Now that you are in Year 9, you may be interested in learning about different jobs. Work experience can give you a taste of what jobs are like, so that you can start thinking about what you would like to do in the future.
You may find a job that interests you or decide that a job isn’t for you. This process helps you narrow down what jobs you want to know more about. It’s a great chance to see what a particular career is like and spend time out of the classroom and in the world of work.
What is Work Experience?
Work experience involves spending time in a company that interests you. The time spent can be a few hours or up to two weeks. You will see how the business operates and have tasks to do. You will spend time with staff and have the chance to ask questions. You don’t (usually) get paid for work experience but will benefit from what you learn.
Organising work experience
Schools have a work experience service and career advisors. Most schools have work experience programmes from Year 10 but can offer information and advice to Year 9s.
You can apply for work experience with companies that offer programmes for Year 9s. Sometimes, they may ask you to apply through your school.
It is worth talking to people you know who may work for companies that offer work experience. Finding out what extended family and friends do for work can give you more ideas.
Benefits of Work Experience
Work experience can help you to:
- Find out what different jobs are like.
- Use your skills in a work environment.
- Learn from the staff you work with.
- Understand how companies operate.
- Develop communication skills.
- Start building a CV.
Work experience can get you started in exploring what jobs might interest you in the future.
Here are 9 Work Experience ideas for Year 9s:
Met Office
The Met Office is the United Kingdom’s national weather and climate service. It offers a two part work experience.
The first part is online and is available to students aged 13-18. Everyone who registers will get a place. You will learn about careers at the Met Office through videos, webinars and projects.
After completing the first part, you can apply for the second part of the work experience.
Students are placed in teams that include forecasting, technology, engineering, and communications. This is an in-person placement for two to three days that has limited places available.
Asda
If you want to work in retail, you might consider work experience at Asda supermarket.
Their programme is for students aged 14-16 and runs for one or two weeks in one of their supermarkets. You will mix with various people and get involved with the day-to-day work. You will learn how the retail industry operates.
British Red Cross
This charity is the largest humanitarian organisation in the world and has helped millions of people in the UK and worldwide get help when crisis strikes. For example, they help victims of trafficking and support people impacted by war.
Red Cross have a one-week work experience programme for students aged 15 to 18. You can learn about marketing, human resources and finance. They also have some virtual work experience opportunities.
Aviva
Find out more about a career in technology by doing work experience with Aviva. This multinational insurance company offers a technology work experience programme for students aged 14-16. The programme runs in Bristol, Norwich, and York in July each year.
This is a chance to be involved in real-world projects and learn about the technology used in such a large company. You will work with Aviva staff and find out about career opportunities.
Sports4Kids
Are you keen on sports and interested in learning about being a sports coach? Sports4Kids offers work experience for students aged 14 and upwards. Lead coaches will supervise you, and the programme will cover coaching, teaching, and employability.
You can make an application with your CV through the website. Sports4Kids has a career pathway with other opportunities for students wanting to be sports coaches.
Kainos
We have all heard about the dangers of hacking on computer systems. How about learning how big companies employ people to fight against hacking?
Kainos is a software company with offices across the UK. They offer cyber security work experience to students aged 14-19. The programme teaches you about working as a cybersecurity engineer.
Some course content covers how cyber security engineers protect and secure systems, their tools and equipment, and how to be an ethical hacker. You will also learn the career pathways to becoming a cybersecurity engineer.
This is an online programme and takes place over two days. Applications are made through Kainos website.
Airports
If you apply to your nearest airport for work experience, you can learn about the different careers available.
For example, Bristol Airport offers a week’s work experience for Years 8-13 students. During the work experience, You will learn what it is like to work in diverse roles, including finance, HR, hospitality and more.
Wildlife Trust
If you want to connect with nature, you might like work experience with a wildlife organisation. The Wildlife Trust offers work experience to young people 11 – 17 who are interested in learning about careers in conservation. You’ll get to visit a selection of their nature reserves and learn more about their work to protect wildlife.
The Wildlife Trust is a charity with 46 trusts across the UK which look after 2,300 nature reserves.
Each trust aims to protect and restore the natural world and help more people experience, understand and value nature. Work experience usually runs for a week in July each year. .
Virtual Work Experience
Springpod works with employers and universities to offer free online work experience courses that usually last about ten hours. Some are available immediately, while others must be pre-booked.
Work experience courses for most careers include art and design, retail, computing, social care, healthcare, engineering, and finance. These courses are interactive and informative and include hearing from industry experts.
Lots of companies have programmes on Springbod, including the Civil Aviation Authority, Fujitsu, NHS England and Asda.
Making the most of work experience
One of the best thing about work experience (we think) is that you can add it to your CV to stand out to future employers. Make sure you write a bit about what you did and what you learned. You could reflect on the below questions to help you:
- What did you enjoy most about your work experience?
- What did you enjoy least?
- What did you learn?
- Did you improve any skills?
- Would you like to work in this field? Why/why not?
- What would you like to do next to find out more about careers?
With that said and done, we wish you good luck in your work experience search, and we hope you enjoy testing out a potential future career!
