Work Placement Support
Start the search for your perfect placement
As part of your study programme you will participate in a 30 hour minimum work placement, this will normally take place during Skills Week, 2nd to 6th March 2026. Your tutor will let you know if the arrangements for your work placement will be different.
Part time work cannot be used for your 30 hour work placement.
Finding your own placement ensures you find one you will enjoy, are interested in and meets your needs. The process of contacting employers for a placement opportunity is a great way for you to develop your employability skills and could widen your network of contacts.
Below you will find some useful hints and tips to help you get your search started.
All placements for students under 18 will need parental consent, a microsoft form will be sent to parents for them to complete this digitally.
If you are successful in finding a placement please let us know by completing your placement request on Navigate. This information will be passed on to the Careers & Employability Team.
If you haven’t yet found a work placement, start thinking about the kind of employer you would like to gain an experience with and look at the hints and tips below to help you source your placement.
T Level Students
If you are studying a T Level course your work placement will be for a minimum of 350/750 hours, depending on your course. Your Careers & Employability Sector Lead will book a time to see you during the Autumn term to discuss your placement arrangements with you and your tutor.
Hints and tips to finding your own work placement
Having the initiative to find your work placement is one of the best ways to enter the world of work and it will help your reputation as a great student and employee too. It also means that you get the experience that you really want and employers will be impressed by your enthusiasm, motivation and maturity. Win win!!
CHECKLIST FOR FINDING YOUR OWN PLACMENT
Research
Consider the most suitable type of company/business or skills you need to develop linked to your course and the type of career you want to progress onto.
What do you want to get out of this opportunity?
What skills do you want to use?
What kind of organisation do you want to work in? Size? Local/national? Reputation?
Ask parents/guardians, family, friends for contacts and ideas
Search online, local business directories and newspapers
Check transport options to get to businesses you’re interested in
Keep a tracker of your research
Preparation
Prepare key information about yourself
Find out some information about the organisation
Find out the best person to contact in the organisation
Prepare your CV and an email template
Getting support
Ask family or friends to review your CV and emails, and to practise phone calls with you
Ask for help if you’re feeling stuck
Other things to consider
How will you get to your placement every day? What are travel connections like?
What skills do you want to develop? Will this company enable you to do that?
What is the reputation of the company? Are they known as being a good place to work?
Current WEX opportunities
Work experience Opportunity: Crowborough Miniature Railway – Social Media Content Creator
Join the team at Crowborough Miniature Railway as a content creator! This exciting opportunity involves attending on Wednesdays and/or Saturdays to capture engaging photos and videos of the railway in action. Your creative content will be used to promote the railway on social media, helping raise public awareness and attract more visitors.
You’ll gain hands-on experience in:
· Digital content creation and storytelling
· Social media marketing and audience engagement
· Working collaboratively with a passionate volunteer team
Who we are
We are a passenger carrying miniature railway in Crowborough, East Sussex and offer rides to fare paying passengers every Saturday and Bank Holidays between Good Friday and Bonfire Night. Additionally, we operate on Sundays during school summer holidays. We also join in with local events at other times and run different hours for Galas and special events of our own. This includes our popular Halloween running after dark!
This is a great opportunity for anyone interested in media, communications, or community engagement, and who enjoys being outdoors in a lively, family-friendly environment.
Interested? Email jaydenbrunsdon@gmail.com with a short Expression of Interest as to why you’re interested in the role and what you can already bring to it.
Futures For All offer virtual work experience placements to students aged 14-19. Please see link below for further information. There are a number of opportunities over half term that will be especially useful for building up your portfolios for UCAS, apprenticeship or job applications.
Experience Life in the Creative Industries!
Discover the exciting world of creative careers in TV and Broadcasting. Gain unique insights into what it takes to build a successful national broadcaster like Channel 4. This experience will open your eyes to a variety of roles across the industry and provide meaningful work experience, from technical positions to on-camera roles, and introduce you to the talented people who make it all happen. With over 4,200 participants in the UK already gaining valuable industry knowledge, it's your turn to dive in. Ready to explore and build your creative career? Sign up today!