Making the most of your
Work Experience
Introducing you to the world of work
Your studies at Burnley College - whether that’s at A Level, T Level or Vocational - will open the door to a wide range of career opportunities for you.
However, it’s important to gain as much experience of the world of work and your chosen career path too. Through work experience activities which form part of your course of study, you’ll develop an understanding of exactly what it takes to shine in the workplace and stand out from the crowd when it comes to applying for your dream career or university study.
There are many types of work experience opportunities such as:
• Placement in an industry/ workplace setting
• Work shadowing/work observation
• Guest speakers
• Conferences
• Volunteering
• Competitions and skills challenges, e.g. World Skills
• Internships
The duration of these activities can be very different. It can be anything from several weeks to simply a half dayit could be in one workplace or severalthe important fact is that you’re gaining first-hand experience in the workplace and all that that entails.
The Benefits of Work Experience
There are many benefits of work experience. These include:
Collaboration
Collaboration skills are essential for success in any workplace. By interacting with colleagues, supervisors and customers you can develop your interpersonal skills, learn how to effectively delegate tasks, and appreciate the value of diverse perspectives, which leads to increased productivity, innovation, and a sense of accomplishment.
Leadership for All
Leadership isn’t just for managers; it’s about taking initiative, inspiring others, and guiding teams towards common goals. Exposure to a professional setting can develop your confidence, increase your responsibility, encourage you to effectively contribute to shared goals and take ownership of your own learning.
Care, Trust & Belonging
A strong sense of care, trust, and belonging fosters positive relationships, effective communication, and a supportive work environment. These qualities enhance teamwork, collaboration, and the ability to work effectively with people from diverse backgrounds in a safe working environment.
Building Beyond
Gaining industry insights and experience encourages you to think critically, analyse information, and apply knowledge to realworld situations. These experiences paired with a willingness to learn from mistakes and a commitment to lifelong learning, will ensure continued success towards your future career goals.
Creativity & Curiosity
By fostering creativity and curiosity in the workplace, you can develop innovative problem solving skills, learn to think outside the box and approach challenges with a fresh perspective. These skills encourage adaptability and resilience alongside promoting a culture of continuous learning and improvement, all crucial for success in diverse working environments.
Ambition & Challenge
Embracing ambition and challenge drives you towards your future potential. Exposure to challenging tasks and situations in a professional environment, provide valuable learning opportunities, helping you to develop and refine both your technical and soft skills, whilst gaining industry insights and knowledge that can be applied to future roles.
These are valuable skills that employers look for in candidates and can also make your application to university stand out from the crowd.
Plus, gaining experience of your potential future career can help you make important decisions about your future. It can give you a goal to work towards or open your eyes to alternative career pathways which you may not have considered before.
Creativity & Curiosity Collaboration
BuildingBeyond
Preparing for Work Experience
Here are some handy questions to ask yourself to prepare for, and get the most out of, work experience activities.
Collaboration
How do I work best in a team setting?
What communication skills are essential for this role?
Leadership for All
What are the key responsibilities of the role I will be undertaking?
How can I prepare myself to meet these responsibilities effectively?
How can I seek clarification or help on the work I will be doing?
Care, Trust & Belonging
How can I build positive relationships with my colleagues?
How can I make sure I contribute to an inclusive, respectful and safe working environment?
What do I need to know/do to keep myself safe during my work experience?
Building Beyond
What do I hope to achieve from this work experience?
How does this opportunity align with my career/future goals?
What skills, knowledge or behaviours do I want to develop?
Creativity & Curiosity
How do I handle new and challenging situations?
What strategies can I use to adapt quickly to a new work environment?
How can I make the most of learning opportunities during my work experience?
How can I demonstrate or embrace opportunities to be proactive, creative, curious and use initiative?
Ambition & Challenge
What skills do I already possess that will be useful in this role?
What areas do I feel I need to develop to succeed in industry/the work environment?
How can I seek out learning opportunities during my work experience?
What kind of work environment do I thrive in?
Preparation:
What research do I need to do to get the most out of work experience opportunities?
What do I need to do to prepare for this experience? (e.g. information about the employer/role, travel, dress code, what does a typical day in this environment look like)
Reflection and Feedback:
How will I track my progress and achievements during my work experience?
What methods can I use to seek and act on feedback?
How will I reflect on my experiences to identify areas for future growth or areas for future work experience?
How will I reflect on my experiences and learning to see how it aligns with my career/ future goals?
Long-term Impact
How can this work experience influence my future career choices?
What connections or networks can I build during this time?
How can I use this experience in my CV, UCAS application or future job applications?
Finding your perfect Work Experience
Finding your own work experience shows initiative, confidence, communication and research skills, and it’s a great way to impress potential future employers.
Ways to secure work experience:
• Build on existing connections – parents/guardians, friends, relatives and other people in your existing network might have connections in industries and organisations that you are interested in working in.
• New connections – research thoroughly companies, employers and organisations in the industry in which you are interested and look for opportunities that they might be advertising. Alternatively, research contact details of people in the company who you can contact to introduce yourself and discuss potential work experience opportunities with.
How to contact people about work experience:
There are a number of ways you can contact organisations about work experience, e.g. professional e-mail or phone call.
Advice when contacting organisations:
• Make sure communications are professional in tone and come from an appropriate e-mail address
• Be clear in your communications, e.g. “Subject: Work Experience Request”
• Introduce yourself, explain your interest in work experience in this industry/organisation, and how it links to your future aspirations.
• Outline relevant skills or experiences that you already have or that you are looking to develop.
• Be enthusiastic and show how keen you are to get the most out of the opportunity.
Support in contacting organisations:
We know that finding and contacting employers can have challenges or might be a new experience for you; however, we’re here to help along the way.
Contact the College’s Careers Team, or speak to your subject teachers, family and friends whenever you need help about work experience – this could be helping finding relevant opportunities, discussing who best to contact, as well as checking e-mails you plan to send, or practising conversations with employers.
If it’s a: What Next?
Yes…
Say thank you. Confirm the details or agree to get back in touch. Let the Careers Team/Tutors know you’ve secured Work Experience and they’ll help you fill in relevant forms to ensure it is logged correctly and you can make the most of the experience.
No…
Thank them for their time. Go back to your list and try another employer. Don’t be discouraged. There are many reasons - not related to you - that an employer may not be able to offer Work Experience.
Remember Be Prepared. Be Polite. Be Positive.
Building Beyond Advice & Guidance Appointments
The Careers Team is here to help you every step of the way; See us in the Careers Hub (Main Building-Floor 1-Atrium)
Book an appointment with our Careers Team for individual support tailored to your needs and goals.
