Role Profile Job Title Placement Suitability and Work Experience Coordinator Job No. (Office Use) E8084 A1274 Band/Band Range- (for career grades) Grade C Directorate Children s Services Department Lifelong Learning Division Teaching and Learning Section Tamar Education Business Partnership Reports to (Job Title) Work Experience Team Leader and the Tamar EBP Manager Competency Job Type Customer Facing Worker Suitable for Job Share (Y/N) Yes If No reason Location Office base at Seymour House 50% of time out visiting companies/schools. Shift Pattern Requirement to work evenings when required eg Careers Evenings, Parents Evenings etc. for schools. CRB check required Enhanced CRB check is required. Role may involve one to one, or group working with young people, whilst regularly visiting work placement or school site. Page 1 of 8 Updated on DD/MM/2009
The postholder is responsible for providing the Work Experience subscribed service (on behalf of PCC) to schools, to recruit companies and to ensure the health, safety and welfare of students by pre-assessing the work place suitability. The work experience service co-ordinates over 3,500 placements annually, liaising with companies, school careers coordinators, students and parents. Cornwall and Devon LA s also request additional visits for the Plymouth area. Job Purpose The post holder will have direct responsibility for managing a caseload of schools, providing advice and guidance and meeting the needs of young people, schools and employers involved, and for monitoring and evaluating practice. The postholder will ensure accurate information is entered into the work experience database, and use this to evidence the safeguarding process, to provide management information and to analyse data for specific purposes. The postholder will guide and support employers and school staff, to interpret H&S requirements and influence changes towards improved practice, monitor, evaluate and report. The postholder will understand and comply with all the relevant legislative requirements, as well as Council and department policies and procedures, and will investigate incidents/accidents to students on placement. Page 2 of 8
Organise own caseload and time allocation to determine priorities and forward plan, in order to meet placement deadlines, legal requirements and risk assessment procedures - with planning timescale being over the academic year. Decide what information and workshop training school co-ordinators need to run their school work experience programme effectively. Persuade co-ordinators (and parents) to declare any special needs the young person may have so that the postholder and employers can take account of this in the risk assessment. Contribute to the updating of work experience guidelines and procedures for schools. Visit business and industrial premises in different locations (50% of time) to make independent decisions about their suitability (in terms of health, safety and welfare) and being responsible for the wellbeing of over 3,500 young people placed each year on work experience, in Plymouth or surrounding travel to work areas. Decision Making Responsible for visiting and observing work placement environments and idependently examining and identifying potential risks, hazards and suitability to meet pupils needs. This requires the interpretation of information and situations to solve problems relating to pupils placements. The post holders manager will not be present to observe situations and gather evidence and therefore the post holder is required to independently make decisions that may be used as evidence in court to demonstrate that every endeavour has been made to meet the LA duty of care. Use analytical skills and judgement to interpret unexpected problems and situations and offer advice to solve problems relating to placements eg advising an employer/school when a student is demonstrating difficult behavioural problems or responding to challenging questions from parents, eg equal opportunity issues. Formulate and negotiate a programme/job description with the employer, which will help students learn about the world of work, specific work-related learning outcomes and to develop skills that will enhance their employability - which balances learning and safeguarding needs. When taking the decision that a placement is not suitable, the post holder is required to advise the employer as to what changes would need to be made in order to provide a suitable placement for the student concerned. This entails undertaking risk assessments and providing advice and guidance in relation to H&S provisions and legislation. The postholder generally has access to a team leader or manager for advice and guidance on unusual or difficult problems. Page 3 of 8
Responsibility for people: Accountabilities Have a considerable direct impact upon the wellbeing of over 3500 young people undertaking work experience, through working with the school co-ordinator to assess the needs of the individuals and ensuring the placement provider is able to meet those needs in a safe and supervised environment. Ensure employer is aware of the legal requirement to carry out Learner Induction, which includes risk assessments, emergency procedures and the need for appropriate supervision for learners, taking into account their age and lack of maturity, in addition to any special educational need or disability implementing the regulations and procedures required. Discuss and identify Work Placement Child Protection issues (ie where a young person may travel in company vehicles with one adult as a regular aspect of the placement or in isolated environments), and assess the need for an Enhanced CRB clearance, in accordance with national guidelines. Assess and give careful consideration to whether appropriate safeguards will be in place for the learner (ie supervision within high risk areas such as construction, engineering, agriculture etc) and recommend any additional requirements that may be necessary prior to hosting a student before endorsing placement suitability, such as additional health and safety training. Provide a Help Desk service first point of contact for customer care, giving advice, help and guidance to employers, schools, students and parents, on health and safety matters relating to Plymouth City Council Work Experience Guidelines, policies, work experience prohibitions, DCSF regulations, and HSE Guidelines etc. Understand the different needs of customers and evaluate customer satisfaction through the post-placement process. To support school work experience co-ordinators to manage the work placement process, provide advice and guidance and identity and deliver training requirements. To receive and investigate reports of accidents or incidents involving young persons on placement, gather information and complete the necessary paperwork, to ensure that the relevant Authority has been advised of the accident/incident. Hold accurate procedural evidence that may be requested at an HSE investigation or tribunal. To act as Health & Safety Officer for Seymour House to promote occupational health and safety awareness and monitor that safety-related functions, including risk assessments and training are being provided. To act as Fire Warden for Seymour House to promote the awareness of the dangers of fire to all staff, visitors and contractors. To operate and test the fire alarm system on a weekly basis, liaising with Securi-Guard South West. Page 4 of 8
Financial responsibilities: Collate and prepare individual school figures for financial remuneration, as evidence for the financial claim to schools. Identification of personal protective equipment to be purchased (that is not provided by the employer), being accountable for small expenditure from an agreed budget or income. Responsibility for physical resources: Production of manual information, data and records. Production, processing and analysing computerised information, data and records, where care, accuracy, confidentiality and security are important. The tracking of students and employers and evidencing of placement procedures are crucial, with the need to have reference to this information for a minimum of 13 years to meet safeguarding and European funding standards. Production of detailed job descriptions and individual contracts for each student on work experience, to meet specified deadlines, which formalise the arrangements and demonstrate duty of care. Provide tutors forms to evidence visits to the workplace, identifying any issues/concerns arising from each placement. Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade of the post. Demands Lengthy periods of concentrated sensory attention is required to carry out suitability investigations and to accurately represent management information and placement agreements between LA, school and employer which provide evidence in the case of any HSE investigation or tribunal. The post holder is required to work under considerable work related pressure and respond to regular interruptions regarding placement cancellations by employer or student, last minute placements requested by schools, parents/student wanting a different placement, employer requests to visit or be visited with no advanced notice etc. Emotional demands placed on the post holder from exposure to child protection issues are limited. Working Conditions The role requires approximately 50% of the time visiting employers premises ie driving, walking around premises whilst making inspections and gathering information and then refining young person s placement duties (job description) with employer. 50% of time is office based (Seymour House) and school based. Evening work is required, when relevant to meet customer needs eg schools parent and careers evenings. Page 5 of 8
Essential Demonstrable recent experience in carrying out health and safety procedures as a competent person. Knowledge and application experience of working with HSE guidance, legal and common procedural practice which would include an in depth working knowledge of health & safety factors for organisations, risk assessment and fire risk assessment. Experience, Knowledge and Qualifications Experience of facilitating meetings/workshops and giving high quality presentations covering specialist Health & Safety knowledge. The NEBOSH General Certificate that qualifies for Technician Membership of the professional body Institute of Occupational Safety and Health which represents the level of competent person for this role. A commitment to CPD is required to keep the institute technician membership. Thorough awareness of Child Protection Procedures. Experience of delivering projects meeting specified quality standards, within specified constraints of time and costs. GCSE grade A-C minimum (or equivalent) in English that is essential to the communication, management reporting and advising skills of the role. A full Driving Licence, own vehicle and business insurance to carry out regular checking visits to employer or school premises. Recent experience and understanding in using ICT, to intermediate level or above, within an office environment, eg Access Database, Word, Excel and other packages, including the analysis of data. Desirable Previous experience of working with LAs/schools and/or knowledge of the Work Experience environment. Understanding the importance of employer engagement to the work-related and enterprise curriculum. A working knowledge of Child Protection legislation (training will be provided to achieve the necessary Child Protection qualifications) An in date First Aid qualification Page 6 of 8
Exercise advisory, guiding, negotiating and persuasive skills in order to encourage employers to voluntarily provide certain placement experiences for a young person, bearing in mind confidential information regarding student special needs, and persuading parents/pupils regarding employer requirements, which are often not understood. The post holder is the first point of contact for customer care, giving advice, help and guidance to employers, schools, students and parents, on health and safety matters relating to Plymouth City Council Work Experience Guidelines, policies, work experience prohibitions, DCSF regulations, and HSE Guidelines which usually need interpreting or explaining. Skills and Technical Competencies Interpersonal skills to exchange complicated and sensitive information on a regular basis to a range of audiences. For example explaining reasons to a Headteacher, teacher, parent or student, why a placement cannot be endorsed when they are adamant the placement should proceed. Explaining to employers why a placement cannot be approved. Equally, sensitively discussing child protection issues regarding a supervisor with their employer and identifying solutions and action. Communication skills to formulate student duties with employer, to discuss responsibilities, risks and control measures, also ensuring that students and parents are aware of their responsibilities and informed of any potential risks. Provision of briefings and/or training. Analysing individual situations and interpreting legislation in a persuasive and dynamic manner when giving advice and guidance and providing updates and training to school co-ordinators and parents. Undertake school work experience evaluations and produce reports to ensure quality assurance is in place, recommending school improvements and service improvements, which evidence the duty of care at school and LA level. Responsible for working as part of a team and delivery of other Tamar EBP services such as enterprise events, PDP events, mock interviews etc, as time allows. Able to drive own vehicle to visit companies and schools. Accurate keyboard skills on a daily basis required to quickly create and respond to letters and emails and to compile reports. Technical skills to quickly populate, analyse and produce reports using the Access database, ensuring clear accurate detailed records are maintained, which is a key element of providing evidence of duty of care. Page 7 of 8
Corporate Standards Act at all times in accordance with appropriate legislation and regulations, codes of practice, the provisions of the council s constitution and its policies and procedures. Work within the requirements of the Councils Health and Safety policy, performance standards, safe systems of work and procedures. Undertake all duties with due regard to the corporate equalities policy and relevant legislation. Page 8 of 8