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Experiences of Workplaces
Experiences of workplaces is an important part of the St. Aidan’s careers programme as it helps to ensure that our students:
- Relate their curriculum learning to the world of work
- Understand appropriate workplace attitudes and behaviours
- Understand and develop the skills valued by modern employers
- Reflect on what it takes to be successful in the job market
- Are supported in their transitions from education and training into skilled employment.
Experiences of the workplace can take place through enterprise activities, partnering with employers in curriculum delivery and through participation in formal, in-person experiences. These encounters can vary in length and structure; some are practical and hands-on, some offer the opportunity to collaborate on projects, while some provide observation, work shadowing and industry insights. All experiences can provide an enriching opportunity to help students to prepare for a future transition into the workplace and understand entry requirements and the associated recruitment processes, the skills valued by employers and what it takes to be successful in the modern job market.
Volunteering
Volunteering provides an alternative way to experience the modern workplace as well as to try new things, meet new people, build new skills and gain confidence. There are hundreds of organisations in the Harrogate area which involve volunteers in their work. Organisations have individual volunteer policies and so may have minimum age requirements due to issues such as insurance or safeguarding of vulnerable individuals. Useful resources include:
Roles for Young People | Harrogate & District Community Action
Find a volunteering opportunity | NCVO
Virtual Enrichment Opportunities
Many companies developed some excellent virtual work experience opportunities in recent years during the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic which have proved so effective that the format is most definitely here to stay. Professionals working with some of the UK’s largest companies and nationally recognised organisations have devised engaging and insightful online chowork experience opportunities. This has provided students with opportunities that ordinarily they may not have had access to. The Careers Department periodically collate these opportunities and share them with students, as appropriate. Examples of these include:
Virtual Work Experiences | UCAS
Virtual Work Experience tool | Barclays LifeSkills
Brighton and Sussex Medical School Virtual Work Experience
University Hospitals Birmingham Trust Virtual Work Experience – Medic Mentor
Royal College of General Practitioners | Observe GP work experience
Amazon Future Engineer | Class Chats - Amazon Future Engineer UK
Virtual Work Experience – Future First
Free virtual job simulations and career prep | Forage
Virtual Work Experience | Springpod
Speakers for Schools | Virtual Work Experience Opportunities
Virtual Work Experience for Law Students | The Lawyer Portal