For most students in year 10 in Cornwall there is an expectation that they will complete a full week of work experience towards the end of the academic year.
It is often the case that students are given the responsibility of finding their own placements and in a large school of over 200 students in a year group this is understandable.
Guidance and preparations for the students should always be given; preparing them in the importance of finding the right placement and signposting them to support is essential.
It is worth remembering that placements at KS4 should more than ever be relevant, well-structured and high quality as at this stage as they can often lead to employers offering extended placements, apprenticeships and even full time work to good quality candidates.
As students start to engage in work experience, particularly in KS5, it is worth reminding them about the risks of their social media profiles. So many employers are now including social media checks on potential employers as part of their recruitment checks that a poor profile can have a very negative impact.