{"id":508,"date":"2020-04-28T19:36:00","date_gmt":"2020-04-28T19:36:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thisisfresh.rcmvctest.co.uk\/blog\/?p=508"},"modified":"2023-07-10T11:31:18","modified_gmt":"2023-07-10T11:31:18","slug":"why-is-work-experience-important","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thisisfresh.com\/blog\/2020\/04\/28\/why-is-work-experience-important\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the Benefits of Work Experience?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Work experience is a short-term placement designed to introduce university students to their chosen industry. Students get to see what a typical day in the workplace will be like, and get a chance to put the theory they’ve learned into practice. Work experience is an excellent way to prepare for a future career, add to your CV and gain practical skills that can benefit you after graduation. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Here’s what makes work experience such a valuable part of your studies.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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The Importance of University Work Experience<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
Work experience helps kickstart your career as you enter the job market. <\/span><\/span><\/span>Two-thirds of potential employers are looking for graduates with relevant work experience because these graduates are typically better prepared for work. Employers are also more likely to re-hire their former interns. So, graduates with work experience have a distinct advantage when job-hunting.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
According to an <\/span><\/span><\/span>Early Careers Survey, 78% of employers said graduates with work experience were more skilled than those without it. Around 76% of university students and 73% of sixth-form or college students said that work experience helped develop their skills.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
But work experience doesn’t just improve your employability. It has many other benefits.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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What skills do you get from work experience?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
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Find out how the workplace differs from school and university<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
See how your studies can be applied in the “real world”<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
See if your expectations line up with the reality of the job<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Start setting career goals<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Discover which work activities you enjoy the most<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Relate your studies to the world of work<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Build your confidence and learn how to work with new people<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Learn soft skills like communication, teamwork, planning, time management and problem-solving<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Work experience online vs face-to-face<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/h4>\n
Most students find face-to-face work experience opportunities more valuable than online ones. Despite the social distancing measures in 2020 and 2021, 44% of students still chose to do an in-person internship, and only 35% decided to work solely online. 21% chose a blended or hybrid experience.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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How to Get Work Experience<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
There are a few different types of work experience available for students.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Job shadowing:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> This allows you to follow someone in their day-to-day work activities to give you an idea of your future job. It's usually an unpaid position and lasts one to two weeks.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Internship:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> This allows you to work as a trainee in your field, usually over the summer months or shortly after graduation. Interning helps you to gain hands-on experience. It may be paid or unpaid.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Sandwich placement:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> This is a year-long job placement with an employer; it is usually paid and makes up part of your coursework as a student. It’s an excellent opportunity to learn on the job.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Work placement:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> This formal work experience arrangement includes specific tasks and training. It will run for a set period, depending on the training required.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Volunteering:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> If there’s a cause or a project you’re passionate about, get involved as a volunteer. This will help you to develop your skills and learn more about your passion.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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How long should your work experience last?<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
It depends on the type of work experience you choose, the industry you’re working in, and the employer’s preferences. Most students say that <\/span><\/span><\/span>more extended work experience programmes are more helpful in developing their skills.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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49%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> of students said a programme lasting one to four weeks was “very useful” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
57%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> said a programme lasting one to three months was very useful <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
75%<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/b> said a programme lasting three to six months or more was very useful<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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\nHow to Find Work Experience<\/span><\/strong><\/h2>\n
What’s the best way to approach a company to ask for a work experience placement?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
You can find contacts in your city by attending local networking events and connecting with the appropriate people via platforms like LinkedIn to introduce yourself.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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How to write a cover letter for work experience<\/strong><\/span><\/h4>\n
You can apply via a letter or an e-mail, including the following information:<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Your area of study and what level<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
How you heard about the company<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Why you chose this company for work experience<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
What you hope to gain from the experience<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Your hobbies and extracurricular activities<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Your CV and contact details<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Don’t write one generic cover letter to send out to multiple companies; instead, tailor your application to each one. This will help you to make the best possible first impression.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Tips for Your Work Experience Placement<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n
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Ask questions and pay attention to the answers<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Be prepared to do tasks like filing, coffee runs and office admin<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Speak up and ask if there’s a particular task you’d like to try or observe<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Keep a daily log of your experiences, and review your learning from each day<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Ask for feedback on your performance<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n
Talk to your placement supervisor if you have any problems or concerns<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
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Different cities offer different work experience opportunities. For example, <\/span><\/span><\/span>London is a thriving hub of media, finance and tech businesses, while <\/span>Glasgow has a reputation as the creative capital of the UK. Find work experience opportunities in your city, and take the next step in the career you’ve been dreaming of!<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n
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Work experience is a short-term placement designed to introduce university students to their chosen industry. Students get to see what a typical day in the workplace will be like, and get a chance to put the theory they’ve learned into practice. Work experience is an excellent way to prepare for a future career, add to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":1222,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-508","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-student-living"],"metadata":{"_wp_old_date":["2021-05-21","2029-04-28"],"_yoast_wpseo_title":["What are the Benefits of Work Experience | How to Get Work Experience | Fresh"],"_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":["Work experience helps kickstart your career as you enter the job market. Find out more about how to get work experience as a student with advice from Fresh."],"_wp_old_slug":["gaining-practical-skills-why-is-work-experience-important"],"_thumbnail_id":["1222"],"_yoast_wpseo_metakeywords":["university work experience - 90 NHS work experience - 1.3K work experience online - 1K work experience placements - 590 how to get work experience - 210 how to find work experience - 140 how to write a cover letter for work experience - 70 what are the benefits of work experience - 30 what skills do you gain from work experience - 20"]},"yoast_head":"\n

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