Young people and work experience

The main partners include:

• Education employers
• Education establishments
• Work experience organisers
• Placement providers
• Parents or carers
• Students/learners

Work experience involves arranging work experience placements, fully preparing and briefing students at school before they are placed and debriefing them afterwards. Students will be placed with an employer to carry out a range of tasks defined in a job description, with an emphasis on the learning aspects of the work experience. It is one of the most important link activities between employers and secondary schools and colleges. It involves more students, more employers and more days of practical experience than any other activity. This exposure to work is a significant step in preparing young people for adult and working life. It provides an opportunity to foster an early understanding of the importance of health and safety and to influence the attitudes of the future workforce.

Information is provided for all parties involved in work experience for secondary school students below minimum school leaving age (MSLA). A wider range of work experience opportunities for children under MSLA is made possible by the 1996 Education Act. This Act enables children in Years 10 and 11 to assume the temporary status of a Young Person in employment law, otherwise they would be prohibited by Child Employment Legislation from engaging in activities such as factories, motor vehicle repair workshops and construction.

Those organising work experience for students between the ages of 16 and 18 who are in sixth form colleges or colleges of further education will also find useful information. A specific aim is to promote good practice in assessing health and safety arrangements when making decisions about the suitability of work experience placements.

There are a wide range of complex arrangements for organising placements across England, Scotland and Wales and links are provided to the range of other national guidance materials for schools and local facilitators of work experience programmes.

Given the wide variation in the organisation of work experience, clearly defined responsibilities and good communications between all the partners concerned are essential regardless of how the work placement is set up. The successful management of health and safety on work experience placements and the provision of a safe and supportive environment for the learner relies on close co-operation between various partners.