Vocational Preparation

1. Vocational Preparation Overview of the Jobsearch and work experience modules

2. Aims • To enable students to identify and practise various jobsearch skills. • To give students an overview of work related pay and conditions • To inform students of different types of employment available including self-employment

3. Units • Unit 1: Sourcing Information • Unit 2: Investigation of a sample of jobs • Unit 3: Jobsearch practice • Unit 4: Interview skills • Unit 5: Pay and conditions • Unit 6: Self-employment

4. SOME QUESTIONS TO ASK ABOUT JOB ADVERTISEMENTS: Is there an age requirement for this job? What qualifications / training is required? What skills are needed? What experience is required? Is useful?What type of personality would you need to do that job?Do you know EXACTLY what sort of work you will be applying for?What other information is given? What can this tell you about the job or the workplace?How do you go about applying for each job?Which advertisement appeals to you most? Why does it? Why don't the others?Would you apply for any of these jobs? Why? Why not? Types of activities in this module • A lot of work on job advertisements. Where can you find out about vacancies? Terminology used in advertisements. • Visit to a local FÁS office or visit from a FÁS representative. How can FÁS help in the jobsearch process. Students would prepare a questionnaire. • The advantages and disadvantages of different jobs • Students would explore their own skills and qualities using simple questionnaires

5. Activities • Students would build an understanding of the different characteristics, skills and qualifications needed for different jobs of interest to them. • Students explore the possible effects of working in an unsatisfying job by carrying out an interview e.g. a member of their family • Selection processes used by employers e.g. brainstorm these • Letters of application, CV, application forms….lots of practice

6. Activities • Mock interviews. How can this be arranged? • Some information on unemployment and benefits. • Employment regulations e.g. minimum age • Awareness of deductions from salaries (maths applications) business textbooks • Self-employment: What skills and qualities are needed (brainstorm). Arrange a visitor to classroom • Investigate agencies who assist business start-ups.

7. Useful websites • www.comhairle.ie • http://www.fas.ie/en/Job+Seeker/ • http://www.inou.ie • http://www.employmentrights.ie • http://www.jobsearch.ie • http://www.bbc.co.uk/northernireland/schools/11_16/gogetit/careerstoolbox/library.shtml • http://www.enfield-workex.org.uk/students.htm • http://www.enterprise-ireland.com/StartBusiness/ • http://www.corkceb.ie/

8. Key Assignments 1.I prepared a display (e.g. poster/collage etc) as part of a group which showed our individual skills and how these related to particular job vacancies 2.I prepared a personal jobsearch folder that included items such as my CV, Letters to and from potential employers, photographs, job advertisements

9. Key Assignments 3. I participated in a mock interview and reported on my performance 4. I reported on an interview with either a self-employed person or a person who had experience of being in a job that he or she was dissatisfied with

10. WORK EXPERIENCE • “Work experience is used to describe schemes in which only part of the full ‘experience’ of work is available. It is applied to schemes in which people experience work tasks in work environments but without taking on the full identity of a worker. • The key distinction is that the role of students on a work experience scheme is not that of employee but of learner” – Watts. • “The quality of student learning from work experience is in direct proportion to the quality of preparation and debriefing”. Watts.

11. PARTNERSHIP IN A WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME • Teacher • School • Student • Employer • Parent

12. Key Features of a Successful Work Experience Programme Articulate the PURPOSE of work experience. INTEGRATE Work Experience into a whole school plan. Clearly ALLOCATE RESPONSIBILITY for organising work experience to an individual member(s) of staff. Ensure that staff, students, parents and employers are accurately INFORMED about work experience. Keep DOCUMENTATION for work experience clear, coherent and consistent.

13. Key Features of a Successful Work Experience Programme (Cont) PREPARE students prior to placement. Effectively MONITOR students when they are on work placement. DE-BRIEF students after the placement. ASSESSMENT of the work experience should involve students, employers and teachers. Build EVALUATION into the work experience programme.

14. TEACHING STRATEGIES Phase I – Preparation • Teaching and learning activities prior to students’ allocation of workplaces. Aim to prepare all students in general way for the experience. Phase II – Briefing • Occurs after allocation of workplaces. • Focuses on operational issues. Phase III – The Placement • When students are on employer’s premises. • Teachers may endeavour to guide student learning in the workplace (structured tasks, workbooks, diaries, visits etc.)

15. TEACHING STRATEGIES (Cont) Phase IV – Debriefing • Occurs immediately afterwards. • Reflection and analysis of learning. Phase V – Follow Up • Subsequent learning experiences which draw upon and/or extend learning from work experience.

16. Timing of Work Experience • Planning work experience over 2 years 2. Coordination of Leaving Certificate Applied work experience and other work experience within the school • Work experience in local schools 4. Time set aside for briefing and debriefing

17. Integration of Work Experience in Leaving Certificate Applied • List of students and their respective placements to management and teaching team • General information on type of business/job (where applicable) • Identification and negotiating of particular tasks to be carried out in the workplace • Negotiating of skills to be developed • Identification of applications of specific courses in real workplace setting • Visits to workplaces by individual teachers • Using students as resource people

18. Involvement of Parents • Understand purpose and relevance of work experience • Understand what work experience means: • Non-payment • Working outside school • Working hours • Attendance, punctuality, dress requirements • In-built costs – travel, lunch etc. • Health and safety aspects • No direct supervision by the school while students are on employers’ premises

19. Involvement of Parents (Cont) • Insurance arrangements (Personal & school) • Parental consent • Agreed procedures where problems arise • Contact telephone numbers • Listening to young people and their insights and observations while they are on work experience • Parental evaluation of work experience

20. Student Expectations • Opportunity to experience work in a real workplace outside school • Interesting and varied activities • Possibility of making contacts for part-time work or future career • Possibility of being “paid” • Serves purpose in deciding on an appropriate career choice • Development of specific skills

21. Students Finding their own Work Experience Requirements • Letter of introduction from school • Definition of purpose and duration of placement • Details on insurance • Preparation for asking (role play the situation) • Follow up by school prior to placement • Name of contact person in school • Pre-placement visit by school • Placement with relatives?

22. WORK EXPERIENCE IN LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED Central to the whole programme Key underlying principle preparation of young people for adult and working life Vocational Preparation accounts for a large percentage of LCA curriculum Possibility of doing four modules of work experience Involves a range of learning experiences related to world of work and specific careers

23. Integration of learning from work experience across other courses and as a resource to other courses • Progression from one work experience to the next • Negotiation of specific on-the-job tasks with the employer • Relevance of school programme to real life experience • Part of overall assessment • 8 credits available for 4 modules • Possibilities of using work experience for student task • Part of Final Examinations in English and Communication both written and oral

24. Work Experience 1Pre-Placement Planning Unit • Experience of work • Self assessment • Goals for this placement • Personal Qualities to be displayed • Employers’ Report • Difficult Situations • Basic Skills required • Details of Placement (hours, dress code etc.) • Information Gathering required • Hopes/Fears/Expectations

25. Placement Unit • Service/Product • No. of employees, sections/departments & various jobs here • Working hours/shifts • Attendance/time-keeping monitoring system • Tools/Equipment/Materials used • Tasks given • Identify qualifications, training, skills etc. for one job • Health & Safety • Workplace facilities • Job opportunities & selection procedures here • Daily reflection

26. Operational Unit/Employer’s Report • Attendance/Timetabling • Dress • Following Instructions • Learning new skills • Completing tasks • Initiative • Adaptability/Attitude to job • Communication • Health & Safety Observance • Suitability

27. Review of Experience • Learning on working life • Skills/Qualities developed • Own performance • Reality v Expectations • Sharing experiences • Re-evaluation of vocational interests and career plans • Skills/Qualities to be developed • Completion of assignments • Thank you letter/card

28. Key AssignmentsWork Experience 1 • I listed what I personally wanted to learn from my work experience placement.  • I made specific arrangements for my first day on work experience.  • I completed a report on my work placement and recorded my reflections on a daily basis.  • As part of a group I explained what I learned from my work placement and I developed ideas and strategies for future placements. 

29. Leaving Certificate Applied Reflective Journal • Before Work Experience placement • Myself and this Work Experience placement • During Work Experience placement • After Work Experience placement • Employer’s report • Advice for other students • Was Work Experience placement what I expected? • Looking to the future Inserts • Monitoring Record of Work Experience • Employer’s Record of Attendance and Evaluation

30. WORK EXPERIENCE 2, 3, 4UNIT 1 - PRE-PLACEMENT • Previous experience of work. • Current personal, social and vocational skills. • Collage of experience. • Skills/qualities to offer. • Target for next placement. • C.V./Interview • Finding and making arrangements for placement. • Goals and action plan for this placement. • Practise job skills. • Details of placement. • Reflection prior to placement (expectations, hopes, anxieties) • Employer's expectations • Implications of placement regarding information to be gathered.

31. UNIT 2 - PLACEMENT UNIT • Service • Company information • Organisational chart • Working arrangements available • Working hours • Marketing • Investigation of one specific job • Health and safety • Rights and responsibilities of workers • Practise and apply skills • Application of school learning. • Interview worker • Job opportunities and selection procedures • Career plan for LCA graduate • Reflection diary

32. UNIT 3 - OPERATIONAL UNITEmployer's Report • Attendance and punctuality. • Appropriate dress. • Following instructions. • Completion of tasks. • Competence in relation to tasks. • Responsibility. • Dealing with criticism. • Interest. • Adapting to workplace. • Communication. • Observance of health and safety.

33. UNIT 4 - REVIEW OF EXPERIENCE • What learned. • Skills/qualities now. • New knowledge, understanding. • Compare and contrast with previous placement. • Learning about working life. • Evaluate performance. • Sharing experience. • Unexpected outcomes. • Current career plans. • Future skill development. • Employer's expectations. • Completion of relevant assignments.

34. Key AssignmentsWork Experience 2, 3, 4 • I reviewed my previous experiences of work and prepared an action plan identifying the personal, social and vocational skills and knowledge I want to develop through this specific work placement.  • I completed a report on this particular work placement. In this report I included new knowledge and understanding gained. I also recorded, on a daily basis, reflections of my experiences while on work placement.  • I discussed my workplace performance with my teacher and prepared a personal career path chart.  • As part of a group I prepared a visual presentation of what I have learned about the world of work. 

35. Out-of-School BUILDING YOUR TALENT BANK Local Business/Organisation Directory Yellow Pages Directory of Services Citizens’ Information Service Whole School Staff Friends, neighbours, relations etc. N.B. Start small and build your talent bank Evaluate Show recognition for contribution

36. LINKS WITH THE COMMUNITY • List of agencies in the local community. • Names, phone numbers, contact details. • Hours of operation. • Possibility of visitors to school. • Out-of-school visit by students.

37. PURPOSE OF LINK • Extent of involvement • Activities involved • Amount of information required • How contact will be made • Timing/Duration • Specific Arrangements • Follow up