Work experience
Work experience
Information about work experience in British Sign Language (BSL).
Work experience gives you the chance to try out a job in your chosen career to see if you like it. It's also an opportunity to improve your skills, make new contacts, develop confidence in the workplace and plan for your future.
It can help you to:
- develop confidence: You'll learn about the industry, what's expected of you at work and what you're really good at.
- improve your skills: There are many skills needed for the workplace, such as teamwork and timekeeping. You can gain experience of these skills and learn which are important to do the job well.
- make new contacts: You'll meet and work with a range of people. These contacts could be valuable in supporting you with future career opportunities.
- plan your future: Work experience will help you understand if the career you're interested in is right for you. It can help you plan your next steps. Or you might decide that career is not for you and that you want to try something different.
Block placement: This is a one-off placement where you spend one or two weeks with an employer. It's a great way to get experience of an industry that interests you, and see if you want to pursue it further.
One day a week: Many people have work experience one day a week as part of their college course. You will work on small projects for your employer and learn skills on the job.
Internship: An internship is a fixed period of work experience. Many students take internships during the summer holidays. They can be paid or unpaid, and employers sometimes hire interns for paid work after the internship is over.
Volunteering: This is a great way of trying out different areas of work and shows employers that you're proactive. It also helps you make new contacts.
It's possible to arrange work experience in pretty much every career field! As long as you can find an employer to work with you, you should be able to do work experience for whichever jobs interest you.
There are some jobs that can be more difficult to organise work experience for, or which may take longer to arrange.
Working with children or vulnerable adults: If you're interested in childcare, teaching or working with people with disabilities, it might take longer to arrange work experience. This is because these jobs often need you to have a criminal record check. The employer will be able to advise you on the process for applying for a criminal record check.
Jobs with access to confidential information: Many industries deal with private information. This could be things like clients' personal details, confidential company information, or even government secrets. Employers will need time to look at the risks of you working in their office and decide if they can let you do work experience with them.
During your work experience, you will have a supervisor or manager to help you. You might also have a mentor. This is a person who can give you advice and help you get the most out of your work experience.
For more advice and information about work experience, take a look at these websites:
Ever wondered what it’s like to work at NDCS? Our brilliant blogger Chloe learnt first-hand when she came our office in London to try out being a website editor. Read on to find out about her experience.
What were you most looking forward to about working here? Did it meet your expectations?
I was looking forward to meeting new people at the office and exploring a range of different roles to help me understand more about journalism. I didn’t expect journalism to be that broad - there are more roles and forms of journalism than I thought! For example, you don’t just have to write articles – you can use media like videos, posters and photography too!
What kind of work did you do and what did you enjoy the most?
I created two blogs – one with advice for young people waiting for exam results and another about my view of the education system for deaf children. I also practised writing press releases and learnt the process. I found working on blogs most enjoyable as I could express myself the best, and share my own opinions and experiences.
Was anything a surprise to you?
I was surprised that many people I met in the office were not able to sign BSL. However, they had great deaf awareness and could gesture well.
Did you like being in an office environment?
After working at the NDCS office for three days, I do think this environment suits me, but I would need to try some different working environments before I could be certain. I think I’d like a job where I have a balance – spending some time in an office but also going out to do other tasks, such as collecting evidence, doing research or meeting other people.
What do think the challenges are for young people trying to get their first job? Do you think doing work experience helps?
Confidence can be challenging for many young people. New environments and new faces can be difficult, and it can take time to get used to it and settle in. Starting your first job can be overwhelming due to an overload of information, while trying to fit in with the company culture at same time.
I think it’s important and useful to gain work experience before you go looking for your first job. I found work experience helpful as it allowed me to be more prepared and gain more knowledge of different roles and organisations. You learn more about what to expect from a workplace.
What would you like to do in the future?
I would like to do well in my A levels (English language, Biology, Psychology) and then decide which I find the most interesting and enjoyable to narrow down my university choices. At the moment, I’m leaning towards becoming a journalist or psychologist.
Who would be your dream person to interview and why?
My dream person to interview would be Greta Thunberg, the Swedish climate change activist. I find her inspirational and an amazing role model for young people. The future generation is important and I believe our world needs to change for the better.
What are your top tips for a work placement for other deaf young people?
My top tip would be to remind yourself that it’s normal to be nervous or uneasy – it’s the same for everyone and as soon as you become more comfortable with other people, you’ll be fine. Be creative too, and don’t be afraid to share your ideas! Lastly, remember you have the right to accessibility in the workplace - ensure you have access to sign language interpretation or communication support if you need it and that your hearing co-workers are deaf aware. Don’t be afraid to tell your workplace what you need and what you will find helpful.