Step One: Narrowing Your Options
Find out the questions you need to ask yourself to help narrow your options and figure out what you want from your work experience.
Find out more about 'Step One: Narrowing Your Options'You have narrowed your options, decided on the type of work experience you want, now it’s time to find an employer or employers to approach.
Typically, there are three main ways to do this.
Find out who at your school or college is responsible for work experience and ask them if they have any contacts with local employers.
They may work with an Enterprise Coordinator or adviser who can direct you to an employer working with schools in your area.
Speak to your parents/carers, family members, or someone you trust as they may have contacts through their own networks who you can approach. In this instance it is a good idea to ask them to make initial contact with the employer.
Identify an employer you would like to work for. Find out if they run a formal on-site or virtual work experience scheme. If they don’t, then think about contacting them directly to ask if they would offer you a work experience opportunity.
Find out the questions you need to ask yourself to help narrow your options and figure out what you want from your work experience.
Find out more about 'Step One: Narrowing Your Options'Explore what jobs you could do as part of your work experience and find out what careers other blind and partially sighted people are doing.
Find out more about 'Step Two: Exploring What Jobs You Could Do'Learn about the different types of work experience and which is the right one for you.
Find out more about 'Step Three: Choosing the Right Work Experience'Discover how to make the approach to the employer you wish to set up your work experience with and don’t forget to download our handy approach letter template!
Find out more about 'Step Five: Approaching an Employer'Find out what you need to do to make sure you have all the right support in place to make the most of your work experience.
Find out more about 'Step Six: Getting the Right Support in Place'Learn how to use what you have gained from your work experience to benefit you moving forward onto the next step of your education/career journey, don’t forget to grab the handy checklist!
Find out more about 'Step Seven: After Your Work Experience'