Work experience is a stepping stone into the world of work, helping to connect learning to real work situations.
For young people with additional needs, it can be life-changing. Offering opportunities tailored to individual needs and aspirations builds confidence, develops essential skills, and prepares young people for their next steps.
At Shaftesbury Education’s specialist colleges, work experience is embedded in learning. Students transfer skills learned in class to work-related tasks on-site at college and through external work experience.
Fostering independence
This approach enables students to build their understanding of the sequence of steps needed to complete a task.
At Shaftesbury Nash College, students are involved in different roles across the college, from catering, helping with administration tasks or car washing. A group of students also help run the college’s online Vinted store, photographing and listing items, and organising postal deliveries.
Work experience opportunities are inclusive, and can be adapted to enable all students to participate.
‘I would like to work in a café serving people food’ – Connor
‘Internal work experience helps students learn and develop skills in a safe and familiar environment, building their confidence,’ said head of college Martin Bentham.
‘We provide support, teaching and modelling tasks, reducing the level of support over time so students carry out processes independently, demonstrating progression.’
Partnerships with organisations including The Warren – a Metropolitan Police sports and social club – and charity Invisible Palace provide opportunities for students to transfer the skills they have learned to a less familiar setting.
‘Students learn how to prepare for work, travel to the workplace, use tools and equipment safely, wear the correct PPE, follow instructions, and work as a team – the “soft skills” we all use day to day in the workplace,’ said Martin.
‘External work experience and employer visits are opportunities for our students to explore job roles in a meaningful way.
‘Exposing students to a variety of tasks and experiences can help them discover if they like working indoors or if they prefer being outdoors; if they like working with animals or enjoy meeting people. It is about opening those doors.’
Growing for the future
On a Friday morning in Crystal Palace Park, a group of volunteers tend to a small garden plot.
Among the group weeding, planting and clearing foliage are students from Shaftesbury Nash College, who regularly attend the community gardening sessions run by the charity Invisible Palace.
During the sessions, the students work under the direction of a landscape gardener, with support from college staff.
Since starting the sessions, their confidence has blossomed. As well as gaining practical work-related skills, the students take pride in contributing to a community project.
Omar enjoys gardening and working outdoors.
‘I like doing the tasks and working with other people, learning new skills.’ – Omar
Combined with their college learning, internal and external work experience plays a crucial part in building students’ skills and confidence, supporting their preparation to move on to further training or employment.
Looking for a college placement? Get in touch to find out more about our learning pathways.