By: Katelyn McGuinty
As the newly appointed Career Development Officer, I will be working alongside Dawn Street and Susan Mulready to help our Year 11 and Year 12 students enter the workplace and learn alongside professionals in a potential career field. So often we find ourselves guiding the students to pursue university study on a topic in which they have had little exposure. They may have interest in a topic for a wide range of reasons, but rarely have they had a chance to see professionals in action.
Sometimes, this experience can reinforce the decision to follow a career path towards becoming a doctor or engineer, for example, but it can equally help students realise that a particular job is not the right fit. Knowing this before committing three or more years to university study can be just as valuable as strengthening a passion for a job.
Goals of the Work Experience programme
- To help place any Year 11 and Year 12 students who have interest in work experience in a minimum two-day placement during the July and October trips weeks.
- To ensure that the students learn valuable skills such as CV creation, job application procedures, and interview techniques.
- To give students hands-on opportunities in a field of interest and better determine if a career path is right for them.
- To build a strong and cohesive group of learners and educators within the greater BSN community.
Enhance student skills beyond the classroom
We feel that a cohesive Work Experience programme will enhance students’ skills beyond what is already offered the classroom through:
- Recognizing the value of mentors and resources to learn about and be exposed to various professions
- Linking curriculum learning to future profession
- Stimulating entrepreneurial and innovate thinking
- Gaining hands-on experience
- Increasing confidence, communication and interpersonal skills
- Developing personal public identity in the workplace
- Practicing job search and application procedures
- Reflecting on experiences for post-secondary Personal Statement applications
Benefits to partner companies
By mentoring students in a professional capacity, employees who do not currently have leadership opportunities are given a chance for growth. Young people can also bring fresh ideas to companies from a different perspective. And finally, social engagement can help companies expand their brand and involve a new sector of the population in their initiatives.
The future of the Work Experience Programme
As of now, we are working with a range of companies within the Netherlands to secure work placements. We continue to reach out to companies through our parent and alumni networks in the hopes that we may give our students more exposure to a variety of professions. If you have an interest in the Work Experience Programme and would like to discuss how you can support a student placement, please email careers@britishschool.nl
There is no doubt that a strong Work Experience Programme will serve our students as they gain insight into careers and make informed decisions about their futures. We look forward to hearing back from both our students and the employers about the experience as we learn and grow alongside them!
