However, some years ago, the regulations were changed and we had to guarantee that each pupil would work with a minimum of two employees at any time. As a small company, we found this very difficult in practical terms, especially since pupils were often sent out with a driver on delivery runs, and we would have had to suffer the expense of sending an extra employee out on each run simply to act as 'chaperone'. There was also a very low limit of weight of goods that the pupils were permitted to lift.

 

I can understand the thinking behind the regulations, but unfortunately it means that many local small businesses are very reluctant to take anyone on.

 

This is very true.

 

What I find annoying is that you research all you can to help out your kids, and after going on company websites (Asda, for example, where you will find a full section on work experience and how they think it's an important part of a childs education and that they will offer a 'fulfilling and rewarding' experience for them) only to find out when you go in-store to ask about a placement, they say they haven't done it for years and that the website needs updating!!!