Work Experience in School

[Deleted]

Was clearing stuff out and found evidence of my work experience in School and it got me thinking what y'all might have done for work experience.

My first work experience was when I was 14. At my school when we were 14/15 we chose a work placement to go to for one week for experience usually shadowing somebody and doing occasional tasks (stacking shelves, cleaning dishes, serving customers, etc). Unfortunately for me they couldn't find anywhere that would accomadate my wheelchair so instead I did experience as an IT technician in my school. It was quite fun, I assisted in IT lessons, fixed computer problems and helped teachers with projectors and slideshows. It eventually led to me becoming the editor of the school newspaper and organiser for the Lunchtime Computer Club.

At my school when you hit 16 you could either leave and go to college/work or stay on and become a 6th Former. I chose the latter and eventually wet on a more extensive work placement. Again you could choose and I opted again for IT Technician, this time in a Junior & Infants School 5min from my house. So for 1 day a week for 2 years I did my experience. It started out awkward because said school only had six computers two of which were staff used only and the others were Windows 98 in 2003 so the teachers didn't know what to do with me so I ended up assisting kids with reading and writing (which obviously wasn't my role). Eventually they learned of my Editor work and asked me to create a school newspaper which I did. The following year I also tutored a student interested in IT. Was good times.

What was your work experience?

[chazus]

Not sure if you mean "school having you do work for experience" or simply working while in school... I've pretty much been working since I was 15. Worked at Walgreens originally. When I turned 17, my Senior Project was working at a school district, auditing and upgrading 6 schools computers (about 1200 systems) over a period of two months. They were so happy with the work, they offered me a job doing the same thing once it was complete.

Ever since then I've worked mostly tech oriented jobs until present day. A few odd jobs here and there. Liquor store. Hotel Setup. But most of it was all tech related so it kind of fit into my Work Experience for my field. I also continued most of these jobs through college as well.

[Orby]

I was 14 also when I did my work experience. I worked at my local council. I accompanied them on surveying and stuff like that, We'd go out on site and make sure things were being kept in check, roads and property mostly. Made tea and helped out basally. I was more like a clerk than anything. I just asked them lots of quests and kept myself busy. It was such a long time ago now. 1998 I think. :P

They even thought I was so good that by the end they made their own little certificate for me

Not sure if you mean "school having you do work for experience" or simply working while in school... I.

Not sure if Americans have the equivalent of this, if you do correct me but here in the UK when we are like 13 - 14 we have a period where schools would give us Work Experience as part of a government program, where they would send us out to work (unpaid) for experience in the work place. We had to choose our own place to work and the school would basically set it up for us. The experience would last for about a month (at least mine did)

At least I think thats how it went, as I said it been so long lol

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Its 18 here, but during high school I worked at Subway (sandwich artist) and then also for a year at a small time mechanic (oil changes, new tires, not to much major rebuilding).

When off to college after high school about 4 towns over (1 hour drive give or take). I got a job at UPS there and just sorted packages on the line. Did that for all 4 years.

After college I stuck at UPS for a while because it was kind of during an economic down turn. With my degree they let me move up a bit to a line supervisor. I also interned at the company I work at now on the weekends.

After about 2 years of that I got all full time at my current job where I design power grid infrastructure. All in all I feel the lesser jobs did do a lot for me. Subway taught me this isn't where you want to end up. The oil change place taught me how to take care of my care and do most of the basic maintenance and repairs. UPS really taught me about working hard, focus, and how to really integrate technology, brains, and muscle into working out everything. The management experience at the end was great too. Was the first job where I felt truly on my own. So things like managing time and money came with it. The internship got my foot in the door and honestly went along with my degree. But it wasn't just given to me which was the best part. I had to go to school and labor for it. Something I see very few doing these days. They just go to school and expect the hand out.

[vindicatorx]

My work experience in school hmm? Well in the US you have to be 16 to get a work permit unless you are doing farm work. The youngest age for that allowed is 14, unless it's a family farm. When I was 14 and 15 I de-tasseled corn for the summer months making $4.25 an hour which as you might expect, was $2 an hour under minimum wage at the time. Once I hit 15 I was asked to referee soccer matches for the local ages 6-18 league and I was paid $10 a game for the first season. The league was trying to upscale and requested I get FIFA licensed and they would pay $20 a game there on out. So for the remainder of High School I was a soccer ref 5 games a week. I also did tournaments and stuff during the summer as well so for a kid I was making a lot of money for just doing something I liked anyway.

[Dug]

Nothing like you're describing I just turned 15 and started working wherever I could get hired. I was a life guard to begin with, then retail, fast food and now I work in an office while I finish up college.

[Deleted]

Not sure if Americans have the equivalent of this, if you do correct me but here in the UK when we are like 13 - 14 we have a period where schools would give us Work Experience as part of a government program, where they would send us out to work (unpaid) for experience in the work place. We had to choose our own place to work and the school would basically set it up for us. The experience would last for about a month (at least mine did)

At least I think thats how it went, as I said it been so long lol

Pretty much this. It wasn't paid work it was part of the school education. You could still get work outside school hours too

[Blayze]

What was your work experience?

Trident, which I assume yours was too (No, not the nuclear system).
A fat lot of good that was. It was laughable even at the time sat in assembly with the headteacher telling us "when employers are interviewing you, all they'll want to know is if you've done your Trident."

[chazus]

Not sure if Americans have the equivalent of this, if you do correct me but here in the UK when we are like 13 - 14 we have a period where schools would give us Work Experience as part of a government program, where they would send us out to work (unpaid) for experience in the work place. We had to choose our own place to work and the school would basically set it up for us. The experience would last for about a month (at least mine did)

While I can't speak for -every- school, ours usually is in the form of a "Grad Project" or "Senior Project" which gets planned around the 3rd high school year (Junior), and enacted during Senior year. While it CAN be work experience, it's more of a 'do something interesting that shows you can do a project'. It ranges from non-profit work
, to designing some kind of program (outreach). It can be a lot of stuff, but basically shows you have the ability to find, create, or involve yourself with the community. Certainly the 'easiest' is to find a job that isn't something simple (grocery bagging). It has to require some kind of involvement, and be signed off by your teachers or advisors.

[Zaelsino]

I did mine (at 14 too) at our local council's traffic & safety offices. Everyone there was pretty young and they treated the whole thing like having a pet; I didn't really have anything to do other than doodle on a spreadsheet and transfer phone calls. It was more a social experience than a work one, it wasn't at all how I envisioned office life.

I remember it most for the time I answered a call from a pensioner who was ass fucking mad about some lane or alley near his house not being wide enough, or too wide, or something. It occurred to me only after picking up the phone that I was the only person left in the office this lunchtime and had no one to transfer him to, so I just sat there trying to placate the guy for five awkward minutes until he told me to fuck off and slammed the phone down.

Enjoyable experience overall.

[Deleted]

Meh, cripples. You sound like a whiny entitled piece of shit OP.


[Infracted]

[Krigaren]

In my Junior and Senior year of high school I was part of a business development course that placed us in part-time jobs with local companies to give us exposure to the business fields we were interested in. Mine was accounting, and I was placed in the business office of a mom & pop Italian restaurant with their accountant, and later I worked in the business office for my school district.

My school also had job placement programs for C.A.D. design, auto mechanic, construction, electrician, etc internships.

IMO, programs like this are exceedingly valuable to help kids do some early networking, and to help them decide what they want to do and whether college or a trade school would be best for them.

[Deleted]

Did mine in the IT Support department of a Call Center, really glad I did because it immediately turned me off pursuing a career in that direction.

[Rotted]

I'm from a rural welsh town, for work experience it caused problems. If you had a older sibling then great they gave you the forewarning to go ask for work exp before you were even told to, so you got some where 'cool' like the vets or leisure centre. Most kids got thrown into groups of 6 and sent off the supermarkets.

My 1st work experience I was lucky, at the time I was 15 , I went to my old primary school and had a blast. I helped teach the kids from 5 to 10, played football with them, helped set their home work etc. I didn't get any mundane tasks like clean this shelf, paint this chair etc.

My 2nd work experience was in a Zoo at 18 (while studying IT funny enough), that was great yea it was shovelling shit but I also got to see a lot more going on than I thought I would, I was also handed my own set of keys in the 2nd week which was great.

My third work work exp was the same Zoo at 21, I decided to retrain and weekly work exp was part of it.

My fourth work exp was at a outdoor pursuit centre at 22, after doing the retraining above I moved on to A level biology and as it was only 4 contact hours a week I was bored shitless so I did sports science and work exp was mandatory.

My 5th work exp was teaching karate at 24, my degree again made it mandatory. Ill be honest I was already teaching and the module was a waste of time so I just did what was easiest.

[Ashcrack]

My mates dad works for Cameron Balloons(hot air balloons) so we both went there for work experience, expecting to be in the engineering part doing engineering stuff... but we ended up working over in the main building as well, was interesting stuff but made me nope out of engineering and go into IT. Think it was in year 10? so 14/15 guess it's standard practice here.

OT: Adam did you really say y'all, I can't imagine someone from yorkshire ever saying or typing that lol

[belfpala]

Pretty much this. It wasn't paid work it was part of the school education. You could still get work outside school hours too

We didn't have that at all where I grew up. In college (typically age 18+), we had work-study, but that's still outside of the normal curriculum.

The closest I got to an official "go to work" moment was a day off where I was supposed to follow my mother or father at their job.

As for actual work, I started my career as an international assassin when I was 15 and used my status as a minor as cover. I mean, no wait, I uh.... /kidding.

[McFuu]

When I was 15-17 I raced BMX semi-professionally for a factory store team. This included running clinics teaching younger kids how to be faster, improve their training, and bike set-up. Also included proper mind set, and basically just preparation. But within the same month in September/October of 2001, I decided to fall at the national race in one track which broke my left wrist and removed my skin and some lower levels on my right elbow, then 2 weeks later during my grand come back at a local State race which included a clinic I was helping with afterwards, I fell and caused a massive contusion in my lower spine, losing feeling and most mobility in my legs. But it came back after an hour or so, I gave the clinic and said I was taking a break from the team for the winter.

Second work experience was I was a Spin instructor for a local gym. That was fun and for being 17 it paid really well ($45-60 a class, depending on day and time usually did 2 classes a day 3 days a week, sometimes 2-3 classes on Sunday), but it helped already being an accomplished cyclist and really puts you over the guys who are Spin instructors because they ride their bikes around on the weekend blocking traffic. I did that for the last of my senior year in HS (Nov 2001 - June 2002).

[Deleted]

OT: Adam did you really say y'all, I can't imagine someone from yorkshire ever saying or typing that lol

I guess more y'all as in yer'all as opposed to ya'all