jan246 Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Hello Omleteers, Has anyone got any ideas about work experience? My son wants to do something to do with science (for next June for a week) but is not very forthcoming with an actual plan. Obviously anyone with local knowlegde of Leeds where we live would have a better idea but all ideas gratefully received! Thanks, Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 What about your local Water Authority or some Environmental Consultants? Quite a lot of big manufacturing companies have research areas which would involve science. Have a look in the Yellow Pages and see what you can find Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well don't try the Environment Agency. We used to encourage students to spend anything from a day to a fortnight with us, but the powers that be have stopped us doing it, citing both child protection - requires double-manning and CRB clearance to take students out on site - and also supervising students is time consuming and detracts from getting on with our work Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sadietoo Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Hi, work experience is really problematic these days because of the Health and grrrrr Safety rules ( I digress but our local Christmas Tree at the village centre has six foot high metal fencing round it - such a pity it looks so ugly. How come for all these years, we, the public at large, have managed not to electrocute ourselves or fall off of Christmas Trees without needing barriers to keep us safe...imo anyone stupid enough to climb a christmas tree, or poke their fingers in the bulb sockets deserves what they get!!!(rant over)). Our son who was already a qualified Sailing Instructor with a safety boat qualification, wanted to spend his work experience week working at the local sailing school...but the Local Authority policy forbade anything on tidal waters for H and S reasons.... My daughter worked with our local conservancy department (which, because we are coastal was based at the nearby harbour) and that worked really well. She did nature walks with visiting school children...... If not, what about a local nursery (plant not baby)? Good luck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Well don't try the Environment Agency. We used to encourage students to spend anything from a day to a fortnight with us, but the powers that be have stopped us doing it, citing both child protection - requires double-manning and CRB clearance to take students out on site - and also supervising students is time consuming and detracts from getting on with our work That explains quite a lot then My DS sent a letter last year to see if he could do his work experience there but didn't even hear anything back despite sending a stamped address envelope for them to reply with. We just assumed that they had already allocated all their work experience placements but perhaps not Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 How about somewhere that already deals with youngsters as opposed to a 'grown up' workplace, many cities have hands on science centres Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
furryelephant Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Hello... Being a Scientisty sort myself here's a few suggestions ... How about a local Country Park or similar? The Rangers should already be CRB checked as they'll work with school groups (so that's red-tape #1 out of the way)? I did a six week placement during my degree at the local Country Park and it was a good mix of conservation work and "hands on" getting involved (obviously they won't expect as much of your son with him being at GCSE level!) If he's looking more to lab type work that's a bit more tricky... confidentiality and H&S issues in busy labs make it difficult to accomodate work experience peeps from below A'Level age, but the local council may be able to offer something on the "environmental" monitoring side... water quality checking etc... just depends what they have farmed out to outside companies. The best thing to do is find out what he's interested in (Chemistry, Physics, Biology?) then do a quick google to see what's in your area... I know there are a few chemical companies out Yorkshire way, but not sure what their policy on "Science" work experience would be, as opposed to "office" work experience (if you get my drift?!) Good Luck... if you let me know what area of science he's interested in and the general area he can travel to I'll have a look at work and see if any of my customers are local and relevant Paula Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 What about the science museum or something like that? I know someone who was looking at work exp in a lab (a research and in the local hospital) but you have to be 18 I think, around here anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valkyrie Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Engineering companies? My son originally wrote to the hospital because he was thinking medicine (hah, hindsight) at the time, but they also ignored him - he was eventually placed in an old people's home for week one - which involved him reading a book or listening to music because they didn't have any time for him, although highlight of the week was going to an elderly person's home to help put in a new loo! Second week was in Boots in the Pharmacy section - he loved it. Perhaps that could be an option - so near and yet so far, plus they were very welcoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenNutter Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 Well don't try the Environment Agency. We used to encourage students to spend anything from a day to a fortnight with us, but the powers that be have stopped us doing it, citing both child protection - requires double-manning and CRB clearance to take students out on site - and also supervising students is time consuming and detracts from getting on with our work That explains quite a lot then My DS sent a letter last year to see if he could do his work experience there but didn't even hear anything back despite sending a stamped address envelope for them to reply with. We just assumed that they had already allocated all their work experience placements but perhaps not That is really very bad indeed, It is our policy (and courtesy) to reply, particularly given the fact that you sent SAE! I presume this is Midlands Region? Although I am North West, I will apologise on their behalf! Actually the change of policy was not well publicised internally, so some regions may still be taking people and not realising they shouldn't be. Try you local Wildlife Trust, I passed someone who applied to us on to Lancashire Wildlife Trust and they found her a job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 My husband's former company used to take people on work experience. They were a software company. Although most of them didn't do much substantive in the way of computing, a couple were really good and one ended up getting a job and support to get a degree. If he likes computers, that might be a possibility. Wildlife Trusts, the Woodland Trust, the Forestry Commission, the RSPB or other wildlife-related places are a possibility, but they do get a lot of applicants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jan246 Posted December 9, 2009 Author Share Posted December 9, 2009 WOW! Thanks so much to everyone for all the replies. I will get him to read through them. He wanted to try the new City Museum we have in Leeds but when I (not him! )eventually rang the places are already gone. Unfortunately my son still is of the impression that the mountain will come to Mohammed . I will get on his case...AGAIN,Lol Will let you know Omleteers, thanks Jan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clootie Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 My 15 yr old DS did some voluntary work over the summer holidays for a bird of prey centre and he enjoyed every minute. He got to do things he would never normally have had the chance to do unless he was booked on a course. He'll probably arrange to do some weekend work, studies allowing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carrie Posted December 9, 2009 Share Posted December 9, 2009 A friend of mine has a son who spent a week with a formula one team last year. He wrote off on the offchance not expecting them to say yes. He had a great week and got to do lots of interesting stuff and got loads of freebies. Think out of the box, write a nice letter and you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
