Why Work Experience?
Work Experience is an important part of a young person’s education and their understanding of the world of work. It also has
a core role to play in delivering work-based and work-related learning within a secondary school’s enterprise in education
programme as described in Determined to Succeed. Effective work-based and work-related learning can help young people to become successful learners, confident individuals, responsible citizens and effective contributors to society and at work as outlined in A Curriculum for Excellence.
The essential purpose of an effective work experience programme is to enhance the education of young people and their understanding
of the world of work. However, work experience now has an increased and sharper focus within the broader interpretation of
enterprise in education arising from Determined to Succeed and from the implications for practice of the values, purposes
and principles of A Curriculum for Excellence. These stress that schools and other educational establishments must prepare
young people for the challenges they will face in our rapidly changing world.
Work experience fits perfectly with each of the four strands of Determined to Succeed, providing opportunities for young people
to:
( Determined to Succeed: Enterprise in Education Work Experience Guidance 2006)
The Moray Council understands the potential benefit of Work Experience, both to the pupil/trainees and to placement providers. Work Experience has been an important part of the secondary school curriculum in Moray for over 14 years.
All S4 pupils have had the opportunity to experience the world of work and the number of senior students choosing to gain
an insight into career areas which interest them is increasing.
Schools are linking work experience to opportunities for national qualifications through Standard Grade Social and Vocational
Skills and the Work Experience NQ unit Intermediate 1.
In line with national guidelines all schools should be moving towards offering a work-based vocational experience linked to
a relevant vocational qualification.
Work Experience Entitlement
Under Section 123 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, school pupils are entitled to undertake a period of work experience
from:
This may mean a small number of pupils will be too young to undertake work experience after 1st May in their S3 year.
To sum up, pupils must be 14 as of 1st May in their S3 year to be able to take part in the Work Experience Programme at the
end of S3 or in S4.
The legislative entitlement for work experience is two weeks. This is only an entitlement and schools should be flexible to meet the needs of individual pupils.