Year 10 Work Experience
3rd – 5th May 2017
DURING WORK
EXPERIENCE
LOG BOOK
STUDENT NAME:
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COMPANY:
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Tutor Group: ____________________
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Contents and Activities
Topic
Page
Beginnings, Introductions and Endings
3
Health and Safety
4
First Thoughts and First Impressions
5
Getting to know your colleagues
6–7
Things to find out
8-9
Work Experience Diary – 3 days
10-12
Day 1 Diary
10
Day 2 Diary
11
Day 3 Diary
12
Key Skills Observed
13
Key skills personal development checklist
14
Think & Reflect
15 - 16
Employers Comments (optional)
17
2
Check
when
complete
Beginnings: Introductions
When you arrive – greet your contact. Greet with a handshake and
make eye contact. Thank them for allowing you to come in to their
company for WEX.
When you get introduced to others make eye contact. A handshake
may also be appropriate depending on the situation.
Endings: Thank You
Before you leave your work experience placement on your final day you need to
thank several people in person to show your appreciation:
- your Tanglin contact at the company
- your manager
- other colleagues that you worked with
You will leave a good impression of yourself if you do this. This will be good for
you whether or not you decide to work there later. You may meet them again
at some point in your life!
3
Health and Safety Induction
During your work experience placement you will be treated as an employee
of the company.
You must follow all the rules regarding Health & Safety at all times.
Companies have their own rules and will have signs posted around the
buildings to remind you. As soon as you start it is important that you learn all
you can about the Health & Safety Policy of your placement.
Find out the answers to these questions. Ask other people to help you.
Questions
Where is the First Aid box kept?
Where is the main fire escape?
What does the fire alarm sound like?
Where do I assemble if there is a fire?
To whom do I report injuries or hazards?
Are there any restricted areas in the workplace which are no go areas?
Specify which they are.
Which machines/equipment am I NOT allowed to use?
What special clothing/equipment might I need to wear or use?
Which Health & Safety signs will I need to read and understand? These may be
on the walls, machines or equipment.
When you have completed this questionnaire ask your employer to check it and sign it.
Signed: (Pupil)
Signed: (Employer)
Date:
4
First Thoughts – Before Work Experience Day 1
When you got up in the morning to go to work, how did you feel?
(Tick all the boxes that apply)
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Excited to meet new people
Nervous to meet new people
Concerned or anxious about arriving on time
Curious and interested to learn more of the business
Hope that no one notices me during the day so that they don’t give me tasks to do
and/or so that I don’t have to speak to people
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Eager to get on with my tasks
First Impressions - After Day 1
What are your first impressions of the company?
Does the workplace look like a nice environment to work in? Why?
Is it bigger/smaller than you expected?
What sort of tasks have you been set and does it differ from what you expected?
What work do your colleagues appear to do day-to-day?
What are your colleagues like? Are they older/younger/quieter/more confident/more
formal/less formal than you expected?
What are your first impressions of the company culture?
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Open, friendly
Modern, innovative, cutting edge, market leader
Formal and conservative
Other – note
What things have you observed that leads you to think this? Reflect and record how this
is appropriate / inappropriate for this business.
5
Getting to know your colleagues
Whilst on work experience find time to get to know your colleagues’ background. They might
work in the same team as you, or a different department. Take a coffee break, or eat lunch
with them! Conversing with colleagues is probably the most valuable part of your work
experience, and it is also fun to get to know them, so don’t be shy in striking up a conversation
and asking a few questions (but try not to make it sound like an interview!)
Talk to as many people as you can, including your manager, and fill out the following
information for two different people:
Getting to know your colleagues - 1
Name 1…………………………………………………………
1. Position held in company
2. Did they study at University or other Higher Education Colleges ?...........Yes/No
3. If yes, where did they study?
4. What subject(s) did he/she study?
5. Did they have work experience prior to working at your company? ………Yes/No
6. If yes, what is the name of their previous company, and what type of
business/field did it involve?
7. Why did they move to your company?
8. What career advice would they offer you about this industry/type of work?
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Getting to know your colleagues - 2
Name …………………………………………………………
1. Position held in company
2. Did they study at University or other Higher Education Colleges ?...........Yes/No
3. If yes, where did they study?
4. What subject(s) did he/she study?
5. Did they have work experience prior to working at your company? ………Yes/No
6. If yes, what is the name of their previous company, and what type of
business/field did it involve?
7. Why did they move to your company?
8. What career advice would they offer you about this industry/type of work?
7
Things to find out while you are there….
Try to find out the answers to these during your placement. (Do not just hand this to your employer!)
Organisation:__________________________________
1. Product or Service.
Does the company:
a) Make things?
b) Offer a service?
c) Produce raw materials?
2. Staffing
3. Local - International.
4. Special clothing.
5. Hours of Work
Describe the product manufactured or the type
of services offered
How many people are employed by this
company?
a) Less than 25
b) 25 - 49
c) 50 - 199
d) Over 200
Is the company part of a local, national or
international organisation? Which ones? What
are the advantages / benefit of these links?
Do employees have to wear a uniform or special
clothing – if so what and why?
How is the work organised?
a) Regular day hours – note:
b) 2 shifts (day and night)
c) 4 shifts or other pattern
d) Other
Note why the hours are like this
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6. Terms of Employment
Holidays (annual leave)
7. Terms of employment
Sick leave
How many paid days holidays are given to
employees? Does this vary with years of service/
seniority of position?
Do employees get sick pay? How many days per
year?
8. Facilities
What facilities are there for staff?
(Staff room, canteen, smokers’ room, prayer room
etc)
9. Decisions & Changes.
Do managers/supervisors consult the workforce
before major decisions are made about how the
company is run? If so how?
10. On Job Training: Are there
Does the company encourage / sponsor further
tertiary study?
opportunities for training whilst
at work? Record the types of
training. Do they offer
Apprenticeships
11. Employee Protection.
Are there any Staff Associations or Trade Unions
which help to look after employees rights at work?
12. Organisation chart
What are the main divisions and senior roles within
the company?
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Work Experience Diary – Day 1
What have you done today? Record specifics - Duties performed:
What tasks/jobs did you do? Who were you working with? What equipment did you use?
Reflect:
What have you learned to do/use? What have you liked and why? What have you disliked
and why?
Interaction with staff Positive/negative interaction? Did you enjoy working with others or
on your own? Did you ask questions? Did they mind answering? Did you get feedback?
Interaction with customers: Positive/negative interaction? Were you comfortable with
them/this? (if applicable)
Observations: Was there anything you noticed that you didn’t expect on your first day?
Noise level/ your stamina and patience needed? Working with others/alone?
Variety/routine? Materials/equipment? Amount of preparation needed?
10
Work Experience Diary – Day 2
What have you done today? Record specifics - Duties performed:
What tasks/jobs did you do? Who were you working with? What equipment did you use?
Reflect:
What have you learned to do/use? What have you liked and why? What have you disliked
and why?
Observations: Did you notice anything crucial to the job today – accuracy, speed, hygiene,
safety ?
Was there anything you noticed that you didn’t expect? Or anything you felt more confident
about today?
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Work Experience Diary – Day 3
What have you done today? Record specifics - Duties performed:
What tasks/jobs did you do? Who were you working with? What equipment did you use?
Reflect:
What have you learned to do/use? What have you liked and why? What have you disliked
and why?
Have you noticed any differences within your self or your time at the company over the
last 3 days?
Observations: Name 3 things you have learnt that have made an impact on you.
1.
2.
3.
What are your overall feelings now you have completed your 3 day WEX placement? Note
here any personal observations or challenges you have become aware of.
12
Key skills observed in the working environment
The following is a List of Skills that might be used in your working
environment.
Please tick all that you have observed being used
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Good timekeeping
Listening and speaking
Computer skills
Teamwork – is there good co-operation, regard for the success of the
team
Communication – giving information, sharing, listening (circle)
Planning and organizing
Problem solving – individually or as a group /team
Customer / client awareness (describe)
ICT (what systems and applications)
Mathematics (what and for what purpose)
More perceptive:
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Management of people and tasks
Decision making (individual or group)
Leadership – motivating, inspiring, sharing a vision
13
KEY SKILLS – Your personal development
During my Work Experience I had the opportunity to use / learn:
Communication Skills
Problem solving skills
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In discussion
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talking to others
listening to others
asking relevant questions
In writing
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making sure my writing suited the task
making it legible
using appropriate pictures
identifying the problem
finding relevant information
investigating solutions
working to a deadline
recognising there may be more than one solution
changing my way of working if needed
work as a team to solve a problem
finding information from books, websites etc
following instructions
Application of Number Skills
Skills in working with others
Calculations
In a group
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finding information and writing it down
accurately
sequencing numbers correctly
checking and correcting mistakes
Presenting
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using the right materials
understanding my role
working towards goals
working successfully as a team member
asking for help
informing the team of any changes
presenting results accurately
IT Skills
Skills to improve my own learning
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Using
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listening carefully
proving I understand my task – asking clarifying
questions
identifying my own strengths and weaknesses
following targets and providing evidence
meeting deadlines
taking advice and improving my work
asking for help
14
entering information accurately
loading and editing files
creating a letter
sorting a database file
using a spreadsheet
saving work in various formats
printing / sending / uploading / website / cloud
learnt how to use a new piece of software
Other – explain
Think and Reflect
During your work experience, you should be thinking and determining whether
this is the type of work you might like to do and the type of company you would
like to work for. You must think about this whilst you are still doing your work
experience, otherwise you may forget what it is really like! Some questions to
guide you:
1. Does the company provide a nice working environment? (more than the physical
setting, think also about how the work is carried out and the tone of the workplace)
2. Are your colleagues people that you can talk to and work with? Do they inspire you to
work in this type of career? Why?
3. Are you still interested in this field of work? Do you find the work interesting – and
could you see yourself coming into work everyday? Is it a company you would like to
work for?
4. Did you enjoy the work/get job satisfaction? Did you find you had an aptitude/liking
for the work?
5. Did you make any useful contacts? Could you come here again as an intern or in the
future?
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Further Reflection
Reflecting on the experience and relating this to your own possible career.
At the end of the work placement how did you feel? (Tick all the boxes that
apply – there is no right or wrong answers)
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Overcame my nervousness and enjoyed the experience
Felt I represented TTS and myself admirably
Learnt about responsibilities and behaviours expected in the workplace
Gained an insight into the kinds of skills and attitudes required by
employers
Enjoyed learning about the business and careers in this field
Learnt about what I need to do to get into this field
Can see that this work would utilize my skills and interests
Don’t think that this type of work / industry is for me
Want to learn more about this type of work and similar work – note
anything in particular _________________________________________
Am eager to explore further training options to get into this field
Have some specific new knowledge about subjects or tertiary courses
which are needed to get into this field.
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EMPLOYERS – COMMENTS
If you wish to record any comments about this student during their work placement please do so
here or attach an additional document (No obligation)
Thank you from the Tanglin Trust School Careers and Development Team.
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Name: …………………………………………………………
Signed: …………………………………………………………
Date:…………………………………………..
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