Working towards employment
When you leave school
When you leave school, you can make decisions about your future. Your choices may be different to your friends. The most important thing to remember is that you are choosing what is best for you.
At school you will have discussions about your future. Schools will often give you experiences of work to help you prepare.
This might include:
- short visits to workplaces
- volunteering opportunities
- shadowing a worker in your school, will help you learn more about what they do
- meeting with employers who visit the school
- practising how to do well at a job interview
These experiences can help you understand what you like and are good at. They can also get you ready for work.
Work experience
Work tasters are short sessions or one-off visits to a workplace. They let you see what a job/business does on a day to day basis. You may work alongside someone who is already doing the job. This will let you see what they do and have ago yourself. The employer may arrange for members of the team to talk to you about what they do.
Employers should make reasonable adjustments for young people with a learning and/or physical disability. This will support young people into work and be able to continue working.
Traineeship
A traineeship is a skills development programme that includes a work placement. Providers will offer you training to help you into work.
For example, they might:
- help you to write a Curriculum Vitae (CV)
- support you to get qualifications
- help you develop skills or knowledge to do a job
Traineeships usually last for no more than 6 months.
They are usually for young people:
- aged 16 - 24 years
- 25 years, if you have a special educational need and/or disability (SEND)
Inclusive apprenticeships (supported apprenticeships)
These apprenticeships are for people with a learning difficulty or disability and for anyone who has an EHCP.
Working interview
Employers will:
- ask people to apply for jobs
- invite some people for an interview
Interview can include:
- an employer asking questions about your knowledge and/or experience
Working interviews:
- a person is asked to do a task like the job
- the employer can watch them
- the employer can decide if the person could do the job
Work trial
A work trial can happen after an interview for a specific role. It is a chance for the employer to check if a person is right for a role. The person applying for the job does a work trial voluntarily. The Government has strict instructions around these, and if you are offered a work trial, to understand more about how this works you can speak to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Job carving
A job may sometimes have different tasks that need different skills. Job carving is where employers split up a job into different tasks. This helps them to help find the right person to do a particular task and helps people with specific skills to do a job that they are good at and enjoy.
Getting the right support
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) supports people looking to start work, and employers.
Further information and support
JobCentre Plus:
National Development Team for Inclusion (NDTI)
Let's Be Clear (So Employers Know What You Are Asking For) - This gives some information about approaching employers for work opportunities for young people with SEND.
NDTI Internships Work
This gives some information about the project which is increasing the number of supported internships.