Over many years, as part of our Year 10 Work Experience program, Numurkah Secondary College Year 10 students have had the opportunity to visit and observe a workplace to learn job-related skills in a field of interest.
The school runs a scheduled one-week block of Work Experience each year. The 2025 Work Experience Program will run from Monday 30th June - Friday 4th July.
Numurkah Secondary staff are very supportive of this program and will assist students during the planning process. NSC have a positive relationship between the school, local community and industry.
During the week students will be checked in on, either via a phone call or a visit by a teacher or Work Experience Coordinator. Students will have a Work Experience Journal to complete, so it is important to use the placement time to learn as much as possible about the workplace and to develop employability skills and gain positive relations with employers and work colleagues.
Students are provided with an opportunity to debrief after their placement. This will involve reflecting on: Learnings in the workplace, work readiness, the impact of the placement on their career planning and comments made by the employer/supervisor on the evaluation form.
If students (or parents/carers) have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Cathy O’Sullivan, Work Experience Coordinator.
WHY DO WORK EXPERIENCE? The benefits of Work Experience for students include:
Better understanding of the work environment and what employers expect of their workers.
An opportunity to explore possible career options.
Increased self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence
Increased motivation to continue study and/or undertake further training.
An introduction to workplace recruitment practices
Enhanced opportunities for part-time and casual employment
Opportunity to include the employer’s work experience evaluation in future job and course applications.
The chance to ‘try out’ a workplace, possible pathway options prior to deciding on senior school options.
2025 KEY DATES February - Discuss with family, friends, teachers, and Work Experience Coordinator opportunities you would like to explore. March – paperwork sorted. Friday 30th May – All students must have completed the general & industry specific safe@work module. Week beginning Monday 23rd June – Students to contact employers to confirm starting time, location, lunch breaks and uniform. Monday 30th June - Friday 04th July – Work Experience Week
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS AGE OF STUDENTS Students must be 15 years of age to do Work Experience.
TIMING OF WORK EXPERIENCE Students must not work between 9.00 pm and 6.00 am, and they must have a 10-hour break between placement days/shifts. Students are not permitted to work on weekends as part of their work experience.
PAYMENT The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Ministerial Order 382) requires that a minimum payment of $5.00 per day be paid to students on Work Experience. Employers are NOT obligated to pay more than this amount.
Some non-profit and government organisations (e.g., schools) are exempt from this payment (i.e. students are not paid for Work Experience).
Students shouldn't decide about their Work Experience placement based solely on their rate of pay as it is about the experience.
OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH & SAFETY Prior to doing work experience you must complete the industry specific safe@work module which can be found at: Industry Specific safe@work Module
WORK COVER Students doing Work Experience are covered by WorkSafe Insurance by the DET (state of Victoria) The student is covered by public liability insurance in accordance with ministerial order 1413. Students must supply completed Work Experience Arrangement Forms along with their certificates for both the general and industry specific safe@work modules. To undertake Work Experience with animals, students need to complete the ‘Proposed Work Experience with Animals: More information can be found at: Further Work Experience Info
IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER !!
Students should be contacting potential employers and making the arrangements and not the parents. This is part of the learning process for students and employers tend not to look favourably upon students who get their parents/Carers to call for them.
Your placement should not be with someone you are very familiar with (e.g. your parent/guardian or an extended family member because they will treat you with familiarity, and you need to have an authentic experience)
You cannot work at your current part-time job for Work Experience
Be willing to try Work Experience in a few different workplaces, because you may not get your first preference. It’s a good idea to have at least five options and do not expect to get a placement with your first try as some students have had to try more than 5 workplaces before they get a place.
Please note that applications for Victoria Police, Zoos Victoria and Melbourne SeaLife Aquarium will require assistance from Cathy or Chris.
MAKING CONTACT WITH AN EMPLOYER
You can either call, visit or email employers to ask for a Work Experience placement
Ensure you gather the relevant information from your employer/contact person (e.g. full name, phone number, email address, address, etc.) Have important details about Work Experience in front of you in case they ask, especially the dates.
Industry and Employers that have supported NSC Year 10 Work Experience program
