District Creating Database for Student Work Experience

Local Businesses, Farms, and Non Profits, are you interested in helping students develop skills and get work experience?

SD83 Careers Department is creating a database of businesses/non-profits/organizations who might be interested in supporting a student (aged 15 and over) in their exploration of a career pathway and/or employability skills. With the current economy, they would particularly like to find work experience placements in the fields of Manufacturing and Technology, Health and Human Services, Hospitality and Tourism, Agriculture, Environmental and Climate Change.

They are also reminding students that if they get a summer job they should let the Career Department know because it is quite possible that they can get school credits for it as well.

District Career Education Coordinator George Richard and Work Experience and Dual Credit Community Liaison David Ramsay want to emphasize how much of a win-win-win-win this type of program is for students, the community, employers, and the District. They explain that the student earns school credit (and sometimes money) and invaluable experience, the employer has someone doing the job, the District receives provincial funding for the work experience that is reinvested in schools, and the community gains skilled young people.

Through the Work Experience 12A/B course, students can try a variety of employment opportunities. It’s a Ministry of Education curricular course designed to introduce high school students to careers and work placement opportunities. While most of the course consists of onsite work experience, it also includes in-school time spent on workplace orientation, safety and pre-employment information. The students can participate in paid or unpaid work experience as they learn valuable skills.

Ramsay comments that young people are fun, quick, energetic, enthusiastic, and want to do well. The thing they lack is experience. This type of program helps young people gain some much needed experience.

A student’s work experience placement may also lead to the student deciding to take part in a dual credit program, which earns them post secondary credits while still in high school. Often this is tuition free. Richard explains a student may choose to do their work experience by being a volunteer for the enhanced workplace health care program at Shuswap Lake General Hospital. While taking part they may find they really enjoy it and might decide to do a dual credit program in health care assistant, medical lab assistant, or nursing unit clerk.

Any companies interested in having students placed with them or learning more about the program can contact Richard or Ramsay through the District office at 250-832-2157, or by email at grichard@sd83.bc.ca or dramsay@sd83.bc.ca.

What is the process? 

The work experience teacher meets with the student to discuss a work experience placement. The student completes the in-school application and safety orientation and is matched to a business that supports learning in their chosen career path or that meets the student’s area of interest. The teacher accesses the database to find a suitable business and contact person to see if they are able to support a student. If it’s a good time for the business, the student sends their resume and/or cover letter and, if appropriate, an interview can be organized.

What does the business need to offer? 

The business must be registered and up to date with WorkSafeBC, while also providing the student with the onsite safety training, orientation and appropriate supervision as per an entry level employee. The Career Education teacher confirms the student has successfully completed the onsite safety and orientation and, during the work placement, will request feedback to help guide the assessment process. Students can be in paid or unpaid work placements and need to be able to work, ideally, for at least 120 hours. This can be done on a part time or full time basis.

What are the days and times? 

Students are expected to treat work experience like any normal working environment. The students availability can be discussed in the interview or when the teacher calls the employer.