Mission: Work Experience - Your First Step into the Field!

Hey Brodi! Ready to swap the books for the real world... for a little while? Work experience is your chance to test drive a potential career, gain awesome skills, and see what working life is actually like. Let's figure out how to make it happen!

Materials You'll Need:

• Computer with internet access
• Notebook or digital document
• Pen or keyboard
• (Optional) Phone for practice calls
• (Optional) Local business directory or map

Lesson Activities:

Part 1: Why Bother? The Awesome Benefits (15 mins)

Let's brainstorm! What do you think are the advantages of doing work experience before you 'officially' start a career or further studies? Jot down as many ideas as you can. We'll discuss them and add some more you might not have thought of, like:

• Trying out a job field without long-term commitment.
• Learning practical skills (communication, teamwork, specific job tasks).
• Building your resume and references.
• Networking (meeting people in the industry).
• Understanding the workplace environment.
• Boosting confidence!

Activity: Write down your top 3 personal reasons why work experience sounds appealing or useful to YOU.

Part 2: What Are YOU Into? Uncovering Your Interests (20 mins)

Work experience is most fun and useful when it relates to something you genuinely find interesting. Think about:

• What subjects do you enjoy most in your studies?
• What hobbies do you have? What do you do in your free time?
• What problems do you like solving?
• Are you more hands-on, creative, analytical, or people-oriented?

Activity: Create two lists in your notebook:

1. My Interests: List at least 5 things you enjoy or are curious about (e.g., video games, animals, building things, helping people, art, technology).
2. My Skills: List at least 5 things you're good at (e.g., organising things, drawing, writing, problem-solving, using specific software, talking to people).

Now, let's try to connect these. Could any of your interests/skills point towards a type of job or industry? (e.g., Interest in animals + Skill in caring = Vet Clinic, Animal Shelter? Interest in video games + Skill in art = Game Design Studio?).

Part 3: Where Could You Go? Finding Potential Places (25 mins)

Based on your interests and skills, let's brainstorm some types of businesses or organisations where you might find relevant experience. Think broadly!

• If you like technology: IT support company, electronics store, web design agency?
• If you like helping people: Charity shop, community centre, library, local council?
• If you like being creative: Local newspaper, graphic design studio, theatre, craft shop?

Activity:

1. Choose 1-2 interest areas from Part 2.
2. Use the internet (search engines, online maps) or local directories to find specific businesses or organisations in your area that fit these interests.
3. List at least 3 potential places. Note down their names and what they do.

Part 4: Making Contact - The Approach (20 mins)

Okay, you've got some ideas! How do you actually ask them about work experience? It can feel a bit daunting, but it's a great skill to learn. The main ways are usually:

• Email: Professional and allows you to attach details.
• Phone Call: More direct, shows confidence.
• In-Person Visit: Can make a good impression, but check if it's appropriate first (some places prefer email/phone).

Let's draft a simple approach. What key things should you mention?

• Who you are (student seeking work experience).
• Why you chose *them* (link to your interest).
• What you'd like (brief period of observation/helping out).
• When you might be available.
• Your contact details.

Activity (Role-Play!): Let's practice! Pretend I'm the manager at one of the places you listed. You can either:

1. Draft a short, polite email asking about work experience.
2. Practice making a phone call (we can use our actual phones or just pretend!). We'll focus on sounding clear and confident.

Wrap-up & Next Steps (10 mins)

Great job today, Brodi! You've explored why work experience is valuable, thought about your own interests, found potential places, and even practiced making contact.

• What was the most interesting part of this lesson for you?
• What feels like the biggest challenge?
• What's one small step you could take this week towards finding work experience (e.g., research one more company, refine your interest list)?

Remember, the goal isn't to land the perfect placement tomorrow, but to start exploring and building confidence. This is your adventure!

Assessment Ideas:

• Review Brodi's lists of interests, skills, and potential placements.
• Discuss the benefits identified.
• Evaluate the drafted email or the confidence/clarity during the role-play phone call.
• Check understanding through the wrap-up discussion questions.

Differentiation:

The lesson is naturally adaptable to Brodi's specific interests. If Brodi has a very clear career idea, the research can be more focused. If unsure, keep the exploration broad. The method of contact (email vs. phone) can be chosen based on comfort level, with email being a good starting point if calls feel too intimidating initially. The number of potential places listed can be adjusted.