Work experience enables you to test out a career and build skills, and within a competitive jobs market proven skills can help you to secure a job. Internships, work placements and volunteering are great ways to impress employers.
If you don’t have a lot of experience of a workplace or a new workplace, work experience is a way of feeling more confident. Even if it isn’t exactly the same role as you are looking for, it’s a great way to improve your transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and leadership. There are a few ways that you can do this, but it will depend on the employer or organisation, how they work and what they are willing to provide.
- Traineeship – a training programme for young people
- Volunteering – doing work for free, usually for charities, good for wellbeing and the first steps towards work
- Work trial – employers sometime offer work trials to see if candidates are the right fit for a job, these should be time limited
- Supported internship – a programme for young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan
Sometimes work experience is provided on training projects for certain sectors, so look out for courses with links to employers as these may offer work experience or guaranteed interviews.
If you are currently receiving benefits speak to your work coach about work experience opportunities. They will be able to tell you which employers are currently offering placements.
Bristol City Council offers work experience. You can apply to do work experience at the council if you study, work or live in Bristol.
Find organisations that offer training courses by searching the One Front Door provider directory using the search dropdown to search for ‘sector training’.
Find volunteering opportunities on the One Front Door jobs board.