Appropriate work experience being still insisted on!!

It is a Level 2 course in Art. Yes, they must have relevant work experience as part of the course. So, my daughter will now be taking her child with her to school where they can sit with some of the Year 7 pupils there and help them with art. This g.child has to have tests 24-48 hours before they go into College any day for a practical session. The pupils going into school have tests twice a week. The school has strict covid-safe procedures in place, so do not think there is any danger. But still seems daft to me for this Work Experiences to be insisted in these strange times.

Franbern

One of my gchildren, doing their Level 3\A levels is still being told that they must arrange to have a relevant work experience placement for the first week of March!!

The college has not made any suggestions as to how this it to be achieved when so many workplaces are closed, and those that are open are, obviously, not willing to bring in a youngster for this time.

Had anyone else found that this is still in operation.

Seems daft to me.

Teenagers are very good at missing important bits of information. Are you sure they are correct about the college's insistence?

My granddaughter is on placement year from Uni, nothing local but has got an online placement with a New York company. Not exactly what is ideal but plenty of work to keep her busy and is looking forward to traveling there later in the year.

Pity the poor dental students who are having to repeat a year because they can't get enough work experience. That's the reality of where we are right now.

I honestly think there will have been a misunderstanding. Many businesses will not be open in March. Somebody, parent or grandparent should contact the college for clarification.

Ask the college for further clarity and ways forwards. Surely young people cannot be expected to put themselves at risk! Must the placement be in person or is there any form of online work she could offer? People and organisations often need menial work to be done on their websites. You need the college to spell this all out for the poor girl. She already has enopugh to think about.

If the places applied to do not state that they cannot take anyone on at the moment due to the Covid19 restrictions, then your grandchild will need to phone them on receipt of their letter and ask if they could possibly state their reasons in writing as the college is being awkward about this

Are you living in the real world? Covid or not an employer is not obliged to take someone on work experience at all.
Employers often don't even reply to people who have applied for jobs they have advertised. Why on earth would they write to a college saying why they have refused a work experience placement?

It certainly sounds daft to insist on job experience right now, but so much of what we are living with is, or sounds, daft!

I second the advice to your grandchild to seek placements.

If the places applied to do not state that they cannot take anyone on at the moment due to the Covid19 restrictions, then your grandchild will need to phone them on receipt of their letter and ask if they could possibly state their reasons in writing as the college is being awkward about this.

If he/she has a long list of employers who all state that it is not possible to give promises of placements due to the current situation, your grandchild then can complain to the college about their unreasonable attitude and have evidence to back up the complaint.

The OP's grandchild is not doing a degree, though - they are doing A levels, which are taken at a college, not a university.

This is what confuses me. Each subject will have a separate syllabus, so a work placement can't be a requirement of the exam board, even if the college encourages it.

If the course is a BTEC or similar, and some of the assessment is practical, it might be different. What is the subject? Could something be arranged whereby the student can work remotely? I can envisage opportunities in something like a business course for someone to take on a project that can be completed at home, with Zoom progress meetings.

They could ask on a local Facebook group if anyone can use someone with their skills for the length of the placement. You never know, it might work out for the best all round.

I do think that the college should be being more proactive, though.

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DoodleBug - students can’t do work experience until an IOSH qualified person has done a Risk Assessment - which includes Covid policies. Although I’ve been in workplaces with the necessaries in place and not felt safe.

I can't see how a college can insist on something like this. They are not the awarding body, if your grandchild is taking A levels.
I would be inclined to ask what would happen if your grandchild were unable to secure a suitable placement, and also:

The qualifications are externally examined - how is a college going to feed in any information about performance on a work placement?

How will grades at A level be impacted (for better or worse) by a placement? As students will be taking different combinations of subjects, how will this be monitored for fairness?

What is their risk assessment, and how will they ensure that anyone on placement is kept as 'Covid-safe' as possible, whose guidelines will be followed and who is doing the inspections?

It makes no sense to me, and I'd be very surprised if anyone can insist unless passing a course is dependent on passing a practical element (eg nursing or social care), and I can't think of any A levels where this would apply.

It seems daft to me. I'm not sure employers would want to give placements at the minute, or that it would be a good idea.

Have they spoken with the work placement coordinator at college? I know that our college has cancelled placements due to insurance issues and insufficient Government advice on the matter.

Depends on the industry area, but there are many companies open. Is there a financial incentive for the organisation to take them on do you know?

But yes, they need to make a note of all the organisations that they have contacted.

Totally daft. But maybe your GC should attempt to find something so that they can show that they've made the effort. That might be the challenge intended!