Student work experience
Policy and procedures
Models of work experience
Work Education Programs
Statistics
Policy and procedures
CRP-PR-003: Work Experience Placements of the Education Policy and Procedures Register explains the procedures to be carried out in schools for Work Experience Placements.
Agreement Form and Insurance Information Statements
Agreement Form (new window) 103k 
Insurance Information Statement for Work Experience Providers (new window) 18k 
Insurance Information Statement for Parents (new window) 20k
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Models of work experience
Structured work placements
A structured work placement involves the student participating in specific tasks in the workplace as described in the VET in Schools program. It may occur where the VET in Schools program does not mandate assessment in the workplace.
Prior to the placement, negotiation occurs between the teacher, student and the work experience provider, to identify the specific tasks for the student.
Work sampling
A work sampling placement is one in which students have the opportunity to test personal vocational preferences through performing tasks in a workplace. Students select placements according to their future occupational aspirations.The student may experience the following outcomes:
- clarification of employment goals;
- first-hand information about what it means to work, as well as about the work processes of the organisation and the work environment.
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Work shadowing
Work shadowing provides students with the opportunity to learn actively about people at work and to examine the work role they perform. Students gain access to occupational areas that may not be suited to work sampling, e.g. lawyer, dentist, chemist. The focus of work shadowing is the role of the worker(s) being shadowed, rather than the performance of work tasks or the investigation of the workplace.
Research work experience
A research work experience requires a student or group of students to assume the role of researchers in the workplace. The teacher, student and work experience provider decide upon a topic of inquiry and match the work experiences to the topic. The placement links one or more school subjects with the experience of work.
Students seek assistance from the teacher and the work experience provider, to develop appropriate research skills which can form the basis of ongoing work in the classroom.
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Work Education Programs
Work Education Programs prepare students for post school options and choices. They refer to a wide variety of activities that are designed to:
- develop in students the attitudes and skills to participate in both paid and unpaid work;
- increase students' understanding of the current and future labour market; and
- to increase students' understanding of the dynamic nature of work.
Activities available include:
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Statistics
Student work placement data is collected annually in February via the e-SMART electronic survey tool. Schools with students aged 14 years and over will receive an email message inviting their responses by a particular date in late February.
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