WORK RELATED LEARNING

At the moment many areas of work are changing constantly and new techniques are applied to various aspects of the world of work. In school your curriculum and subject areas change to try and keep pace with this. You will notice that some areas of study involving facts do not change, but few technology and changing environments do. You are asked to consider the following questions from each of your subject areas in school and try and make the connection with them to work. In addition you must all attempt the ICT section. Each placement will result in different answers in some placements, not all, will be relevant. Do what you can and be prepared to discuss your answers with your teachers when you return to school.

INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

ICT is a very important tool both at school and in the world of work. New technologies have revolutionised the working environment. We believe that it is important that you investigate the use of ICT in depth whilst you are on work experience. The use of ICT can be incorporated into a variety of scenarios/activities within the working environment. Some may apply to your placement, some may not. Please investigate as many of these areas as you can. List any new technology e.g. machinery or equipment which you have used for the first time whilst on work placement.

Try to find out what new technology (e.g. machinery or equipment) has been introduced into your workplace recently.(This could be a new digital camera, a new PC or digital conferencing. Anything new should be discussed).

Why was it introduced?

How has the new technology helped your workplace?

What, if any, disadvantages have there been?

How do the users of the new technology feel about it?

What training have they undertaken to be able to use the new technology?

Do they feel that they have been suitably trained?

If not, why not?

What do you feel school ought to purchase to enable us to prepare you for the world at work?

ICT AND THE DISABLED

Are any of the people in your workplace registered disabled? If so, how many?

Has any equipment or facility within your workplace been adapted so that people with disabilities or special needs can work there. If so, how?

ICT can help many people with disabilities. Can you suggest any improvements which might be useful to the employees at your workplace.

ICT AND THE DATA PROTECTION ACT

The rapid explosion in the use of ICT in the workplace has created the need for the public to be protected against misuse or incorrect information which is stored about them. The first Data Protection Act was introduced in May 1984 and has been updated regularly ever since. Any organisation which stores information electronically about either their customers or employees must abide by the Data Protection Act. Does your workplace store information electronically about any individuals?

YES

NO

Are they registered with the Data Protection Commission to do so?

YES

NO

How do they ensure that the information held is correct?

How do they update information?

Can the individual see the information which is held about them?

YES

NO

What do they do with the data that they no longer need?

How do they ensure that the data is kept confidential?

ICT AND HEALTH AND SAFETY

There are many health and safety rules governing the use of ICT equipment within the workplace. Regular computer users should have free regular eye checks. Does your organisation provide free eye tests? If they do, how long do you have to be working at a computer screen before you are entitled to the test?

Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is caused by constantly pounding the keyboard. Various strategies should be implemented by the company such as wrist rests, ergonomic keyboards, etc. What equipment has your company implemented to help reduce the occurrence of RSI?

Other aspects of health and safety include: o Desks being large enough to accommodate the hardware safely. o The chair must be adjustable and comfortable, and allow easy freedom of movement. o Lights there should be no reflective glare or reflections which hinder the visibility of the computer screen.

Look around your working environment and comment on any aspects of concern that you would have as an employee.

What are the positive health and safety aspects that the company have successfully implemented?

WEBSITE
The use of websites to advertise a company has increased tenfold over the last few years. Has your workplace got a website?

YES

NO

If so, ask to look at it. If they do not have a website, why not?

Is it easy to use, visually stimulating and easy to find out information?

YES

NO
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Is there anything that you would change?

What other methods of communication do they use to contact their customers, e.g. e-mail, letters, digital and conferencing?

What other methods do they use to contact their staff?

An intranet is an Internal Internet which allows organisations to contact their employees. Do they have an Intranet?

YES

NO

If so, what do they use it for?

Have you used it?

YES

NO

Write a brief summary of how YOU used ICT within your work placement. Think about things like using equipment or machines which are run by computer, word processing, using spreadsheets, and control technology.

Write a brief summary of how your workplace uses ICT. Is it mainly office applications such as word processing, DTP, spreadsheets, or are you in a manufacturing company which uses CAD CAM? List all the ways your workplace makes use of ICT applications.

BUSINESS STUDIES
What strategies does your business/organisation use to motivate its employees?

Do these strategies work? Justify your answer.

What type of ownership does your organisation have? (sole trader, partnership, private limited, public limited, public sector)

What type of liability does the organisation have? (limited or unlimited)

List 6 stakeholders in your organisation.

Describe the organisations objectives.

Does your organisation carry out any market research? If so, what methods are used?

How does your organisation add value?

Describe the marketing mix (4Ps) for your organisation.

How is the customer service dealt with in your organisation? What sort of issues do they deal with?

How does your business recruit staff?

Has your organisation been affected by the credit crunch? If so how? If not, why not?

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ENGLISH
Most Year 10 groups will use work experience as an opportunity for a speaking and listening exercise. This will involve delivering a talk to the rest of the class in quite a formal way on a specified date about your work experience. You are encouraged to use your record book for information to help you structure your talk and reflect on your experience in a critical and objective way. You will need to focus on personal interactions between yourself and people you work with, i.e.: how you got on with them: what kind of tasks you were expected to do: what you have learnt from your experience with other adults in an employer/employee situation: what you may have learnt in terms of future career aspirations. What do you expect work experience to be like?

What questions were you asked during your interview at your work experience placement?

How did you feel during the actual interview?

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MATHEMATICS
Describe what mathematical skills you used or observed being used. Consider the following activities: measurement, using a calculator, money, mental arithmetic, collecting data, drawing charts and diagrams, reading tables etc.

Describe how, if any, mathematical tools were used or you observed being used. E.g. Calculators, drawing instruments, spreadsheets on the PC, reference tables, etc.

How are staff paid? How frequently and in what form cash or cheque or direct debit? Have a look at a pay cheque, what are the different values on it? What percentage is a tax or pension or national insurance?

What percentage/fraction of the day is given to each activity: breaks, lunch, meetings, individual work, chatting, etc?

How do people travel to work? What does it cost? How long does it take?

SCIENCE
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Is there any health and safety guidance you need to read and apply to your work?

Do they have a policy on smoking, drugs and alcohol prohibition at work and any information why it is not allowed?

Do you need to wear any particular clothing and why?

What practical skills do you need to carry out at work?

Do they have to take any hygiene precautions and why? E.g. to stop the spread of disease.

Do you need to measure anything and what standard units do you measure in?

Do you use any hazardous substances and how do you recognise them? 13

Do you need to know the chemical properties of any of the substances you use?

YES

NO

Does the company have an environmental policy? Do they have to monitor any impact on the environment of any of their practices?

Is there any need to produce reports and interpret graphical information, e.g. pie charts, tables of data, graphs (even rotas and timetables) ?

Does the company recycle?

YES
If so what?

NO

Does the company use any alternative forms of energy?

YES

NO

Does the company try and reduce the cost of fuels or electricity used to make them more profitable?

YES

NO

Does the company evaluate the financial and environmental costs of using energy resources such as electricity?

YES

NO

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ART
What kind of art work can you see in the working environment?

Is the working environment pleasant to work in? e.g. colour schemes, interior decoration ( carpets, curtains, furnishings, etc)

Does the company have a logo or a corporate uniform? Draw the logo or uniform here.

Have you observed any Art skills being used in the job? List them here and explain how they were used.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
What provision is there for sporting/recreational/leisure activities?

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PHYSICAL EDUCATION
What provision is there for sporting/recreational/leisure activities?

What area of sport/leisure have you been involved with and what specific knowledge have you acquired?

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DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY

What graphical images are used in your workplace and how do they communicate their message?

What health and safety procedures do employees carrying out particular tasks take?

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Consider the design and layout of your place of work. How has the location of furniture, machinery, etc been decided upon? Does this enhance the performance of the workplace?

What, if any, industrial manufacturing practices are evident in your workplace?

Investigate what quality control procedures are being used and why?

TECHNOLOGY
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Does the workplace have a Health & Safety policy? How is it implemented?

Health & Social Care. Is there evidence of the Care Value Base being put into practice? Record examples which you can observe.

Child Development. What provision is made for employees during their pregnancy? How is maternity/paternity leave catered for?

MODERN FOREIGN LANGUAGE

What links does your company/placement have with abroad? 19

Find out how knowledge of a foreign language could be useful to the company.

Which staff within the company use a foreign language regularly?

Would the company prefer to recruit someone to work in the organisation who has a foreign language qualification?

YES

NO

State language preferred What additional skills does an employee with a foreign language qualification bring to a company?

Would the business grow if more staff were able to speak foreign languages?

YES
Why?

NO

On your return to school you will have to complete a piece of course work on work experience. The following are areas which you need to consider when writing your coursework. How the experience was organised Duration Work undertaken Staff and relations with them Personal impressions, including whether you would want to work in such an organisation in the future.

DRAMA
How important are good face-to-face communication skills in the workplace? 20

Your body language often reflects how you are feeling. How could an understanding of body language help people to operate more effectively in a workplace?

GEOGRAPHY
What type of industry are you working in? 21

Primary Industry (A first stage industry such as farming, fishing or mining) Secondary Industry (A second stage industry probably involving making something in a factory) Tertiary Industry (A third stage industry a service such as a school, shop etc) I am working in a the company is to industry. I know this because the role of

Does the company use any materials, or other services? If so what are they?

Where does the company operate?

Does the company do anything to recycle and/or conserve energy? If so, what and how?

Is the company part of/owned by, a larger company?

Is the company a Trans National Corporation (one which has bases, shops or offices elsewhere in the world)?

Does the company deal with other countries in the European Union? If so, where and in what ways? 22

How did you find/locate the place where you are working? Did you use an OS map, a local road map or other?

How far away from your home is the company? What means of transport have you used to get to work? How long does the journey take?

In the space below, draw and label a sketch map of your route to work. If you wish, you can use a route finder (i.e. AA, Greenflag) to show the map. (Dont print off the sentences)

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HISTORY
Similarity and Difference are important concepts in the History curriculum. Find examples of Similarity and Difference when comparing your school day with a days work experience.

Is there any evidence of Trade Union activity at your place of work? Try to find out which Union employees are members of and what, if anything, the Union does to try and help its members.

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MUSIC
Is there music playing at your workplace whilst you are working (Muzac)? If so: Did it help you to work? YES Did it distract you?

NO NO

YES

What style of music would have helped you be more productive?

Would you have liked music to be playing? YES

NO

What style of music would have helped you be the most productive?

Find out about the legal side of Muzac: How much does a licence to play music to the workforce cost each year? What happens to that money? What is the PRS? Should musicians and composers receive payment for their music being performed in the workplace?

What would you like to happen regarding music in the workplace?

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RELIGIOUS/INTEGRATED STUDIES
What kind of conflict did you see? How were these caused/resolved?

What different cultures/faiths/races were represented? What provision is made to recognise or learn from or respect these?

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