140+ Work Experience Ideas (Ideal for Year 10 and Year 12)

In A-Level, Career, GCSE, General by Think Student Editor2 Comments

When it comes to applying for jobs and university, you need to find a way to make your application stand out. When you’re fresh out of school or university, this can be difficult as you will often not have much to put onto your university application or CV. Something that can help to make you stand out from the crowd is having experience, particularly in the area that you want to go into. While work experience can be an important part of your application, it can be difficult to know how to get it.

Continue reading to get some ideas on how to get work experience to give your applications a boost. This article will list ideas for particular sectors and give you more of an idea of how you can actually do this work experience yourself.

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Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

General work experience ideas

Getting work experience can incredibly important and useful regardless of what you want to do in the future. Even if you’re not sure what you want to study or don’t have any particular career that you’re interested in, getting work experience is still worth your time.

If this is the case for you, you’ll probably look for more general and less specific work experience that can be applied to many different study or career paths.

1. Volunteer at a charity shop

Volunteering at a charity shop can be one of the best ways to get work experience. It can also be one of the easiest ways.

While other forms of work experience may require you to meet specific requirements in order to be able to do it, getting work experience at a charity shop will not normally need this. Getting work experience in a charity shop can be done either by applying on their website or applying in-store.

For more on this, you can look at this page from the British Heart Foundation and this page by Oxfam.

2. Work at a café or restaurant

Working at a café or restaurant can be a great way to get work experience in hospitality. This type of work experience can be done through voluntary or paid work.

To get paid work experience at a café or restaurant, simply apply on either their website or a job search site, such as Indeed or Reed. If you need the work experience for a specific time slot, such as for your work experience week, it may be best to go to a small restaurant or café and contact them directly to ask if this would be possible. You may also want to try a community café, which may already have voluntary positions.

3. Volunteer at a food bank

The requirements that you need to volunteer at a food bank may differ slightly depending on the organisation that the food bank is a part of. If your local food bank is smaller, you may be able to contact them directly through email or phone and ask about volunteering positions.

However, if part of a large network of food banks, getting this work experience can normally be done by applying on their website. Although for both options you may need parental permission if you’re under 18. To learn more about this, check out this page by The Trussel Trust.

4. Get work experience at a hotel

Getting work experience in a hotel can be great as it gives you a taste of several different job areas, such as hospitality, business and customer service. Some hotel chains will have work experience programmes of their own and to get these you will just need to apply.

For example, the IHG Academy Work Experience allows students to work shadow at IHG hotels for up to 2 weeks. To learn more about this programme, check out this page on the IHG website. The Grand Brighton hotel also has a work experience placement for students in the area, which you can learn more about here on their website.

Other hotels may not advertise work experience. However, it can’t hurt to contact them and ask if you could do work experience with them.

5. Volunteer with a charity

As already mentioned, volunteering at a charity shop is one of the easiest and most accessible ways to get work experience. However, there are many other ways to get work experience by getting involved in a charity.

The exact roles included in this will depend on the nature of the charity itself. For Age UK, roles may be related to helping older people at social clubs or day centres run by the charity. To learn more about this, check out the Age UK website.

For other charities, volunteer roles may include gardening, admin work or befriending. To learn more about this and how to get involved, check out this page on the Sue Ryder website.

6. Volunteer at your local library

Work experience at a library can vary based on what your local council’s policies are and what your local library offers. Due to this, how you can get work experience at a library can also.

You can often apply for either a work experience placement or a volunteering position by directly contacting the library. However, you may instead need to apply through your school. For more on this, check out this page by Aberdeen City Council.

Some council’s will require you to be 18 before being able to volunteer with their libraries. If this is the case, you may still be able to get a library work experience placement with the British library.

This can be in-person or virtually and will last 1 or 2 weeks. To learn more about getting this work experience, check out this page by the British Library.

7. Get involved in local events or festivals

Getting involved in local events and festivals can be an excellent way to get work experience and develop your organisation and problem-solving skills. There are so many different, independent events and festivals that take place in the UK and so there’s no set way of getting this work experience.

However, if the event has its own website or social media page, you may be able to use it to contact the organisers and ask if they have volunteering or work experience available for you. It is important to note that some event and festival volunteering opportunities will only be open to people above 18.

To get you started, click here to find a list of festivals and events in the UK on the Visit England website.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Medical and healthcare-related work experience ideas

If you’re planning to go to university and study either a medicine degree or some kind of NHS-funded healthcare degree, then universities will typically want you to have work experience. The work experience that you need will often be in order to show off your personal qualities, such as resilience, motivation and communication, as well as to make sure that you understand what the role you are aiming for involves. For degrees related to these, such as Pharmacy, Pharmacology or Biomedical Sciences, work experience could also still be useful.

Please note that the following work experience ideas are partially based off this page by the NHS.

8. Get work experience at your local hospital

While you won’t be directly involved in treating patients, getting work experience for medicine or a healthcare profession at your local hospital or clinic could be a great way for you to get a better understanding of what’s involved in this profession.

How you get this work experience may depend on where you live and the policies these hospitals have. However, many hospitals already have volunteering positions, which you can often find on their websites in the careers section.

Otherwise, you may want to email them more directly to ask if you would be able to volunteer with them. To find your local hospital, check out this page on the NHS website.

9. Get work experience at your local GP surgery

Once again, how you get work experience with your local GP may depend on where you live and the policies the GP has. GP surgery websites that I’ve come across don’t particularly have a clear section to tell you about volunteering positions available.

However, they will often have a section on their website where you can message them and ask if there are work experience or volunteering positions available. To find your local GP’s website, check out this page by the NHS.

10. Get work experience at a dentist surgery

For a Dentistry degree, work experience is once again vital. Similarly to a GP, there is generally little in the way of volunteering positions or obvious work experience placements.

However, there are often ways, such as through email or through their website, that you can contact the dentist surgery and ask about any work experience or volunteering positions that may be available. To find your local dentist surgery, check out this page by the NHS.

11. Get work experience at a pharmacy company

There are 2 main ways that you can get work experience in pharmacy. This can be either through voluntary work experience or paid work.

If you’re over 16, you may be able to get work experience with a pharmaceutical company on a placement in summer. To learn more about this and find which companies may offer these programmes, check out this guide by ABPI.

You may also be able to work in your local pharmacy as a counter assistant or similar job. To find jobs, such as these, check out this page by Indeed.

12. Get work experience at a mental health clinic or hospital

To do this work experience, you can look on a mental health clinic or hospital’s website to see what voluntary positions they have available. For younger students, this type of work experience may be more difficult to get as for some clinics and hospitals, you will need to be at least 18 to volunteer.

If you’re in Year 10 or Year 12 and need to find a work experience placement for the week, you may still be able to contact them directly, such as through email, and ask if doing the work experience for a limited time is possible. To find your local mental health clinic or hospital, check out this page by the NHS.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Health and social care work experience ideas

Health and social care roles refer to careers where individuals help others who have social, physical or mental needs. Consequently, finding work experience can be difficult, as you may need certain qualifications.

Regardless, there are plenty of opportunities out there which are related to this sector in some way!

13. Volunteer at a residential care home

As care homes are generally private, getting work experience at a care home can vary much more as it will fully depend on the policies of who runs it. You may want to look at a particular care home company’s website to see what positions for work experience or volunteering that they may have available. For example, Care UK offers a work experience placement for school pupils as well as a work placement for school leavers that last between 2 and 4 weeks, which you can learn more about on their website here.

Otherwise, you can look at finding the care home most accessible to you. To do this, look at this page by EAC Housing Care to find a list of care homes in the UK.

There are plenty of care homes around the UK you could volunteer at. You wouldn’t be required to do any caring duties.

Your role would be to just maybe chat to the residents and keep them company, or maybe organise some activities which you could do with them. Just call up a local care home and ask!

14. Volunteer for a charity such as AgeUK

AgeUK specifically supports older people who may feel lonely. By becoming a volunteer, you could work in a charity shop and raise money. Alternatively, you could become a telephone friend and talk to those older individuals who may feel lonely.

You can discover more volunteer opportunities if you check out this article from the AgeUk website.

15. Shadow a professional working for the NHS

There are plenty of different caring roles in the NHS. Therefore, it would be best for you to research the specific role you are interested in.

Then contact as many organisations as you can which offer NHS services. Check out this page from the NHS website to discover how you can actually find shadowing opportunities.

16. Virtual work experience

It may be hard to find opportunities for shadowing professionals in the health and social care sector. Therefore, virtual work experience is a Godsend!

Springpod offers virtual work experience for a range of different health and social care careers, allowing participants to get a well-rounded view! You can check this out if you visit their website here.

17. Volunteer at a special school

There are schools in the UK specifically built for children with physical and mental disabilities. These children need lots of extra support, so if you volunteer at one, you need to be aware of the great responsibility you would be given.

If you are interested in a caring role such as this, it would be best to contact these types of schools local to you.

18. Volunteer in an aid working charity

An example of a charity that offers aid to those in need is the British Red Cross. You could volunteer to help those individuals who are in emergency situations, strengthening your skill set to help vulnerable people.

Helping vulnerable people is the main aim of roles related to health and social care. There are other volunteer roles available which you can even do virtually! To find out more, check out the British Red Cross website here.

19. Become a childminder

If you are thinking about working with children in a career related to health and social care, becoming a babysitter of childminder can provide valuable work experience. This is because it will allow you to gain a real insight into how children behave and develop.

Consider putting up an advert displaying your services in your local corner shop or even on social media if this is done in a safe manner.

20. Shadow a social worker

Social workers are individuals who help to improve their client’s well-being and offer support if they are facing tough challenges. If you know any companies which employ social workers and this job interests you, it may be useful to call them up!

You could then gain a real insight into the career. Check out this article from Social Work News to discover some useful tips on shadowing a social worker.

21. Volunteer as a youth worker

You could volunteer at a youth centre and gain valuable experience working with youths from all kinds of different backgrounds. You could be involved in organising fun activities and helping the youths to increase their confidence!

This experience will not only help you stand out but could also allow you to find important contacts. You can find out more about youth workers if you check out this article from Indeed.

22. Peer mentor

Becoming a peer mentor is a more accessible way of gaining work experience. This is because many schools have a peer mentoring scheme.

If this is the case, maybe ask a teacher if they could introduce peer mentoring, as it will give you valuable experience of working with younger individuals. To discover how to be the best peer mentor possible, check out this article from the Together Platform.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Teaching and working with children or vulnerable people work experience ideas

Two more of the degree areas that will generally need you to have work experience to be able to get onto the degree programme are teaching and social work. While not directly linked, both of these degree programmes are linked with working with children and may also be linked with working with vulnerable people. Due to this, the work experience options that you can get for them largely overlap.

23. Get work experience at a primary school

A great way to get work experience in teaching is to go back to your old primary school to get work experience there. If this is not possible or convenient, then you can always contact other local primary schools to see if you can do work experience with them.

The best way to get this work experience is to directly contact the primary school. As you’ll be working around children, you may need to get a DBS check if you’re over 16.

24. Get work experience at a secondary school

Another way to get work experience is at your local secondary school. This is arguably much easier as you would have gone to the secondary school much more recently and may even still have their contact details.

In fact, if you go to a sixth form that is connected to a secondary school, you may even be able to do this without having to formally contact the school. Otherwise, the best way to get this experience is to directly contact the school that you want to do the work experience at and ask if this would be possible and what requirements you would need to meet.

25. Volunteer at a youth club

How you can get a volunteering position at a youth club will depend on who runs the club and your location. If the club is registered with your local authority, you may be able to apply or register your interest on its website. For example, if you live in London, you can find different positions on the Greater London Authority website, such as this position here.

Otherwise, you may want to contact the youth club organisers directly. You may be able to find this on your local council’s website or where the youth club is advertised, which may be in local newspapers or on social media.

26. Volunteer at a nursery or day care centre

Getting work experience at a nursery or day care centre may be a little more difficult for students as some voluntary positions may require you to be 18 or have certain childcare qualifications. However, some centres do offer work experience and volunteering positions that even younger students are able to do and to find these it is best to look for ones in your local area, check their websites and message them directly.

For example, Pioneer Childcare offers work experience for students even if in school or college. To learn more about this position and how to contact them to apply, check out this page on their website.

27. Volunteer at sports clubs or dance classes

Like many other work experience ideas on this list, how exactly you get this work experience will depend on your region and personal circumstance.

If you live in a region that has a directory of different sports clubs and classes, then you may be able to apply through this or get the contact details for how you’re supposed to apply otherwise. For an example of this, check out this page on the East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust website.

If not the case, you can try to use your personal contacts, such as previous experience at a sports club or dance class or people you know that run one. Alternatively, you could search for clubs and classes in your local area and contact them directly to see if you can volunteer.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Media and publishing work experience ideas

To get into media production courses, students may need to already have some work experience in this field. Despite it being highly technical, there are several ways that you can do this.

Also, getting work experience in other areas in the media industry, such as journalism and publishing, can help to give you a better insight into these careers, even if you don’t need work experience in order to study it.

28. Get work experience at a local radio station

Get work experience at your local radio station or local hospital radio can be done by directly contacting them through their website, email or some other means. Please note that there may be an age limit.

For example, volunteering with the hospital radio at Royal Berkshire Hospital requires you to be at least 17, meaning that you may have the opportunity to do this work experience in Year 12 but won’t in Year 10. To learn more about this, check out this page on their website.

29. Do work experience at a local newspaper or magazine

Local newspapers and magazines are unlikely to directly advertise a work experience position. However, if you contact them directly, you can ask if doing a work shadowing placement would be possible.

Depending on the school you go to, you may be able to volunteer with your school’s newspaper or newsletter. While on a much smaller scale, this work experience could even prove to be better as it would be much more hands-on.

If neither of these options are possible, you can get work experience in journalism online. For example, Springpod have a journalism work experience programme that features speakers from BBC News and The Financial Times. To learn more about this, check out this page on Springpod’s website.

30. Work for an online newspaper or magazine

If you’re interested in journalism or other writing jobs, this work experience can be vital in order to develop your own skills. There are many different positions available, and you’ll need to choose which one suits you best.

For example, here at Think Student, students are given the opportunity to write articles and gain experience in this field, which you can learn more about here.

Other options include Shout Out UK, an online newspaper run by young people. It focuses on politics, but articles may also be about pop culture and trends or social media. You can learn more about this on their website here.

For more on where you can get work experience by writing for an online newspaper or magazine, check out this article by The Guardian.

31. Get work experience at a television studio

Unfortunately, getting direct work experience at a television studio will generally require students to be at least 18. Opportunities of this kind are offered by companies such as ITV, Tiger Aspect and Endemol Shine UK, which you can find more about by clicking on their respective links.

However, you can still get television work experience with online work experience schemes. For example, Channel 4 runs their 4Skills programme for students aged 16 or above. To learn more about this programme, check out this page on the 4Skills website.

32. Get work experience at a publishing company

Getting work experience in a publishing company can once again be quite difficult for younger students as many will want you to be at least 18. For example, Penguin Random House and the independent publisher, Slightly Foxed, both have work experience programmes for over 18s, which you can learn about by clicking on their respective links.

However, if you directly contact a smaller publishing firm, they may be able to accept you as a volunteer or for a work experience placement. To learn more about this, check out this article by The Publishing Training Centre.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

English literature and language work experience ideas

Work experience related to English language and literature is everywhere. After all, English is essential for jobs, as without communication, there would be havoc!

Therefore, strengthening your English skills will impress any employer. However, if you want to discover work experience ideas more specific to English, check out the list below:

33. Volunteer at a library

If you just call up a local library and ask if you can volunteer, most librarians will be ecstatic! After all, being a library volunteer is not all just about stacking books!

You could help organise events such as creative writing workshops, which would help develop your English writing skills. You could also help deal with the digital aspects of the library, after all, the younger generation is often better at this. You can discover more if you check out this article from Volunteer Work Near Me.

34. Work for the local paper

Working at the local paper would definitely help improve your writing skills. It would also help you learn more about your local community!

If you are interested in writing non-fiction, consider calling up your local newspaper and asking if they would have you. If you want to discover what you would actually do as a newspaper journalist, check out this article from Indeed.

35. Write online blogs

If you enjoy writing but just don’t know what to write about, why not consider writing about yourself! There is guaranteed to be plenty of people online who will enjoy reading about your life.

This is especially true if you write creatively and make your pieces especially entertaining! This may not seem like work experience. However, from writing blogs, you would be developing the essential skills needed by a writer.

36. Shadow employers at an editing house

If you dream about becoming a editor someday, it may be worth gaining some experience in their place of work to see what they do. It would also increase your knowledge of the different literature out there!

You could phone up any local editing houses to ask them if they would consider taking you on. If not, you could always find other ways of editing, such as assisting with the school newspaper.

Check out this article from Indeed if you want to discover how to become an editor.

37. Shadow someone with a role in the media

This could be shadowing someone in a radio show or someone who works for a magazine company. Regardless, you could be improving your verbal and written English skills.

It will be beneficial if you contact companies which are based on roles that you are interested in. If you are given the opportunity to shadow, you will develop extremely useful skills!

38. Shadow at an advertising agency

The field of advertising requires individuals to have good English skills. This is because good catch phrases have to be created and words are carefully selected to accentuate the wonder of the chosen product!

If you know of a brand that is local to you, consider calling them up and asking if you could discover what it is like to advertise with them for the day. This is also a good choice if you have a competitive nature!

39. Shadow an ESL teacher

This is a teacher that teaches English as a second language to students. If you are interested in teaching and explaining the English language to someone, this could be a useful work experience choice.

If you want to discover more about what an ESL teacher actually is, check out this article from The TEFL Academy.

40. Become a proofreader

If you are one of those individuals who love to correct other people’s grammar, consider getting work experience as a proofreader! Not only will your grammar correcting skills increase, you will also be exposed to a wide range of different literature!

You could even just volunteer at charities to start with. To find out more about getting proofreading experience, check out this article from Chron.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Architecture, building and construction work experience ideas

If you want to study degree programmes, such as Architecture or Town and Country Planning, you may need to show off your work experience in your application. Although this will depend on the exact course you study and where you apply to, having work experience in this area can teach you a lot more about these industries, especially as it can be difficult to know what is actually involved in these types of careers.

41. Get work experience at an architecture firm

If you are interested in studying architecture, work experience with an architecture firm is something that will give your application a necessary boost. Some architecture firms offer work experience placements and so you can apply for these schemes on their websites. For example, Scott Brownrigg, DKA and BM3 all offer work experience placements for students, which you can learn more about by clicking on their respective links.

42. Get work experience at a construction company

To get work experience at a construction company, students will need to find construction companies that offer work experience and apply on their websites. For example, the BAM construction company offers work experience placements for school students. To learn more about this, check out this page on their website.

You may also be able to directly contact a construction company to see if they would be able to offer a work experience placement.

43. Get work experience with a town planning company

For Town and Country Planning degrees, you once again, may also need to have work experience. This can be done through a town planning company.

To get this work experience, you can research town planning companies in your area and see if they have work experience opportunities. After this, you may be able to apply directly on their website or email them to learn more about the position.

For example, if you’re 16 or over, you can apply to The Royal Town Planning Institute’s 1-week work experience programme. To learn more about this programme, check out this page by Pathway CTM.

44. Get work experience at your local estate agency

The real estate industry is quite closely linked to town and country planning. Due to this, getting work experience in real estate can help you to better understand the industry. In order to get experience with your local estate agency, you will generally need to contact them directly.

Some estate agents may have sections on their websites about work experience placements. For example, you can look at this page by Galliard Homes to learn more about their 2-week work experience placement for students.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Geography work experience ideas

Geography covers such a wide range of topics, such as the physical environment, issues in the world and even just how to use a map correctly! Consequently, there are many jobs which use geography.

It is just up to you to find them and research the ones which you would enjoy!

45. Volunteer at charities focused on looking after the environment

There are many charities in the UK focusing on saving the environment and fighting climate change. All you have to do is call up the charities you are interested in and get going with any volunteering opportunities!

You could take part in fundraising or action groups if you are interested in this aspect of geography. An example of a charity you could get involved in is called Friends of the earth and their website is found here.

46. Shadow a geologist

Many geologists will only let university level students shadow them. However, if you specifically call up companies and ask them, you may be allowed!

This page from The Geologist’s Online Directory can help you search for companies close to you. As you won’t yet have necessary qualifications, you may just be conducting surveys. Regardless, any type of work experience will be beneficial to you.

47. Shadow a travel agent

If you are interested in the travelling side of geography, it may be worth seeing the life of a travel agent. You will need to have a good knowledge of the world and good problem-solving skills.

If you want to find out more about what the role of a travel agent is, check out this article from Indeed. If this interests you, call up your local travel agents to ask if you could shadow them.

48. Volunteer at a nature reserve

If you are passionate about conservation and preventing extinction, you could perhaps consider volunteering at a nature reserve! Not only would you be given the opportunity to garden, you could be involved in research and GPS tracking!

You could even organise wildlife watch groups. You can discover more about this if you check out this page from The Wildlife Trusts website.

49. Get work experience at your local news station

This may not sound related to geography; however it definitely is! You could get involved in the weather reporting which would be beneficial if you are interested in the physical and scientific parts of geography.

If your local news channel won’t allow you to join, you could still become an active Weather Watcher! You can find out what this means if you check out this article from the BBC.

50. Experience a placement at the British Geological Survey

The BGS offers placements to individuals under 18! Those who are selected are given the opportunity to work with scientists and gain a real insight into the world of geological research.

The work experience only lasts a week; however the opportunity would be incredible! You can discover how to apply and find out what is involved if you check out this article from their official website.

51. Volunteer at the DofE awards scheme

If you are a dab hand at orienteering, reading maps and compasses, this could be a great opportunity for you! This is because you could share your knowledge with others to help them navigate their routes during the DofE award scheme.

You can discover how to become a volunteer if you check out the DofE official website here.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

STEM-related work experience ideas

Unless you want to become a scientist, a mathematician or a teacher, knowing what careers are available in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) can be difficult. Due to this, work experience can be a great way for you to learn more about it before committing to a degree, an apprenticeship or a job.

52. Get work experience with an accountancy firm

Accountancy may not be the first thing when you think of STEM. However, due to its mathematical basis, it can be a great career option for students who enjoy maths. Accounting degrees are another one of the degree programmes that may need you to have work experience.

First of all, if you meet the criteria, you may be eligible for the Access Accountancy work experience programme. This programme aims to level the playing field to allow students to get into accounting based on their own merits rather than background, which you can learn more about here on its website.

There is also the Explore BDO Insight Programme aimed at students in Year 11- 13, which you can learn more about on their website here. Otherwise, you can directly contact an accountancy firm to see what work experience positions they may have available for your age and expertise level.

53. Get work experience at a laboratory

If you’re interested in studying science or even pursuing a career in science, doing your placement at a laboratory can be a great way to get work experience. This may be done at a private laboratory or at the pathology laboratory at a hospital. For both of these options, students will need to apply through the website or as otherwise told.

Some opportunities include work experience at your local hospital, which you can learn more about on this page by NHS Gloucestershire Hospitals. As well as the National Nuclear Laboratory or NPL, to learn more about these work experience programmes, click on their respective links.

54. Do work shadowing at a vet clinic

If you’re interested in doing a Veterinary Medicine degree, getting work experience in this area can be an absolute must. The best way to get this experience is to find local vets in your area and contact them or apply through their website.

Some vets will already have work experience programmes and others may allow you to do a work shadowing placement. For example, Cerdarmount Veterinary Clinic in Bangor allows students to observe and learn about the processes involved in this field. To learn more about this opportunity, check out this page on their website.

55. Get work experience at a technology company

Working at a technology company can give you an insight into the vast range of jobs within the industry. Some technology companies offer specific work experience programmes aimed at students and young people.

For example, Cisco has a Pathway To Your Future Work Experience programme, aimed at either 14- 16-year-olds or 16- 18-year-old girls. To learn more about this programme, check out this page of their website.

56. Get involved in a research placement

If you’re in Year 12 and meet certain eligibility criteria, you may be able to undertake a research project. This programme is called Nuffield Research Placements and students are paired with a host organisation to do work experience in scientific research. To learn more about this and how you can get involved, check out the Nuffield Research Placements website, here.

57. Get work experience in aircraft engineering

This one sounds a little bit more vague and you may be wondering how exactly you would be able to get this kind of work experience. There are several ways you can go about this, such as getting this experience with an airline or an airport, who may offer this programme.

For example, British Airways has a work experience programme for engineering, that allows you to spend between 3 and 5 days with them. To learn more about this work experience opportunity, check out their website here.

Otherwise, you could do aircraft engineering work experience with the RAF. This work experience opportunity would similarly be about 5 days and would give students the opportunity to learn more about the role. To learn more about it, check out this guide by the RAF.

58. Get work experience with a car manufacturer

Getting work experience with a car manufacturer could allow you to gain a better understanding of the engineering and manufacturing processes involved. You may also be able to get work experience about business and project management side of the industries as well.

For example, Bentley provides both work experience and virtual work experience programmes aimed at students between the ages of 14 and 19. To learn more about these opportunities, check out this page on the Bentley careers website.

59. Do a STEM World Skills competition for work experience

If you’re interested in engineering or computing, this could be a great option for you if you’re in Year 12 or above.

To take part, you will need to be entered into the competition by your college or training provider so if you’re interested, it’s best to talk to them about this.

You can learn more about how it works here and more about the types of competition here both on the World Skills UK website.

60. Go to STEM university work experience summer schools

For STEM subjects, many different universities hold summer schools and other programmes. Some of these programmes, they are specifically designed as work experience opportunities.

For example, Imperial College London offers a Year 12 work experience programme in maths and scientific departments. You can learn more about it in this page on their website.

Also, the University of Sheffield offers a virtual work experience programme in physics. You can learn more about it here on their website.

61. Work shadow an electrician

Electricians don’t typically offer formal work experience programmes. However, instead you can try to arrange a work shadowing placement. This means that you will simply be observing an electrician as they work and have the opportunity to ask questions if need be.

To do this, you should directly contact electricians or firms in your local area to see if they would be willing to allow you to work shadow.

62. Work shadow a mechanic

There may be some mechanic work experience programmes. These are more likely to be done with a car manufacturer in their services department rather than a mechanic company.

For example, East Western Motor Group offers a work experience programme, that includes their after sales department. You can learn more about it on this page of their website.

However, you may also be able to arrange a work shadowing placement with a car mechanic by contacting them directly.

63. Work shadow the lab technicians at your school or college

In this role, you would be able to see how the lab technicians at your school or college set up practical experiments for different classes to do.

It’s best to start by talking to your form tutor, your head of year or your science teacher to get started. They should be able to tell you how this would work and what you need to do to be able to have this as your work experience.

64. Work shadow the IT support department at your school or college

A great way to get work experience in IT and computing is to do it through your school. This can be done by work shadowing the IT support department at your school.

To get this work experience, you should talk to your form tutor or your head of year first to see if this is even possible. From there, they should be able to tell you everything that you need to do to be able to do this work experience.

65. Get work experience at software development companies

This type of work experience can teach you more about this ever-growing industry and what careers are available.

This can be done through a company’s formal programme. For example, Softwire runs a 1-week work experience placement during the half term holidays. This is aimed at students between Year 10 and Year 13.

You can learn more about this by checking out this page on their website.

66. Get work experience in cybersecurity

You may decide to go down the virtual work experience route.  There are a range of options that will teach you more about the field of cybersecurity. You can learn more by checking out this article by Youth Employment.

Alternatively, you could apply to a company’s work experience programmes specifically cover cybersecurity. For example, Cisco’s Pathways work experience programme for Year 11s and Year 12s has some sessions on cybersecurity.

For more, check out this page on their website.

67. Get work experience at a science museum

In order to volunteer at a science museum, you may need to be over the age of 18. However, some science museums may also offer work experience placements, so it’s important to check before ruling this out entirely.

Once again, you’ll need to arrange this in a similar way to work shadowing. In this way, make sure you’ve clearly written asking about any work experience placements and included your CV.

68. Get work experience at an astronomical observatory

An astronomical observatory can be a great placement if you’re interested in astronomy and space sciences. This can teach you more about the work of an astronomer.

One work experience programme is the one at the Royal Observatory Greenwich. On this work experience, each student will have 1 week in August of placement alongside another student.

You can learn more about this by checking out this page on the Royal Museums Greenwich website.

69. Get work experience with Formula 1

If you’re interested in aerodynamics, mechanics or a related field, getting work experience within a Formula 1 team could be perfect for you.

To go about this, you will need to email the HR department to ask if they have any work experience available and when this is. It would be a good idea to include a CV and maybe even a cover letter when applying.

You can learn more about this on this page of the Formula Careers website.

70. Get work experience with the Met Office

If you’re interested in meteorology, getting work experience with the Met Office could be perfect. This work experience is open to young people between the ages of 13 and 18.

This type of work experience is virtual. However, you might be able to do in-person work experience after you have completed the virtual one.

You can learn more about this here on the Met Link website.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Psychology work experience ideas

It can be difficult to get work experience related to psychology. After all, you can’t go around scanning people’s brains and recording all of their different behaviours!

However, there are plenty of work experience opportunities which are directly or indirectly linked to psychology that you may never have thought of before!

71. Springpod virtual work experience

It is true that many professionals won’t allow you to shadow them due to patient confidentiality. Consequently, an alternative way of getting work experience in psychology is to sign up for some virtual work experience.

Springpod is an online platform which allows students to experience what different psychological professions are like. This includes being a sports psychologist, health psychologist and clinical psychologist.

You can find out more about Springpod virtual work experience if you check out their website here. Springpod also offers many other work experience ideas outside of psychology, so they are definitely worth checking out.

72. Shadow a mental health specialist

The NHS has two major services which support individuals with mental health issues, one for children and one for adults. You could call up your local mental health clinics to ask if you could shadow an employer there.

However, you need to be aware that this may not be possible due to client confidentiality. If this is the case, it could be arranged for you to be given the opportunity to have a chat with the mental health professionals.

73. Volunteer at a charity that supports mental health

There are many charities available that support individuals with mental health issues. You can volunteer in many different ways, such as working at a charity shop or helping to organise fundraising events.

You can find out more if you check out this article from the Mind website, which is a charity dedicated to supporting those individuals with mental health issues.

74. Shadow a psychologist or psychiatrist

If you happen to know a certain company of psychologists or psychiatrists, you should consider calling them up and asking them if they could offer you work experience!

However, when you are in the process of shadowing, you need to make sure that you are making the most out of the experience. Check out this article from the Physician Attorney Contract website if you want to discover how to do this.

75. Volunteer at a rehab centre

Volunteering at a rehab centre can be a difficult experience, as the individuals you will see may be struggling. However, it can also be a rewarding experience, as you could be responsible for setting up activities and making sure that the residents are as comfortable as possible.

76. Shadow a special educational needs teaching assistant

SEN teaching assistants help to support children with learning difficulties. They are often found in schools, so if you know that your school has one, there is no harm in asking if you can shadow them!

This could help you gain insight into the role and also learn about behavioural management, which is related to psychology. You can find out more about this and how work experience can help if you check out this article from ZEN Educate.

77. Mentor young offenders

If you are interested in forensic psychology, mentoring young offenders could be a good option. If you choose a good company, you will be specially trained to do this. The Trailblazers mentoring company offers useful opportunities. You can discover their website if you click here.

Mentoring young offenders will definitely help you stand out compared to other applicants!

78. Volunteer at brain injury support groups

If you are interested in neuropsychology and the impacts of brain injuries, this could be a good option for you! Headway is a UK charity which offers support groups to individuals with brain injuries.

You could be responsible for organising groups and events, posting leaflets or even just raising awareness about the devastating impacts of brain injuries. You can discover more about how you can help if you check out this page from Headway.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Artistic and creative industries work experience ideas

When thinking about artistic and creative subjects, it can be difficult to associate these with what jobs you can get with them. Other than the obvious, singer or actor, it can often feel as other job opportunities aren’t available for students who study arts subjects. Due to this, gaining work experience can be a useful way to gain a better understanding of what opportunities and careers exist in the arts.

79. Get work experience at a theatre

A work experience placement at a theatre can teach you about the different areas involved, such as the marketing or technical aspects. Due to there being so many different theatres, the policies of each will differ.

Some may require you to be 16 or 18, which is important to keep in mind when looking for this kind of work experience. Others will have specialised work experience programmes for students in Year 10 and 12 and surrounding ages.

For example, Cambridge Arts Theatre has a 1-week work experience programmes, which you can learn about here on its website. Students may need to apply for theatre work experience on the theatre’s website or by email.

80. Get work experience at a recording studio

A recording studio can be a great place for you to get work experience if you’re interested in music and music technology. This work experience may be offered by a recording studio itself or instead by another music organisation.

For example, Sound Gallery Studios offers a work experience placement to students aged 15- 19, which you can learn more about here on their website. Also, The Music Works, a music charity, offers work experience in music production and studio engineering, which you can learn more about on their website here.

81. Get work experience at an art gallery

Work experience at an art gallery can give students a better understanding of the different areas involved in this industry. Students can get this work experience by looking for voluntary work on the art gallery’s website or the wider organisations website.

There may be an age requirement of 16 or 18, depending on the organisation’s policies. For example, the National Portrait Gallery will need volunteers to be at least 16, although they do run some programmes for school-aged students. To learn more about this, check out this page on their website.

You can also look at this page by National Galleries of Scotland to learn more about the volunteering and work experience available.

82. Volunteer with a costume maker

If you’re interested in the arts as well as fashion, wardrobe work experience could be a great choice for you.

In order to get this kind of work experience, there are certain programmes. For example, there’s the Surrey Arts Wardrobe work experience, which you can learn more about this on this page of their website. As well as, the Punchdrunk work placement, which you can learn more about this on this page of their website.

83. Get work experience at a hairdresser’s or barber’s

Hairdresser’s and barber shops are often small businesses with a single store, and some may not even have a website. Due to this, the best way to try and secure work experience at a hairdresser’s or barber’s is to directly contact them either by email, phone or going into the shop directly.

84. Get work experience at a beauty salon

Getting work experience in the beauty industry can be difficult as there is often a limited number of places you can do it. Getting this experience by working in a beauty salon can be a great way to learn more about how the industry works and what is involved in the job of a beautician.

Like with a hairdresser’s or barber’s, students should directly contact a beauty salon near them to learn about work experience opportunities.

85. Shadow an interior designer

If you are interested in the art of designing houses, it may be useful to consider shadowing an interior designer. You would then gain experience designing houses and talking to a range of people, whilst trying to find out what they would really like.

Consider calling up some local interior designers and asking whether they would let you shadow them! You can discover more about the career of an interior designer as a whole if you check out this article from My World of Work.

86. Volunteer as a painter

If you are interested in sharing you own art with the world, you could just volunteer as a painter and create beautiful art pieces for people. This could help you create contacts and a reputation.

Alternatively, you could volunteer to paint individual’s walls, or even buildings, such as care homes. This could also boost your people skills. Consider being really creative when painting these walls, with the goal of making people smile.

Check out this article from Real Homes to discover some ideas.

87. Volunteer at an after-school club involving art

Normally, schools offer a range of after-schools clubs, based on all of the different subjects. If your school has an after-school club dedicated to art, consider volunteering at it!

You could help children younger than you reach their best potentials when painting and drawing. This would increase your experience with children as well as the subject of art.

88. Volunteer at crafts events

If you research crafts events in your local area, there is guaranteed to be a number of events that pop up! These could be based in churches, community centres or schools.

The art projects are bound to be simplistic, however with your expertise, you could help others create masterpieces. You could be exposed to a range of different crafts.

If you are interested in volunteering with art in general, check out this article from The Arts Society to discover opportunities.

89. Shadow a cake artist

If you are interested in the art of drawing on and decorating cakes, it may be a good idea to phone up your local bakery! You could shadow the cake designers there and discover how they produce the most flawless looking cakes.

Gaining work experience this way is especially beneficial, as you may be taught the exact skills to create the most intricate designs.

90. Gain experience at a graphics company

Getting work experience in graphic design would be extremely valuable to you, as so many industries require graphic designers! If you shadow a graphic designer, you could discover what skills are necessary for the job and what they actually do.

Gaining work experience in this career role could also mean that you can start to create a portfolio. This would be seen as impressive to potential employers. You could even do virtual work experience, as shown by Springpod if you click here.

91. Create your own video games

If you are more interested in coding and digital art, it may be worth considering creating your own video games! You could create beautiful designs and get others to play them and see what they think.

If possible, you could shadow video game designers to get the full experience of what their day-to-day job involves. If you want to discover how to become a fully qualified video game designer, check out this article from Indeed.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Sport work experience ideas

There are many work experience opportunities out there if you are interested in sports. This is the case for if you love to play sports, write about sports or even to just watch them!

Check out the list below to see how you can get involved in sports work experience.

92. Volunteer at a school sports club

You could potentially ask your P.E teachers to let you help out during sports clubs that they may run. It would be useful if you are good at the sport you are asking to volunteer at! It would also be beneficial for you to not mind working with kids!

You could then share your skills with individuals younger than you and show them how to excel at the sport they are playing.

93. Shadow a coach

If you really want to see how sports teams can be improved and are really passionate about a particular sport, consider shadowing a coach! You would then be able to discover the different techniques and strategies they use to help their team be successful.

Coaches will no doubt be happy with you offering extra help! You could call up local sports teams or even find out if your school offers clubs with coaches to get this role.

94. Shadow sporting commentators

If you are more interested in the media and documentation of sport, it may be useful to experience what it is like in a sports recording studio. You could watch how the sporting commentators describe and entertain.

Call up some local studios to get the ball rolling. You can check out what a sports commentator actually does if you check out this article from the National Careers Service.

95. Volunteer at a sports shop

If you are interested in the different types of sporting equipment and clothing, perhaps consider volunteering at a shop dedicated to selling sports items. This could be at a bike shop, a runner’s store or anything else you can think of!

Volunteering at a sports shop could increase your knowledge of sporting equipment and potentially even how to look after it.

96. Volunteer at sporting events

There are plenty of sporting events around the UK which you can definitely be apart of. This could be park runs, muddy sprints or even just social sports events!

Volunteering at these will not only give you experience of helping people with sport but also with talking to a range of new individuals. Check out this article from Sport England to discover how to get started.

97. Shadow a personal trainer

If you speak to your local gym and ask them if you could shadow a personal trainer, they may just let you! You could then see how the personal trainer interacts with clients and focuses on tailoring a workout to their specific goals.

However, you must always make sure that the client has given their consent! You can discover more about shadowing a personal trainer if you check out this article from Origym.

98. Create your own coaching plans

If shadowing a personal trainer isn’t possible but you are interested in helping people achieve their fitness goals, perhaps you could make your own coaching plans! You could do this for your friends and family at first – with their consent of course!

The experience will allow you to see what works and what doesn’t and give an insight into what it’s like to be a personal trainer!

99. Shadow individuals at a sports media company

If you are interested in sports journalism and media coverage, it may be useful to research and contact local companies dedicated to this. You could then see what the world of sports media coverage is like and discover whether it is really as exciting as watching the game!

You can discover the most popular sports websites on this article from FeedSpot if you want to get a feel for what sports articles sound like.

100. Volunteer as an umpire or referee

There are many independent sports clubs out there for kids who have shortages of umpires and referees! If you know a certain sport really well and think that you can manage a group of kids, consider doing this!

Call up some local clubs and ask them for permission and you could gain more experience with the sport and with working with children.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Business studies work experience ideas

In business there are so many different careers. However, it can be difficult to know what the differences between each of these are and more importantly which one would be right for you.

In the following sections, you’ll get to see a range of ideas to get work experience that can teach you more about all these careers and roles.

102. Work shadow at a marketing company or in the marketing department

Work shadowing in a marketing company or the marketing department of a company allows you to delve a little deeper into the business world. To get this type of work experience, you can directly contact marketing agencies that you’re interested in and ask if you can work shadow with them.

103. Work shadow in auditing

There are so many different aspects to business that it can be difficult to know how to get work experience in this field. One of the areas of business students don’t even know about is auditing.

In order to do auditing work experience, students can undertake a specialised programme. For example, KPMG runs a Black Heritage Talent Insight Programme in several areas of business, including auditing. You can learn more about this by checking out this page on their website.

104. Get work experience by starting your own business

In this day and age, more and more people, including students, are beginning to set up their own businesses. Setting up your own business can be a great idea to gain some work experience as it allows you to learn firsthand about entrepreneurship in a way that goes beyond what you just being told.

To get some ideas of what businesses you can start by yourself, without breaking the bank, check out this article by Save The Student.

105. Get virtual work experience in business

Physical opportunities, whether work shadowing or specifically made programmes, are often hard to come by.

With websites, such as Springpod, you can come across virtual work experience programmes in a variety of business areas. These include marketing and social media marketing, human resources and its functionality in business and even particular types of business, such as insurance.

Follow this link to find the Springpod website.

106. Work shadow in project management

Getting work experience in project management can be a great insight into a career that you just might be interested in.

This work experience can come with companies in specialised work experience programmes or even from your local authority. For example, Bristol City Council’s work experience placement offers a placement in project management. For more on this, check out this page on their website.

107. Work shadow in data analytics

For many students, the career paths in data, especially from a business perspective, aren’t very clear so getting work experience in this field can help to change that.

One example is the Microsoft data analytics consultancy firm, Purple Frog Systems. In this work experience placement, students would need to email the company to express their interest.

You can learn more about this by checking out this page on their website.

108. Get work experience in tax

When it comes to the more technical side of business, students are often unaware of what careers are out there. Getting a work experience placement that focuses on tax and similar themes can help you to better understand the importance of these in business.

For example, the EY’s Career Starters work experience programme focuses on tax and assurance as well as other more technical business areas. You can learn more about it on the EY website here.

109. Get work experience at an insurance firm

Another feature of business that’s often overlooked is insurance. This can once again feel confusing when it comes to relating it to potential future careers.

One programme in insurance that is offered to Year 12 students is by BMS Group. On this 2-week placement, students will be able to gain better insight into the insurance industry and careers available.

You can learn more about this by checking out this page on their website.

110. Get work experience in investment banking

If you’re interested in the financial and economical side of business, then an investment banking work experience placement could be a great way for you to learn more about this industry.

One of the programmes that you can look into is the Study Mind investment banking work experience programme. This is a 5-day programme that covers investment banking and other aspects of business. You can learn more about it on the Study Mind website here.

111. Get work experience in social media management

Social media has become such an important part of business to the extent that it has launched new types of jobs, including social media managers.

To get this type of work experience, you can start off by setting up your own social media management business or by working directly for a business, who needs this service. You could contact local businesses to see if you could voluntarily manage their social media accounts to enable you to get this experience.

112. Do a specialised business work experience programme with a company

Instead of just work shadowing or even just getting experience in a specific department, lots of companies have a specialised work experience programmes to enable students to get a taste of different areas of business that allows their company to function.

For example, there is the Deloitte’s Aspire work experience programme for Year 12s. You can click here to learn more about this programme on the Deloitte website.

113. Work shadow a sales representative

Getting work experience with a sales representative can help to show you exactly how this role works and the importance of sales in business. In order to get this work shadowing placement, it’s best to directly contact businesses. As before, you will most likely want to include a CV and explain exactly why you want to work shadow at that company.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Law work experience ideas

Breaking into law can be so, so competitive that having a bit of work experience to give you a boost can only help. However, knowing what kinds of work experience to get can be another dilemma.

In the following sections, you’ll see some work experience ideas that will enable you to learn more about careers in law and the legal system as a whole.

114. Get work experience at a law firm

Law work experience can be invaluable for applying to do a Law degree due to the sheer number of applicants that you need to stand out from. Getting formal law work experience can be more difficult if you’ve not yet start university, however some firms offer it.

For example, Pinsent Masons offers a Summer Legal School Work Experience programme to give you an insight into to the law industry. You can learn more about it here on their website.

115. Get work experience at a legal advice clinic

Another way to get work experience in law is to volunteer. Volunteering at a legal advice clinic can give you an insight into how law can come into people’s everyday lives.

In this voluntary role, you won’t be directly involved but you will have a chance to help with admin or social media presence. To learn more about this, check out this page on the Merseyside Law Centre website.

116. Observe court hearings

Watching court cases, counts as work shadowing as you are seeing how the roles in court work.

In order to do this, you can simply go to a court hearing that is open to the public and watch from the public gallery. Alternatively, you can watch remotely. Some courts, such as the Supreme Court stream their hearings online.

You can learn more about this by checking out this page on the government website.

117. Work shadow a paralegal

If you’re interested in law, then you’re probably familiar with the different types of lawyers, such as solicitors and barristers. However, there are other positions in the legal world that are still essential for it to function, such as a paralegal.

In order to work shadow a paralegal, you would need to contact the law firm and specifically state that you would want to see the work of a paralegal.

118. Work shadow a legal secretary

Another overlooked career in law is that of the legal secretary. Getting work experience with a legal secretary could be valuable as they are important to the ins and outs of the law firm.

Once again, in order to work shadow a legal secretary, you will need to contact the law firm and specifically state that you want to work shadow a legal secretary.

119. Get work experience at a barristers’ chambers

If you’re specifically interested in becoming a barrister, then getting work experience in chambers could be a great idea. These are mainly for Year 12 students and would allow them to work shadow and maybe take a more active role.

In order to get these kinds of work experience, you would apply on the chambers’ website. For example, you can look at this page by Old Square Chambers.

120. Participate in the bar mock trial competition

This is open to 15- to 18-year-olds and to enter into this competition, your school or college will need to sign up and pay the fee.

You should check if your school/ college already participates in this competition. If not, you may be able to talk to your school or college to see if they would be willing to start participating in this.

For more on this, check out this page on the Smart Law website.

121. Volunteer with youth justice services

To get this type of work experience, students should contact local volunteer agencies directly. This is because most voluntary roles in youth justice services will require the volunteer to be at least 18.

However, some local volunteering agencies may have positions available that are suitable for under 18s. You can learn more on this page of the Youth Justice Resource Hub.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

History work experience ideas

Finding work experience can be difficult in general but when it comes to humanity subjects that can often be much worse. While history has some obvious contenders for both careers and work experience, it can be difficult to see beyond these.

In this section, we’ll take you through some of the best work experience ideas to give you a better understanding of careers in history.

122. Get work experience at a museum

If you’re interested in history, getting work experience at a museum can be a great way to learn more about the careers associated with this subject. You may be able to get this through a work experience scheme by a museum or university museum.

For example, the Natural History Museum’s work experience programme allows students in Year 10 and above to spend the week learning about a specific area of museum work. To learn more about this and how you can get involved, check out this page on their website.

123. Get work experience at an archive

Another history-focused career that you can get work experience in is that of an archivist. In this work experience, you can learn about how documents are preserved and cared for.

The National Archives’ work experience placement lasts 5 days and is aimed at students between the ages of 14 and 18. To learn more about this and how to get involved, check out this page on The National Archives’ website.

124. Get work experience in heritage conservation

Another feature of the history industry is heritage conservation. In this area, it’s important to learn about the careers and opportunities involved on work experience as these are often not talked about.

One volunteering scheme that allows you to get work experience is the English Heritage volunteering scheme. With this there are a range of opportunities from gardening to supporting visitors. You can learn more about this on the English Heritage website here.

125. Volunteer with a Council of British Archaeology group or young archaeologists club

Included in the area of history is archaeology and as this isn’t generally taught in schools, getting work experience in this field can be incredibly enlightening. To get said work experience, you could volunteer with a Council for British Archaeology group or a Young Archaeologists’ club. For more on these, check out this page and this page on their respective website.

126. Get work experience with a historical costume maker

Some costume makers and historic dress restorers offer volunteering and internship placements for students. This can give students interested in textiles and design a great opportunity for work experience.

For example, The Tudor Tailor offers work experience for students of different ages and experience levels. Due to this, the nature and the length of the placement may also vary. To learn more about this and how to get involved, check out this page on their website.

127. Get work experience with a tour guide

There are a range of historic tours that take place throughout the UK. Work shadowing on these could enable you to learn more about how history is taught in a non-academic setting.

In order to get this work experience, students will need to directly contact historic tour guide companies as they won’t generally have work experience programmes.

128. Get work experience at historical buildings

It’s best to contact these organisations via their website or by email to learn more. At time of writing (November 2023), the Historic Royal Palaces are updating their work experience programme, so it is not currently available. You can learn more about this by checking out this page on their website.

129. Volunteer with the War Memorials Trust

With this work experience, you would either be contributing to the War Memorials Trust website, or you would be committing at least half a day per week in an office-based setting in London. You can learn more about this volunteering scheme by checking out this page on the War Memorials Trust website.

130. Get virtual history work experience

Particularly with very academic subjects, finding work experience that’s right for you can be hard to come across. However, with virtual work experience, you have the opportunity to go at your own pace and to learn in greater depth.

One programme available for history is ‘Careers in Heritage with Historic England’ programme. You can learn more about it on this page of the Historic England website.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
If you have a work experience idea that you feel should've made the list, please let us know.
Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Foreign languages work experience ideas

Foreign languages subjects tend not to be very popular options for GCSEs or A-Levels. Thus, the careers involved tend not to be as commonly talked about as others.

Finding foreign languages work experience ideas can be difficult but don’t worry. In the following sections, you will see a range of different ideas for languages work experience to help you learn more about the industries involved.

131. Get work experience at a translation agency

If you’re interested in languages and want to pursue a language-related career, getting work experience at a translation company can be a great way to learn more about what you can do with languages. Work experience placements allow students to shadow professionals in translation companies in different departments.

If you study German and are in Year 12 or above, you could get a 1-week work experience placement with AST Language Services. To learn more about this opportunity, check out this page on their website.

132. Get work experience at an embassy

When it comes to foreign languages international relations and diplomacy can be a great route to go down.

In order to get this work experience, it’s best to directly contact the embassy that you’re interested in doing work experience or work shadowing at. Applying with a CV and maybe even a cover letter will once again set a good precedent and make you more likely to get a position.

133. Volunteer in foreign language classes

Getting work experience at your own school, college or sixth form can be a great idea as it can be easier to arrange. This especially applies when it comes to modern languages work experience as this can be hard to get.

In order to get this work experience, it is probably best to first talk to your language teacher and then to check how this would work with your head of year and/ or your form tutor.

134. Volunteer at a language school

Teaching English as a foreign language is fairly common for foreign language graduates. Getting some work experience in this industry can help you to decide if it is something that you would be interested in.

There are many different schools where students go to learn English. You could volunteer in one of these.

For example, the Ealing Community School of English is run entirely by volunteers. You can learn more about this by checking out this page on their website.

135. Volunteer at a language club

There are often language clubs or even language cafes on in the local community. Even without having fluent language skills, you could volunteer with one of these.

Without being fluent, you obviously won’t be teaching the class. However, you could help when it comes to setting up or cleaning.

However, it’s important to note that this will fully depend on where it is that you’re volunteering with. Although, it would be a good start to search at local community centres.

136. Get work experience at tourist information centres

Tourist information centres once again give you the chance to go into travel and tourism with your language skills.

While there are no formal work experience programmes that I could find. You can always directly contact your local tourist information centre and see if there’s anything available for you to do as work experience.

137. Get work experience at an airport

Getting work experience in an airport can be great if you want to go down the travel and tourism route and put your language skills to use in this way.

In order to get this work experience, there are a range of programmes. For example, ones at Bristol Airport, linked here from their website, and London City Airport, linked here from their website. However, these will often be dependent on where you live.

138. Get work experience abroad

You would most likely need to do this type of work experience in the holidays to make it easier to do. In order to get this work experience, it’s best to apply for a programme where you find it, whether this is a particular agency or a specific programme.

However, there are 2 main issues: cost and safety. Thus, it’s important to take this into consideration when finding a work experience placement abroad.

139. Participate in Model UN for work experience

Model UN doesn’t sound like an actual form of work experience. However, it is actively teaching you about the United Nations and careers in international relations and it allows you to develop transferable skills in a similar way to work experience.

In order to participate, students will need to search through organisers, who run Model UN conferences. This can be done through online or using your school’s contacts.

For more on this, check out this page on the UN website.

Have a work experience idea that should be on the list?
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Please try to be as specific as possible and ensure it is suitable for Year 10/12s.

Religious studies work experience ideas

When it comes to religious studies, it can be incredibly difficult to think about which careers these link to let alone how you should go about getting work experience in these areas. The following sections will give you some ideas of work experience ideas directly related to religious studies.

140. Volunteer at a place of worship

To find where to do this work experience, you should look up places of worship in your area and try to find the contact details of these. You may even be able to find a website with which you can send a message through.

When contacting them, make sure that you clearly state your purpose (to do work experience), the dates you want to do it and maybe even include your CV as well.

141. Work shadow your religious studies teacher

You can talk to your religious studies teacher and your school to see if you can do your work experience placement at school by helping out in other religious studies classes.

A religious studies teacher is still a viable option if you’re interested in taking religious studies or theology further on. Thus, this work experience can give you an insight into this career path from the other side, which you’re not normally used to.

142. Volunteer at religious organisations

Many places of worship also run other organisations. These typically include food banks but can also be charity shops and other community-centred things. This can enable you to get practical work experience into how religious studies can be looked at from a community setting.

As these once again operate on a local level, you will need to directly contact these types of religious organisations to see how you can volunteer with them and whether this would be possible at all.

143. Get work experience at religious shops

Depending on where you live, there might be a primarily religious shop. These may come in the form of bookstores, clothing stores or other kinds of shops that sell religious items, such as prayer mats or even rosary beads.

Once again, these shops will operate on a local level. Due to this, you’ll once again have to try and find out whether you can volunteer with them buy directly contacting any religious shop that is in your local area.

144. Volunteer at religious events

To get work experience for religious studies, you could volunteer at one of these events. This might be in the form of helping to set up tables or even being a stagehand or maybe something else entirely.

What religious events are held will once again depend on your area and so you will need to look it up. The same applies here as you will need to make your intentions clear and should consider including your CV.

Other work experience ideas

Some work experience ideas don’t quite fit into the categories above yet are still quite specific in the industry that they exist in. If you’re interested in law, working with animals, public services, history, politics or languages then the following ideas might just be for you.

145. Get work experience at a zoo

Zoos may offer work experience programmes for Year 10 and Year 12 students. These can allow you to gain a better understanding of what is involved, such as animal care and animal conservation.

Depending on the programme and the zoo that offers it, there may be specific eligibility requirements. For example, London Zoo offers their work experience programme to students from disadvantaged backgrounds in Camden and Westminster. To learn more about this, check out this page on their website.

146. Volunteer at an animal shelter

If you’re interested in animal welfare and caring for animals, then you could also choose to get work experience by working at an animal shelter or sanctuary. In this role, you would be working with different animals and learning more about caring for them.

For example, in a work experience placement with Oxfordshire Animal Sanctuary, you would be working with the rabbits and cats and mainly focused on cleaning. To learn more about this, check out this page on their website.

147. Get work experience on a farm

Getting work experience on a farm could help you to learn more about animal care and management. You could be given practical experience and taught about the health and safety procedures involved.

There may be an age restriction involved, depending on the farm and its policies. For example, on Surrey Docks Farm, you need to be at least 14 for a weekday placement and at least 18 for a weekend placement. To learn more about this, check out this page on their website.

148. Get work experience with your local police force

Depending on your region, your local police station may offer a work experience placement. This will give you an overview of the different roles and situations police officers deal with daily and give you an insight as to how the force functions as a whole.

Some programmes may need you to get parental permission, if you’re under 18 and most will likely need you to go through a vetting process. To learn more about getting work experience in the police force, check out this page by Kent Police.

149. Get work experience with your local council

Getting work experience with your local council can be a great option for students interested in politics as it teaches you about how local government works in a practical way. There are a wide variety of departments involved in local councils, meaning that your placement may vary depending on which department you’re positioned with.

For example, with Three Rivers District Council, you can choose which service to do the experience with. This might include housing, facilities management and culture and play services. To learn more about how to get involved in this, check out this page on their website.

150. Get work experience at a bank

Work experience at a bank can be great for students interested in finance or economics. Large banks may offer specific work experience programmes for young people to give them an insight into the industry.

For example, HSBC offer weeklong work experience opportunities for UK students in Year 9 to Year 13. To learn more about this programme, check out this page on their website.

*Information in this article to do with which degrees require work experience has been taken from this UCAS guide.

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ememas
ememas
1 year ago

thansk

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king dobbie dobson the 3rd
king dobbie dobson the 3rd
1 year ago

Thank you very much!

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