What is Work Experience?

• Work experience is the short-term placement of secondary school students with employers
• Work experience is generally undertaken in Year 9 or 10
• It is intended to give students insights into the industry and the workplace
• Schools must ensure they implement this policy and the associated Work Experience Manual when planning for and conducting work experience arrangements, to ensure compliance with legislation

Details

Work experience is the short-term placement of secondary school students, generally from Year 9 and 10, with employers to provide insights into the industry and the workplace in which they are located. It provides students with the valuable opportunity to:

• develop employability skills
• explore possible career options
• understand employer expectations
• increase their self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence

Students are placed with employers primarily to observe and learn — not to undertake activities which require extensive training or expertise.

Work Experience Arrangement Form

The Work Experience Arrangement Form  must be completed and signed before the work experience commences. It must be signed by:

• the employer
• the student
• the parent/guardian of the student — if the student is under 18 years of age 
• the Principal or Acting Principal — this authority cannot be delegated to a Deputy Principal or other member of staff

The Principal must ensure a copy of the signed Arrangement Form is provided to each party. The Principal should retain the original copy. Variations or amendments to the Arrangement Form may only be made in writing and must be signed by the:

• employer
• student
• parent/guardian — if the student is under 18 years of age, and
• principal 

Work Experience Travel and Accommodation Form

The Work Experience Travel and Accommodation Form must be used:

• if it is proposed that the student may need to undertake vehicle travel with their employer and/or supervisor during the arrangement, including travel to or from the workplace
• if the student is required to stay in accommodation other than their normal place of residence while undertaking work experience

This form must be signed:

• for travel — by both the employer and the parent/guardian, or the student if they are aged 18 years or over
• for accommodation — by the parent/guardian, or the student if they are aged 18 years or over

Additional Work Experience Form (COVID-19)