Work Experience
As competition for University places increases, Work Experience is becoming a more important element in a successful application. Candidates are required to provide examples of their interests on their University application form and Work Experience is regularly cited as giving an applicant an added advantage.
Work experience gives students valuable clues as to what kind of occupation they might (or might not) enjoy, and so may influence their choice of courses. It may also provide motivation for boys to continue their studies, and to appreciate the wider world of employment that they will ultimately enter.
At the Oratory all boys in the fifth form will go out on work experience after their GCSE's end.
Some of the lower sixth (those not involved in art week) will also go out in mid June.
The dates for 2013 are:
• Lower 6th: June 10th - 14th
• 5th Form: June 24th - 28th
There have been different routes to take when finding a placement in the past, but it is clear that the most successful placements are those that are found by the pupil (own placements).
This may be through parents, friends contacts or by the student writing to organisations that offer placements in the area that he is interested in.
The onus is thus on the student to find their own placement although the school will offer guidance and have a database of companies that have taken boys in the past.
Placements in popular professions such as medicine, law, journalism and other media placements are in short supply and are booked up to a year in advance, so if this is something that your son aspires to, then you should start investigating placements as soon as possible (personal sponsors are particularly helpful too!).
We check each placement to ensure students have a productive and safe week. Checking is done by Central Berks EBP (CB EBP), and they require the forms in fairly early in the process, ideally before Christmas, so that they have time to do all the required checks.
In addition to each pupil keeping a diary, feedback is enormously important and we would appreciate a short report on the pupil.
Can you offer a placement to an Oratory boy? Providing a work placement for a student requires commitment from an employer but can be rewarding for both parties. If you can offer one or even more placements then please use the email below to contact details below.
Contact Mark Harrison or Mary Arkinstall on email: tosca@oratory.co.uk
Telephone: 01491 683 527 / 07786 396 126
Click here to download Work Experience Yr12 Form
Click here to download Year11 Form
Click here to download Health Declaration Form
Useful Work Experience websites:
https://jobs.bbc.co.uk/fe/tpl_bbc03.asp?newms=info06
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/about-us/working-for-us/work-experience/#
http://www.oxfordradcliffe.nhs.uk/getinvolved/experience.aspx
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/gsl/education/careers/placements
http://www.work-experience.org/
http://www.tasteofmedicine.com/goodexperience.htm
http://www1.imperial.ac.uk/medicine/teaching/undergraduate/medicine/admissions/work/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-10891905
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-benefits-of-work-experience.htm
http://www.summeractivitiesforkids.co.uk/gaining-work-experience-over-summer.html
http://www2.careers.govt.nz/benefits_work_experience.html
http://www.schoolemployerconnections.org/our-work/work-experience.html