Work Experience Placements

The term “Work Experience” is used to describe much more than a work placement towards the end of secondary education. It involves learning through work, about work and for work at all ages from 3 to 18.

Learning Through Work
Providing opportunities for students to learn from direct experiences of work.

Learning About Work
Providing opportunities for students to develop knowledge of work and enterprise.

Learning For Work
Providing opportunities for students to develop the key skills for enterprise and employability.

Many activities related to the above can be undertaken without the need to be located in a “real” workplace.  Examples can be:

• Work-related curricular contexts and interdisciplinary learning
• Work simulation and practice, e.g. mini enterprise, Young Enterprise Scotland Business Programme, School Bank, etc.
• Enterprise projects and activities e.g. the Micro-Tyco project
• Employer partners working directly with students and staff

Work experience placement opportunities should be designed to meet the needs and personal goals of the individual learner, appropriate to the stage of learning, whilst fitting within the school and employment context.

“Curriculum for Excellence offers the flexibility for a more individualised approach to work placements which is relevant and meaningful for young people providing opportunities for them to consider the skills they will need in advance of their placement, to practice and develop their skills and to reflect on their experience post-placement.”            
Building the Curriculum 4 - Skills for learning, skills for life and skills for work, Scottish Government 2009

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Work Experience Placement Entitlement

Under Section 123 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, school pupils are entitled to undertake a work experience placement.

The present Moray position is that only school pupils who are leaving at the end of their S4, will get an opportunity of a work experience placement in S4. All other school pupils will have an opportunity of a Flexible Placement during their S5 or S6.

Our schools take a flexible approach to work experience placement planning to ensure that the placement meets the needs of individual pupils.