Work experience is generally defined as:

'A placement on employers' premises in which a learner carries out a particular task or duty, or range of tasks or duties, more or less as would an employee, but with the emphasis on the learning aspects of the experience.'

Work experience has been and will remain an essential part of the curriculum.  It helps learners,  between the ages of 14-18, to understand and develop the employability skills and positive 'can-do' attitude that employers are looking for in a highly competitive economy.  For the block placement programme work experience is not a vocational taster (although some students do carry out placements via other programmes that support the courses they are undertaking at school or college), but a first chance to connect a young person's education with their future working lives.

Work experience takes a variety of forms for young people - block, extended and vocational.  The main programme Central Berkshire operates is the block placement programme of one week, which provides a general introduction to the world of work for students between the ages of 14–16 and in their last two year's of compulsory schooling.  We are paid by schools to run this programme for them and this involves finding places, matching students to opportunities, liaising with schools, parents, students and employers and carrying out the majority of the administration.  We will talk to our employers about the young people and help them to provide the best possible opportunity for the student.

On work experience, the young person will carry out a range of tasks or duties similar to that of other employees in the environment they are in, but obviously with regard to their physical immaturity and inexperience.  All students must receive a health and safety induction on starting their placement and be given training for all tasks undertaken.  Importantly, they must be supervised at ALL times during their placement.