WORK EXPERIENCE WEEK - MONDAY 4 JULY FRIDAY 8 JULY 2016

Transcription

1 MO/sz 23 February 2016 Dear Parents/Guardians WORK EXPERIENCE WEEK - MONDAY 4 JULY FRIDAY 8 JULY 2016 This year we will be working with Herts Youth Connexions (HYC) to provide an experience of work for a week for all Year 10 boys. I am writing to give you advance notice that the dates for this academic year will be as above. This may seem like a long way off but it is important for your son and yourselves to begin to give serious thought to the type of work that he would like. Why do schools provide work experience? To provide opportunities for students to learn and develop skills in the workplace To learn an appreciation of the needs of industry and commerce and the qualities of employees that are valued by employers To complement what they learn in school To increase motivation and raise standards To learn about themselves as young adults This year it is likely that most boys will be asked to choose directly from the placements supplied by HYC, and not to express preferences of workplace, many of which will not be available (e.g. medicine, armed forces, research scientist, police). Some of these placements are not possible to obtain for reasons of scarcity or employment legislation. Opportunities are also very limited in accountancy, architecture, design and graphics, journalism, law, science and technology; these shortages reflect the local and national labour market, and the growing number of businesses unable, or unwilling, to host Work Experience owing to constraints of time and personnel. Where these types of placement are available they will be allocated to the students who most closely meet the strict criteria set by the employers offering such opportunities. Most placements will be observational rather than hands on because of Health and Safety guidelines. Herts Youth Connexions (HYC) has developed an on-line work experience placement booking system. Students can choose their work experience placements via the web either at school or they could access the site from home. Students can also logon to the site from 20 April 2016 at home with their parents to discuss the placement details and travel arrangements. The system will allow students to make up to six choices and they must give them a number in order of preference. Students will access the site with their own username and PIN. An introduction on how to use the system will occur during Careers/Science lessons. Head Teacher: Mr M Brown Grammar School Walk, Hitchin, Hertfordshire. SG5 1JB Tel: Fax: Registered in England No admin@hitchinboys.co.uk

2 Please discuss the scheme carefully together. It is particularly important that the preferences expressed are realistic in terms of your son s abilities, eventual qualifications and personality. Any medical factors, which might affect the placement, must also be disclosed. Also, please make sure careful thought is given to all workplace preferences, since it is highly unlikely that every boy will have his first preference satisfied. Each year many parents help to find placements for their sons and/or other boys, particularly when they appreciate that this type of workplace is in short supply. If as a parent, you might be able to help to take any of our boys (including your own son), into your own or another place of employment, I would be most grateful if you could complete the Private Placement Work Experience Request and put it onto the Link2 programme by using the login details which will be provided. Details must be submitted to the Careers Co-ordinator by 20 April 2016 at the very latest; this will allow the necessary administration to be carried out in good time. All opportunities provided by parents will be checked for insurance, health and safety, etc. in the normal way. A charge of is made for all out of County placements, and for placements within County. The deadline date is 20 April We would be grateful for a voluntary contribution of 5.00 to help towards the Work Experience process. The preferred method of payment is by Wisepay under Trips and Visits, alternatively cheques can be made payable to Hitchin Boys School and put in an envelope marked with you son s name and Work Experience. If you are paying by cash, please note that change cannot be given. I would be grateful if this payment could be made by 20 April Please do not leave the search for a private placement until a late date, when for example, you might feel dissatisfied with the placement allocated to your son; this causes great stress at a busy time! Hertfordshire County Council will provide Personal Accident Insurance and this will be arranged for all boys by the school. Employers are not allowed to pay boys taking part in work experience schemes but some may make a contribution towards necessarily incurred expenses, e.g. lunches. Boys will be well briefed in advance and will be expected to comply with all instructions given by an employer - especially those regarding safety. ANY QUERIES RELATING TO THE SCHEME SHOULD BE ADDRESSED TO THE SCHOOL AND NOT THE EMPLOYERS. Parents should consider that students who are offered work placement with their parents may not gain a wider breadth of social contact and experience if they have worked there previously; the same applies to any other establishment where they have already had part-time work or had some previous work involvement. Please contact me if you have any queries. Yours sincerely Mr R Moore Careers Co-ordinator

3 PLEASE RETURN THIS SLIP TO THE SCHOOL OFFICE LETTERBOX IN AN ENVELOPE MARKED WITH YOUR SON S NAME AND WORK EXPERIENCE Student s Name: Form: I enclose a voluntary contribution of 5.00 (cheques made payable to Hitchin Boys School) I wish to pay via Wisepay: Yes No Signed: (Parent/Guardian) Date:

4 Work Experience Private/Own Placement Request PLEASE COMPLETE IN BLOCK CAPITALS AND PLEASE RETURN TO THE STUDENT/SCHOOL STUDENT INFORMATION STUDENT NAME: SCHOOL:.. COMPANY NAME PLACEMENT ADDRESS: TUTOR GROUP: YEAR GROUP: AGE: WORK EXPERIENCE DATES:.. TOWN: POSTCODE: TELEPHONE: WEBSITE: WORK EXPERIENCE JOB TITLE: COMPANY BRIEF JOB DETAILS: CONTACT NAME AGREEING TO PLACEMENT: MOBILE NUMBER: SUPERVISOR: TELEPHONE NUMBER: WORKING HOURS: PERSON TO CONTACT IF DIFFERENT: MOBILE NUMBER: CLOTHING ARRANGEMENTS: MEAL ARRANGEMENTS TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS PRE PLACEMENT INTERVIEW REQUIRED? YES / NO INTERVIEW NOTES (e.g. what to take etc.) FOR AN EXTENDED WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT: Does the person responsible for the student agree to complete a DBS check if required by the school? YES / NO Employers offering Work Experience must agree to undergo a Health & Safety check carried out, on behalf of the school, by Hertfordshire County Council Youth Connexions or an alternative approved agency. The assessment will cover Health & Safety in the workplace, insurance and work content, in accordance with Department of Education & Skills requirements. INSURANCE Employers Liability insurance and Public liability insurance cover are legal requirements for Work Experience. EMPLOYERS LIABILTY INSURANCE: Insurance Provider:.. Policy Number:.... Expiry Date: /.../... PUBLIC LIABILTY INSURANCE: Insurance Provider:.. Policy Number:.... Expiry Date: /.../... CONFIRMATION OF A WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT OFFER FOR THE ABOVE DATES: (This section must be completed/authorised by a company manager or supervisor) AUTHORISED BY: PRINT NAME:. CONTACT S. DATE:. July 2015 Youth Connexions

5 Work Experience Student/Parent Guide Researching employers and sectors of interest and approaching businesses for an Own Placement is a way of securing a valuable work experience opportunity. Employers need to comply with certain criteria in order to be passed as suitable for work experience but most have the necessary Health & Safety measures in place and this is checked by Youth Connexions. EMPLOYER STUDENT WHAT TO CONSIDER INSURANCE Employers offering work experience must have Insurance both Employers Liability Insurance (ELI) & Public Liability Insurance (PLI). Without insurance they will not be considered suitable for a work experience placement. HEALTH & SAFETY CHECK Youth Connexions will contact the employer to arrange an appointment to carry out a Health & Safety check prior to your work experience. TRAVEL Make sure that you can get to employer premises, considering both time needed and the cost involved. Please see link below to the 'Traveline' website this allows you to research your journey to your work experience placement: WORKING HOURS Remember to check what hours the employer will expect you work. This can be a maximum of 40 hours a week. DRESS CODE Make sure you enquire what the dress code is for your work experience so you know what to wear and to ensure you have/or can provide the correct clothing. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT (PPE) For certain sectors you may be required to wear PPE to carry out elements of the work you are doing. This is usually supplied by the employer but remember to check if there is a requirement for you to provide Safety Boots or other items. REMEMBER TO GET THE EMPLOYER TO SIGN THE OWN PLACEMENT FORM ENSURING THAT THE CONTACT DETAILS & INSURANCE SECTION ARE COMPLETED. PASS THE COMPLETED FORM BACK YOUR SCHOOL WORK EXPERIENCE CO ORDINATOR or ENTER DIRECTLY ONTO Link2+ IF INSTRUCTED TO DO SO July 2015 Youth Connexions