Work experience is a government scheme offered to school students in Year 10 or above. The student has a placement at an employer's premises. They carry out particular tasks or duties, more or less as would an employee. The emphasis is on the learning aspects of the experience.
The experience involves taking on the role of a young worker. Students engage in work tasks while using and developing work skills. They are involved in work processes and experience work environments.
Below you will find an alphabetical list for information on available work experience placements.
Please use the appropriate links to:
- download further information about the placement
- apply for the placement
| Company | Job opportunities available |
| BF Adventure | Assistant instructor |
| Carnglaze Caverns | Assistant Grounds person or General Assistant |
| Cornish and Devon Post |
Editorial Assistant Newsroom, write a news item, write captions, reporter and public interaction |
| Cornwall Council | Opportunity to apply to various departments in a variety of locations across Cornwall |
| County Arms | Find out about specific departments and experiences available to you |
| Devon and Cornwall Police - Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly | |
| Eden Project | Eden has many exciting work experience placements available. They will give you a fantastic insight into life at Eden |
| Geevor Tin Mine Museum | Geevor Tin Mine can offer work experience placements in each school year. Either as a Museum Assistant or Gallery Guide. |
| Goonhilly Earth Station | Opportunity to gain an insight into satellite communications |
| Headland Hotel | Receptionist, room attendant, commis chef, hall porter and food and beverage attendant |
| Kehelland Trust | Gardener, Office Assistant, Kitchen Assistant, and Retail Assistant |
| Marks and Spencer | Opportunity to work with several departments on General Retail Services |
| Penlee House | Gallery and Museum Assistant. Public contact, handling artefacts, collating information and working on your own project |
| Puckator | A placement working within various departments in a wholesale gift shop supplier |
| RNAS Culdrose | |
| St. Mary's Catholic Primary School |
Teacher/Teaching Assistant |
| Software Cornwall |
Placements for software engineering and software development |
| Tesco - Truro |
General retail |
| Trebah Gardens |
Placement for Assistant Gardener |
| Trelissick Gardens |
Assistant Gardener |
| Trelowan Preschool |
Assistant Practitioner |
| YHA Eden Project |
Reception / house-keeping |
There are two ways work experience can be set up for a student:
-
Block work experience
Block Work Experience is when a whole year group is given the opportunity to spend one or two weeks in a work placement. -
Extended work experience
Extended Work Experience is when a student spends one or two days a week in a placement over an extended period of time. This is usually used by a student who is working towards a qualification of some sort.
Providing a placement
If you would like to provide a work experience placement please contact the Cornwall Education Business Partnership team using the contact details on this page.
General information
Insurance and work experience
You may have been told by your insurer that you cannot have anyone under the age of 16 in your workplace. This may be right if you were "employing" the person but for Work Experience this does not apply. Work Experience is a special case as it is a government scheme and if you contact your insurance company, not your Insurance Broker, and tell them you are taking a student on Work Experience then there will be no extra cost and they will be covered. This has been agreed with all the Insurance Trade Organisations and the document below from the ABI confirms this.
If your insurance company does refuse or charge you then please let us know and we will contact the ABI and the Government department (DCSF) who set up Work Experience.
Further information is available via the link below:
Employers should be aware that the restrictions and legislation around work experience and child employment differ.
Further information is available via the link below:
Frequently asked questions
What environments are prohibited?
The list of prohibited environments under the scheme is: Scrap Yards, Recycling Centres, Tattoo Parlours and working at heights on board registered vessels/boat/ships.
What insurance levels are required?
The insurance level requirement is Employers and Public Liability.
If I am closed one day or an emergency crops up and I have no supervision arrangements then where should the student go?
They should go back to school if it is during school hours.
Are students allowed to travel with employers e.g. by car when visiting clients?
Yes, provided the employer has Business Vehicle Insurance cover. Please note that the school may also ask for a DBS check.
Can the student work shift hours?
Yes, provided the parents give consent and the student does not work more than 40 hours during the placement week.
Are students allowed to use their mobile phone during the placement?
The same rules will apply to the student as for any of your employees.
Can a student drive a vehicle e.g. a tractor or quad bike?
No, they are not allowed to operate any vehicles during placement hours.
What do I do if the student does not turn up for their placement?
Contact the school or the parents immediately.
Useful guidelines
- There is a Child Protection | Statement of Principles which will help you work with any young people in or out of the workplace.
- A Health and Safety Induction Guidelines for Placement Providers can be used for a student on their first morning which is very important.
- Here is a List of Prohibited Equipment and Machinery that should be used for your work experience pupil.
- Guidelines for Supervising a Student on Work Experience
There are two ways work experience can be set up:
- Block work experience
Block Work Experience is when a whole year group is given the opportunity to spend one or two weeks in a work placement.
- Extended work experience
Extended Work Experience is where a student will spend one or two days a week in a placement over an extended period of time. This is usually used by a student who is working towards a qualification.
Finding a placement
Each school has a list of placements that students have used in the past and the Work Experience Co-ordinator can help your son/daughter to use this list.
In addition, the co-ordinator can provide you with an information leaflet for parents/carers which details all you need to know about a work experience placement.
The work experience logbook
Your son or daughter will also be given a work experience logbook which they will get from the Work Experience Co-ordinator in school. This must be completed during their placement to support the experience.
There are two ways work experience can be set up:
- Block work experience
Block work experience is when a whole year group is given the opportunity to spend one or two weeks in a work placement.
- Extended work experience
"Extended" Work Experience is where a student will spend one or two days a week in a placement over an extended period of time. This is usually used by a student who is working towards a qualification of some sort.
Find a placement
Each school has a list of available placements that students have used in the past and the Work Experience Co-ordinator can help you to use this list.
How to apply
You can either write a letter to, telephone or visit the employer you want to ask for a placement. You must prepare carefully for each one and your form or group tutor at school can help you with this.
General information
The work experience log book
Useful documents:
Frequently asked questions
When can I apply for Work Experience?
You can apply shortly after the start of Year 10 (September)
What environments are prohibited?
he list of prohibited environments under the scheme is: Scrap Yards, Recycling Centres and Tattoo Parlours, working at heights on board registered vessels/boat/ships.
What insurance levels are required?
The insurance level requirement is Employers and Public Liability.
Can I work with my family business/member?
You can work with a family business or with a member of your family providing they have the relevant insurance levels (Employers and Public Liability Insurance).
Can I work in another County?
You can work out of county if you have contacts and a health and safety check is completed by the relevant authority as long as within England and Wales.
Will I receive payment for the week’s work?
You will not receive payment for a work experience placement.
What is the dress code for work experience?
The dress code depends on where the placement is. If you need personal protective equipment this is supplied by the employer except for safety footwear.
Can I do Work Experience where I have a part time job?
You may undertake work experience where you have a part time job subject to the relevant health and safety checks. It is preferred however that students gain a new workplace experience.
Do I have to do Work Experience?
We encourage work experience wherever possible. If you do not have a placement you will be expected to attend school for the duration of the week.
Why is the school’s deadline for returning paperwork so far ahead of the placement week?
The timescales are set to enable the relevant checks and arrangements to be made before your placement.
What is the procedure if I am sick?
If you are sick during your work experience placement, you should inform the school and your employer immediately.
How will I get to my placement?
You will be expected to make your own arrangements to travel to and from your placement.
My employer is closed one day during the week i.e. hairdressers. Where do I go on that day?
You should go to school unless the school tells you otherwise.
The Platinum Provider Award has been designed over several years. It is to encourage employers to develop a work experience scheme for schools and young people so that it provides a quality experience. It is also an opportunity for employers to use the scheme as a business improvement tool to effectively manage their work experience offer.
Companies which have achieved this award have found that:
- They could plan and quality assure their work experience more effectively
- The quality of the applications they received were much higher and more positive
- Pupils and young people knew what the job was, what to expect and how to apply - preventing mismatches
- Pupils and young people were more task directed and showed a genuine interest
- Employers, pupils and young people reported a higher degree of satisfaction
Becoming a Platinum Provider is really very straight forward!
A member of Cornwall Education Business Partnership can visit your company and help you by:-
- Explaining the process to achieve the Platinum Provider Award
- Helping you to develop a Job Description and a Person Specification for any placements you want to offer.
- Discussing with you ways of ensuring the young person has received all the essential details about the placement before they come
- Looking with you at the range of activities the students can undertake on the placement
- Setting up an outline programme of what they will do during the time they spend with you.
- Helping you with the Young Persons Risk Assessment for the placement.
- Helping you to have a Health and Safety Briefing for the student on the first morning they arrive
- Discussing the supervision of the student during the placement, and how to give effective feedback at the end of each day
- Discussing the completion of an employers report at the end of the placement
- Finally putting together all the details and providing you with a package you can use leaving you free to get on with running your business!
Welcome to the Platinum Providers Award. This is your guide to becoming a leading employer in enhancing young people’s employability.
How to become a platinum provider
Becoming a Platinum Provider is not complicated and there is help and support if needed. The document below will help you to make a start and achieve the award.
Find out how to become a Platinum Provider
Current Platinum Providers
- BF Adventure
- Camborne Library (Cornwall Council)
- Carnglaze Caverns
- Cornish and Devon Post
- Cornwall Council
- Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
- County Arms
- Devon and Cornwall Police
- Eden Project
- Geevor Tin Mine Museum
- Goonhilly Earth Station
- Hall for Cornwall
- Hayle MOT Motor Services Ltd
- Headland Hotel
- IMERYS
- Marks and Spencer
- Newquay Zoo
- Pendennis Shipyard
- Penlee House Gallery and Museum
- Porfell Animal Land
- Porthpean Outdoor Centre
- Puckator Ltd
- RNAS Culdrose
- Royal Cornwall Hospital
- Serco UK and Europe
- Software Cornwall
- St. Mary's CP School Falmouth
- Tesco Stores Ltd
- Trebah Gardens
- Trelissick Gardens (National Trust)
- Trelowan Pre School
One of the benefits of becoming a 'Platinum Provider' is that you receive a framed certificate to put up in your office or where ever you would like it to be!
Our Management of Work Experience Scheme supports schools with their work experience programmes.
- Access to our Work Experience Resources
- Access to the Work Experience Database for Cornwall
- Professional placement suitability visits
- Work Experience Logbook for Students
- National work experience research and legal updates
- Work Experience Coordinator Hotline
- Certificates of Completion for all students who complete a placement
Need help?
Most issues can be resolved online, it's the quickest and most convenient way to get help.
- Education Business Partnership
- Chy Trevail
2 North
Beacon Technology Park
Dunmere Road
Bodmin
PL31 2FR - 01209 615070
- ebp@cornwall.gov.uk
