work experience record book

Transcription

1 Herts Careers SERVICES student work experience record book Herts Careers SERVICES T E W bighelp@herts-careers.co.uk The development of this guide is rooted in the Progress File that was trialled in the Dacorum Borough Council of Hertfordshire. Lorraine Waumsley, Education Liaison Consultant for BP Plc worked with Progress File and with schools in the BP Schools Link Scheme to devise an induction pack for students coming into the company for work experience. Indeed many have supported the development of this publication and deserve appreciation. They include: Student Name Form

2 contents 1 Personal Information 2 Welcome and Introduction 3 Message to Parents and Guardians 4-5 Personal Qualities Explored 6-10 Key Skills applied in the work place 11 Learning Styles; personal reflection 12 What Employers are looking for Action Planning for Work Experience Health and Safety Research Project What part of the week, or task did you enjoy least? Why? What do I think I could have done differently? (e.g. diary day 3) Five Page Diary 22 Employer Report 23 Family and School feedback Personal Evaluation Why? I have re-done the Personal Qualities Check on page 5. These are the main areas I have developed: I have looked back at my Action Points and this is what I am really happy with:

3 Personal Evaluation Thinking back over the week these are some of my first thoughts: What part of the week, or task did you enjoy most? (e.g. diary day 5) Why? What would you tell another student about what this placement was like? This record belongs to My school details School Name School Address School Telephone Number Name of teacher to contact if necessary Teacher s mobile tel. no. My placement details Company/Organisation Name Address Information Personal Company/Organisation Telephone Number 24 Name of my main contact 1 How did I get on with the others in the organisation? Name of supervisor Times of work Appropriate clothing is Lunch and meal times are What are the advantages/disadvantages of this type of work: What do I do if I feel unwell - before work starts, while at work How do I get to my placement?

4 to the Student Work Experience Record Book 2 Welcome Intro Herts Careers Services (HCS) Work Experience Team is the link between employers and schools and organise in excess of placements a year. Being the main point of contact for 4000 employers, HCS plays a key role in the co-ordination of the whole process. All of these placements are assessed by HCS on a regular basis to safeguard students and to create worthwhile opportunities. HCS have prepared this Student Record Book to offer all students and employers the opportunity to be equally well prepared for work experience. Working together, employers, teachers and staff from HCS can be instrumental in providing opportunities that enhance work based learning and which support the personal development of young people in Hertfordshire. Shaun Reason Chief Executive Hertfordshire Careers Services Hertfordshire Children Schools and Families (CSF) Quality work experience placements make an important contribution to ensuring that students receive a broad and balanced curriculum and increase their understanding of the expectations made of an employee, and their responsibilities in the workplace. In addition to experiencing the world of work as part of their preparation for life it provides an opportunity for students to gain evidence for other qualifications. The range of qualifications to which evidence from work experience can contribute include GCSE s, GNVQ s (General National Vocational Education), AVCE s (Advanced Vocational Certificate of Education), Key Skills, Certificate in Preparation for Employment (Entry Level and Levels 1 and 2), Certificate in Career Planning (Levels 1 and 2) and the Certificate in Job Seeking Skills (Entry Level). Mike Connolly Hertfordshire Children Schools and Families (CSF) This record book will help you gain the full benefit from your work experience. You will use the record book: Before you go out on your placement, during class room preparation and at home. During the work experience placement itself. After work experience to help you recognise what you have achieved. To help your tutor to write a reference to support your future plans. By completing the record book you will be gathering evidence about: what you have learned what you did what you found out which key skills you have developed. In short, a valuable record of your achievements during work experience. The record book makes up a part of your Progress File and it should help you with all your subjects. We would recommend that this booklet is kept with your records in your Progress File. Work experience time is about moving your learning out of the class room and into the work place. For example it is a time to: Learn more about yourself Understand how important key skills are to you and to employers Learn about the world of work Make sense of your school work Gain more self confidence Work with people of different age groups Parents, Guardians & Carers Why is your child going on work experience? Work experience is an integral part of every young person s education. It involves moving learning from the classroom into the world of work. Your child will understand more about work and the work place but more importantly, they will learn a lot about themselves as young adults. This record book has been designed to help your child prepare for work experience by encouraging them to think about what it is they want to achieve during the placement. You can support them by sharing and discussing the exercises and action plans within the booklet and by thinking of ways their placement will provide opportunities for your child to learn. Some guidelines for parents about work experience Both Herts Children, Schools and Families (CSF) and Herts Careers Services believe that an opportunity for work experience of at least a week should be an entitlement for all students in the phase. Following are a few pointers to help you support the process. These are: Hours of work Students are expected to work the same hours and days as young employees of the organisation. This might involve an early start or working on Saturday or in the evening. Health and Safety Students will have received instructions on these matters both in school and from their employer. All students are required to comply fully with all the health and safety instructions of the organisation. Illness and absence from work If your son or daughter is ill and cannot attend work on any day the employer must be informed by telephone early in the morning. The school must also be informed as soon as the school office is open. Other problems that might arise Contact the school in the first place so that the most appropriate action can be agreed. Employers Why Work Experience Placements are needed: Work experience involves moving learning from the classroom into the world of work. The student has the opportunity to understand more about work and the workplace, but most importantly, they will learn a lot about themselves as young adults. You can support the student by: Support through gentle encouragement Providing actual work activities, or realistic simulation exercises Being prepared to answer questions Providing a safe environment for the student THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT A message to 3

5 travelarrangements I need to be at my placement by On a good day... Put a tick in the circle which is most like you now. Then lightly shade more circles up to the point where you would prefer to be. During your placement look back on this activity and see if you have moved some way towards your preferred position. Hard working Punctual Lazy Late 4 I will be travelling to work by: Bus Train Car Walking Other Approximate journey time Personal I should leave home at Map to work Qualities Time of the bus or train Personal qualities are what make you special and different from anybody else. Personal qualities build up over years. Read this page then complete the exercise on the next page thinking about which qualities you might use on work experience and which you might want to develop. Your personal qualities affect how you behave. How you get on with people How you cope in different situations How you work at tasks set for you How suitable you are for different opportunities Knowing the qualities you have helps when you re: Thinking about your school progress Thinking about your opportunities Preparing for work experience Preparing for an interview Telling others about yourself Return fare Cost, per day and per week By filling in the chart on the next page you will be able to see what your strengths are. Reliable Unreliable Adaptable Inflexible Organised Disorganised Creative Unimaginative Motivated Unenthusiastic Friendly Unfriendly Co-operative Unco-operative Calm Worried Practical Impractical Self-disciplined Undisciplined Honest Dishonest Assertive Aggressive or passive Competitive Unambitious Independent Reliant Adventurous Cautious Decisive Indecisive Confident Timid Resourceful Unresourceful Tough Sensitive Trustworthy Learn Untrustworthy Quick Slow Willing to Disinterested Responsible Irresponsible Smart Scruffy Realistic Dreamy Make a short list of the qualities which have helped you get on well at home and in school. Also think about those which have hindered you. Qualities which have helped Qualities which have hindered you 5

6 Key Skills The first three key skills are important and you will already have used them in school. You will have plenty of examples of how to use them. During your work experience we would like you to take the opportunity to develop aspects of the wider key skills, particularly Working with Others, and Improving your own Learning and Performance. Key Skill Working with others is about planning things with people and then working with them to make it happen Problem solving is about saying what the problem is and finding a solution When you might use it Working in a team on a task at school Doing a job with someone else Agreeing tasks Helping other staff or customers Choosing the right equipment to use Finding out how to mend something Making decisions Planning your route to work??? How do I learn best?? How well do I cope with change? Some skills are really very important. These are called key skills. Each one affects the way you do things and how well you do things. They are as valuable to you at home as they are at school and during work experience. Employers rate key skills highly. How well do I plan? Am I employable? Improving your own learning and performance is about setting targets for yourself and making plans and then going for it Planning to do something better than before Learning something new Discussing progress Preparing action plans Key Skills I use in school and hope to use in work Knowing what key skills you have helps you to: Say what training or support you need, if any Get better at what you do Tell other people what makes you employable Get things done Look at the list of key skills below and the examples on the previous page. Try to think of different examples of when you use key skills at school and while on your placement. Communication At School At Work 6 Key Skill When you might use it 7 Communication is about speaking, listening, writing and reading Application of Number is about using your number skills in a practical way Information Technology is about using a computer to prepare, process and present information In a team discussion Listening to a supervisor Writing notes or a report Using the phone Writing an application form Using pictures or graphs to explain something Collecting and understanding data Using charts and diagrams Working out a budget or checking accounts Doing calculations in science Calculating scores or charges or discounts Calculate VAT and percentages Word processing a project Checking stock report spreadsheets Creating designs Using a fax machine Sorting and storing data using databases Using Using the internet Application of Number Information Technology Working with others Problem solving Improving your own learning and performance

7 Key Skills Score Card Information Technology Can you.. Read each question that follows and think of an example of when you have used the key skill and add your own examples in the spaces provided. Then give yourself a score by putting a circle round a number. Near the end of your work experience placement score your key skills card again and ask your supervisor to score you as well. Use a PC to write reports, letters, CV s etc? Use a PC to do pictures, charts, diagrams & tables? Use spreadsheets and databases? Scoring: 0= Need help 1= not at all confident 2= not very confident 3= fairly confident 4= very confident Deal with IT problems, eg checking hardware? Key Skill Your Score Now Your Score near the end of the placement Your Supervisor s Score for you Add up your totals: 8 Communication Can you.. Speak confidently to all sorts of people? Get information from different media? Write different things eg notes, reports, CV s? Use charts or pictures to help something? Improving your own Learning & Performance Can you.. Keep track of your progress? Set targets to reach your goals? Plan how to meet your targets? Follow a plan to help you meet your targets? 9 Add up your totals: Add up your totals: Application of Numbers Can you.. Working with Others Can you.. Understand charts, graphs and diagrams? Listen to and understand what other people say? Use charts and graphs to help with number work? Help to plan action and share out tasks? Make accurate measurements? Organise yourself and meet deadlines? Use numbers to work out problems? Help others to meet their deadlines? Add up your totals: Add up your totals:

8 10 Key Skill Your Score Now Your Score near the end of the placement Problem Solving Can you.. Collect information about a problem? Work out different ways of solving a problem? Plan how to solve problems? Keep track of how your plan is working? Add up your totals: Put your total scores for each skill in this chart Key Skill Your TOTAL Now Your TOTAL near the end of the placement Communication Application of Numbers Information Technology Improving Own Learning & Performance Working with Others Your Supervisor s Score for you Your Supervisor s TOTAL for you How do you learn best? This learning styles exercise should give you a broad idea of the ways of learning that work best for you. The type of learning that you will experience on placement will be very different from that in the classroom. Though you may have done this before, see which style you generally prefer and share that with your employer; it could help them make the experience more rewarding for you. Things to learn Choice A Choice B Choice C Times Table Cover over and picture it Saying out loud Learning styles Look at the Things to learn then decide if you would prefer Choice A, B or C as a way to learn it. Put a tick in the box to make your choice. Spelling a word Learning a foreign language Learning a historic fact Learning how something works Learning a story Learning a new sport Learning a new move on the trampoline Learning how to use a new tool in the workshop Learning how to make a cake Learning to count in French Learning how the eye works Write it down Repeating it out loud to yourself Watch a video explaining what happened Take the object apart and try to put it back together Tell someone else the story Watch a demonstration Let the coach support you through the movements so you feel how to do it Listen to your friend explain how to use it Look at the instructions on the packet Sing the words Listen to a doctor telling you Imagine what it looks like Writing it out over and over again Listen to a person on the radio Look at a diagram or picture on the board Draw pictures/ cartoons to tell the story Repeat back instructions to coach Look at diagrams of the move on cards (flash cards) Teach someone else how to use it Listen to a tape about what to do Look at cards/posters Make a model Adding on fingers Say each letter out loud Looking at a picture next to the word Role Play act out what happened Listen to a speaker telling you about it Imagine the story Do it Talk through the movements with a friend Watch someone else use it Try to make it Play French bingo Look at a diagram of the eye 11 Problem Solving What changes have you noticed in your scores since work experience? In what way do your scores differ from those of your supervisor? Circle your results here 1 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3 2 A = 3 B = 1 C = 2 3 A = 2 B = 3 C = 1 4 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3 5 A = 3 B = 1 C = 2 6 A = 2 B = 3 C = 1 7 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3 8 A = 3 B = 1 C = 2 9 A = 2 B = 3 C = 1 10 A = 1 B = 2 C = 3 11 A = 2 B = 1 C = 3 12 A = 2 B = 3 C = 1 Mostly 1: You like learning by looking at things or picturing them in your mind. Mostly 2: You like learning by listening to others talk or saying things out loud to you. Mostly 3: You like learning by doing something active to practice what you ve learnt. A Mixture of 1, 2 and 3: You like learning different things in different ways. Tips! This gives you a broad idea of the way of learning you like best. Think about this when you next have to learn something new or to revise something you ve already learnt. You will be learning a lot of new things during work experience. How this information comes to you will be different from in the class room. Think how you learn best and be prepared! Share your learning style with your employer.

9 12 employers Activity Rank these in order of importance. Then on placement, ask your supervisor to rank them as well. See if there are any differences and find out why your employer has a different opinion to you. PUNCTUALITY Arriving at work and being ready to start at the correct time INTEREST IN THE WORK Keen to learn about both the job and the company RELATIONSHIP WITH YOUR SUPERVISOR Show respect and be able to communicate with a person at a higher level EFFORT Show you are putting energy into the tasks you are set What employers are looking for PERSONAL APPEARANCE The way you look. Your appearance should meet the requirements of your employer PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY Be prepared to take responsibility for your own actions and behaviour ATTENDANCE Have a good record. Sickness should be covered by a doctor s note. Any absence must be explained TRUSTWORTHY To be honest, capable of being depended upon ATTITUDE TO OTHER STAFF & CUSTOMERS Helpful, cheerful and willing and get on as a team player What do I want to achieve from work experience? Remember that work experience is about taking learning out of the classroom but it is still about learning. Once you have completed this page you will have a clearer idea about what you want to learn from your time spent on placement. If you have been given a copy of the Learning Frameworks for your placement the Key Skills, Work Tasks and Work Skills sections will really help you. The action plan on the next page will allow you to record what you want to achieve. Personally, I want to: eg: Work as a team member Why go on work experience? Here are some ideas that may help you think about what you want to achieve Action Planning 13 INITIATIVE AND CONFIDENCE Believe in yourself and share your own ideas about how you would approach a task ADAPTABILITY Be able to adjust to your different surroundings and the jobs you are asked to do Increase my confidence Work as a team member Be more independent Develop new skills Find out what employers want Try out my skills Do something different Learn about work Find out about work Turn up every day Meet people of different ages Show enthusiasm Be better organised Work safely Be more responsible Compare school and work

10 14 Action Planning for Work Experience Using the S.M.A.R.T. approach To get the best out of work experience you need to plan what you want to achieve. If your plan is going to be useful it needs to follow 5 simple stages. Specific: It must say exactly what you need to do Measurable: It must help you see when you have been successful Achievable: You have a good chance of doing what you say you will do Realistic: It is about action you can take Timed: You can manage to carry out the plan during work experience During work experience I want to: I will be able to show I have achieved this by: 1 Think about what you want to achieve from work experience (see previous page), now write action points to help you think of ways which will make sure you are successful Action Points Dates Tick when done 1 Be Safe! A guide to health and safety while you are in your placement By completing this page you will understand the main Health and Safety Regulations and you will be able to see how they are applied in your work placement. First of all read through the Be Safe booklet once again and answer the questions below relating your answers to your placement where you can. What are your responsibilities in your work placement? How do you lift things correctly? Under what circumstances would you use machinery? Health & Safety What are "proper" hygiene facilities in your placement? What are the rules about using electrical equipment? What would you do if a hazardous substance spilt on your skin? What is the fire drill at your work placement? What are the first aid arrangements at your placement? 1 1

11 Health & Safety Induction Checklist By the end of your first day you need to check that you have had information on the following: Day1 Date: What did I do today? Diary No. Health and Safety issues to be addressed during day one 1. Tour of work area and welfare facilities 2. Action on discovering a fire explained 3. Means of escape demonstrated 4. Fire Warning System explained 5. Location of fire fighting equipment indicated 6. Assembly point after evacuation shown 7. Accident reporting procedures explained 8. First aid facilities and First Aiders identified 9. Health and safety precautions, eg chemical, electrical hazards 10. Safe systems of work explained 11. Lifting and handling techniques explained 12. Use of personal protective equipment (if required) demonstrated 13. Importance of keeping fire exits clear of obstruction explained 14. Supervisor identified Initial when completed What were my first impressions? 16 I have received and understood the instructions/training/information as indicated above and initialled the individual items when complete. 17 Your Signature: Supervisor/Manager Signature: Date: How did I feel this morning? The following diary pages give you an opportunity to record information about what you have learnt. If you have been given a copy of the Learning Frameworks the questions on the back will help you find out more about the organisation you are in. The notes you make will help you prepare for future assignments and assessments at school as well as remind you of the opportunities you had. Your diary entries do not need to be all words, if you have taken photographs, made a report, made illustrations or a presentation that would make your diary even more interesting. How did I feel by the end of the day?

12 Diary Day2 Day3 Diary Date: Date: What did I do today? What did I do today? Describe the people you worked with: Looking back over the first three days, should I have done anything differently? What is the workplace like? Put together some basic facts and figures about the organisation. Number of employees, Opening hours, products etc (a company report will help.)

13 Diary Day4 Day5 Diary Date: Date: What did I do today? What did I do today? What changes in the organisation have taken place over the last two years? How would I summarise the week? What impact has technology had on the organisation and the people?

14 22 Student Name: Employer Report Company / Organisation: Name of Main Supervisor: School: Dates of Work Experience: The information you can provide will be valuable evidence for the student s Progress File or Record of Achievement. Please comment on the students progress; you may want to refer to the "Key Skills Score Card" that was completed earlier. (see page 10) Please identify the personal qualities of the student and how they were demonstrated Personal Qualities Attendance Time Keeping Appearance Attitude to Work Reliability Relationships with staff Relationships with customers How this was demonstrated Did not attend Poor, no real explanation Some absences explained Good attendance 90% + 100% attendance Often arrived late Sometimes arrived late Usually arrived on time Always on time Always early Untidy and inappropriately dressed Tidy but inappropriately dressed Appropriately dressed Tidy and appropriate appearance Very smart, appropriate appearance Lacks interest Some interest and some tasks completed Interested, tasks completed on time Well motivated, conscientious Always looking for more Needed constant supervision Reliable with supervision Reliable with minimum supervision Reliable and keen to take responsibility Takes responsibility, uses initiative, accurate and flexible Uncooperative and difficult Participates with difficulty Co-operates and shows respect Helpful, keen and pleasant Very willing and positive Unhelpful Participates with difficulty Helpful and shows respect Helpful, pleasant and keen Excellent rapport, willing and positive Parents /Guardians /Carers Comments Please would you comment on any changes you have seen as a result of preparation for work experience and the time spent on placement. To what extent has this experience been beneficial? Please mark on the grid below. A great deal Visiting Teacher s Comments Not very much Please would you comment on how well this student has approached their work experience based on information you have gathered from the supervisor and from the student. You may wish to talk about the objectives which the student set and about progress towards meeting these. Feedback 23 Thank you for taking the time to complete this form. Supervisors Signature: Date: To what extent has the student benefited from this experience? Please mark on the grid below. A great deal Not very much We want some feedback from you about this record book. Please your comments on the content, presentation and ideas for improvement to David Ritchie at: david.ritchie@herts-careers.co.uk