Information for secondary students and school leavers
The benefits of work experience
There are many good reasons to do work experience:
1. Experience the day-to-day reality of a job
- Spending some time at a workplace can help you decide whether you'd enjoy that job on a day-to-day basis
During work experience you can see first-hand what happens in a typical day, and how staff handle different situations. Getting a realistic idea of the positive and negative parts of a job helps you make a more informed choice about the job.
2. Meet people who are doing the job
Meeting people in the job means you can ask them questions, such as what they like best about their job, and how they ended up in their line of work.
You can also learn about what qualifications they have or needed to get into the job. Meeting people in the job also helps you to start building a network of contacts in an industry you like, which can help you find a job later on.
3. Learn about related jobs in an industry or field
You might be knowledgeable about one job, but work experience can introduce you to fields of work that relate to that job. This could generate more ideas about what kind of job or career you might go into.
For example, if fashion design is your interest, work experience could help you see how other jobs in the fashion industry, such as buying, merchandising, marketing, and production, fit together. These might open up other career options for you.
"I had never really thought of working in plastics. When I got there I was just fascinated with all the different things produced and how they were made."
Travis Peek, Plastics Engineer
4. Improve your chances of getting into a job or course
Job advertisements often ask that candidates prove they have experience. Work experience can be the kind of experience an employer is looking for. It also proves you are motivated enough to have found out about their industry.
5. Get a job in a place you’d love to work
By doing work experience, a potential employer can get to know the kind of person you are, and you can try them out as an employer as well. If the employer likes your attitude and you are a good fit for the company, there could be a potential job offer later on.
6. See where your school learning can take you
By doing work experience, you get outside the school environment and find out about the school subjects that are relevant to the job you are interested in. Work experience might even help you stay motivated and do better in those subjects because you can see the practical side of what you are studying.
"When you do winemaking the studies are great but you need lots and lots of work experience because that’s really where you learn."
Mayi Caldwell, Winemaker
7. Earn NCEA credits
Under the Gateway programme, work experience earns you National Qualifications Framework credits, which means you are working towards a workplace qualification. The bonus is that these count toward NCEA credits as well.
8. Become aware of opportunities in an industry
From the point of view of employers, work experience can be a good way of raising awareness of career opportunities in their industry.
"By having time in a workplace, you can get a sense of what’s expected, what you need to do and learn, and whether that type of work suits you. And if you do a good job, you’ll have references that you can use to get work elsewhere."
Phil O’Reilly, CEO Business New Zealand
