Making signs - manual and designing

I could wear my own clothes

Very good work experience, recommend it to anyone. Very good working environment, very relaxed. Very nice people at work experience.

Great experience, definitely do it again. Got a very well paid job due to my exceptional performance. I designed and made signs which is fun.

Huw Holman

Responsibilities and duties:

• Working with the landing gear design team
• Working with the landing gear test rig for the a340-600
• Working with the designers of the new test rig for the a380
• Working with the wing design team for the a380
• Working with the landing gear up lock designers
• Going to a conference

Health and safety issues, special clothing

• Drink water regularly
• When in practical areas wear goggles, boiler suit and gloves

I think that my work experience has helped me to understand what office life is like.

I worked with a Year 2 class (ages 7-6) as classroom assistant. My duties involved interacting with the children, listening to them read and helping them with general work. My main project whilst I was there was to complete a DT project with the children, to do this I worked with groups of two – three children at a time and helped them develop practical skills.

I enjoyed my time at the school, and found the experience useful and interesting. Interacting with the children was probably the best part of the week, and helping them to complete tasks was very fulfilling. In all I think that this has been a useful experience and will probably influence me in the future.

I worked as a classroom assistant in a Year 3/4 class (ages 7-9). Within this area of work, I interacted with the children in the classroom, helped with practical exercises, listened to readers and tested spellings, and assisted them in improving their ICT skills. There was a disabled girl in the class and sometimes I worked with her. Over the week I didn’t do any particular project, as you can see, I did a variety of things.

I really enjoyed my work experience week; I got on with the children very well. They were really fun to be around! As well as helping them in the classroom, I went out a break to ‘play’ with them. As a friend was doing her work experience at the same school, in a Year 2 class, by going out at break, I got to know some other children from other year groups.

Finally, I found the experience very useful as I made me realise that it would be a job I would consider doing in the future. It was also useful because I learnt of new schools that I had and what qualities are required to be in that profession. I also really enjoyed working with the children.

At the base we were training and working with a range of people from soldiers from 17-50

We were not sleeping in the same block as them but we were allowed to ask them a variety of questions

• Day 1: The first day we were issued with our kit and we are issued with mesh tins and rations after that we were given a 4-hour speech on health and safety there are many health and safety reasons.
• Day 2:Today we looked round all the garages where we were shown a different range of vehicles from light armoured vehicles to heavy armoured vehicles. we looked round vehicles like a Saracen a multiple- launch- rocket- system we got to ride in a light armoured warrior.
• Day 3: Today we went out camping on the outskirts of the woods we were given rations to survive a night we were given half cut tents and sleeping bags to keep us warm.
• Day 4: We woke up at 6:30 we went straight onto the shooting range we had to shot moving targets we shoot a sa-80 and a sa-90 the impact on the gun was incredible so there was a lot of health and safety aspects.
• Day 5: Today was the last day so we had to give in all our kits and make our beds we had to polish up our boots and give them back we were given free bits and bobs like mugs flasks coats but over all the army is a excellent experience if your interested I recommend you contact the careers office.

Duties: To help her family of 6 to move house and to be a mothers help.

This included:

• Unpacking boxes.
• Preparing meals for the children.
• Cleaning out their rented house.
• Picking up their youngest son and looking after him in the afternoon.
• Doing household chores.
• Washing Up!!

Also during the week they had an open day where their friends came to look round the house. On this day I prepared food, showed people round the house, washed up all of the dishes throughout the day, and entertained the children, not to mention being a hostess to all of the adults.

On the move day itself I hoovered all of the rooms before the furniture arrived (that’s over 14 rooms!!) and help direct the removal men to the right rooms.

Health and Safety: The only things I had to do for this was to remember all health and safety issues to do with the home, e.g. pan handles not sticking out off the hob etc.

Overall I enjoyed the week very much. The family were very nice and I gained a lot of knowledge. I admit I could already do most of the tasks involved but I now know if I would ever want to become an aupair, which I think at some point I probably will but maybe in France. I also now have another full reference to show to future employers.

Eleanor Popham - 2003

Responsibilities and Duties: I had to read lots of documents. I also had to do some indexes for documents. I had to do lots of photocopying, And putting documents in a specific order. I had to help sort out the post and take it to the post office.

Health and Safety issues, special clothing: There was no special clothing needed for the work experience. But you had to be careful of the wires along the floor and make sure you do not trip up over the wires.

Monday

• I was introduced to all the employees and shown around the whole place and told how to use the equipment. I sat in on five interviews and watched them and listened what they said. I did some reading of documents.

Tuesday

• In the morning I went to court to watch and listen to a “hearing”. Then I did an index for a document. In the afternoon I helped organise a special boule’s night, and I had to make name labels.

Wednesday

• I went to court again in the morning. In the afternoon I did a full index for a document and that took about an hour and a half.

Thursday

• I went to a different branch and it was an open plan one. In the morning I had to help with the post. Then I had to read a document. After that I had to label pages In a document. I had to do some more photocopying.

Friday

• In the morning I went to court, but it was a different court and it was more formal than the other family court. I helped with the post and I took the post to the post office. I had a half day and so I went home at two o’clock.

I had to wear overalls and serviced cars with supervision and I sat in the cars to test the lights. Towards the end of the week I was allowed to do more things by myself.

For my work experience I went to Berkeley Primary. While I was there I really enjoyed my time and I didn’t want to leave! I worked in class 2 on my first day and for half a day on my last day. On the rest of the days and that other half a day I worked in reception. During my week, I listened and helped, pupils with there reading. Also I helped them with there work and there swimming. They had sports day during that week, so I helped help with that.

I used to go to Berkeley Primary school and it was great to go back! A lot of memories came back. On my last day I said my goodbyes and got loads of hugs from all of my new friends, which made me cry. I would love to go back, and work there again! This week, has give me a better view on what I might do in the future.

Job Description: I worked with small groups of children in year 1, helping them with their work and reading with them. I also helped the teachers, by setting up equipment, filing and looking after children at break times. My working hours were 8.30am till 3.30pm, although I worked later as my mum is a teacher in the same school and stays for longer. I had to wear smart-casual, washable clothes.

As the school was open plan, I went in different classes within the year so I could see different ability groups.

Monday:

•  For the first hour of school I worked with the lowest of the three literacy groups. Firstly they had a short spelling test, then I took a group off to talk about the difference between fiction and none-fiction books. After morning break and assembly they started lessons again, this time I helped with the highest numeracy group. They were learning about subtractions, so I had to go around the classroom and help anybody that was stuck.
• At lunchtime I could go to the staff room for my lunch, or to one of the close by shops.
• For the rest of the afternoon we did science, where they were talking about food made from plants, again I worked with a small group and helped them with their work.

Tuesday:

• Until literacy started, I read with children with difficulties for 20 minutes.
• Again, on Tuesday I worked with the bottom literacy group where they were still talking about fiction and non-fiction.
• Later, We did art and P.E.
• In the afternoon a man from the council came and gave the children a talk on road safety.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES: Drew illustrations for children’s books, edited them on the computer, inputted data into the computer database, sent invoices.

UNIFORM: Had to wear smart, casual clothes. Not too smart. Not too scruffy.

MY THOUGHTS: It was a good experience. I go to see how people work in a different environment. The people who I worked with were pleasant and were quite talkative. It was quite fun and I even got paid!!! It was much better than school!!!

I applied for a Work Experience Placement at Bison Structures LTD and got accepted to work there for a week, in which I could appreciate the responsibilities you have to have in later life. I was introduced three weeks before I started so I knew my way around and knew whom I would be working with. I worked mainly in the drawing offices, where my job was to deal with GA’s, (General Arrangements), fabrication drawings, Cad designs, and construction drawings. My clothes had to be tidy, but there was no official uniform, however it is a good idea to wear flat shoes because you are on your feet a lot. Health and Safety issues were as follows:

1. To put a name card by the entrance so everyone knows who is inside and outside, due to fire hazards.
2. To wear a hard hat, boots and luminous coats if you go in the factory or out on site.

There are not many more regulations that are to be followed; it’s a good idea that you listen to their safety systems.

I didn’t really know anyone there, but everyone was really friendly which made me feel more comfortable. I think it was a really enjoyable and interesting experience. You have a lot more freedom when you are at work because you are that much older. I learnt a lot, for example I have improved by effective uses of IT, which I was graded as “Outstanding”

My first day was not as interesting; it was mainly getting the grips of things and getting to know everyone. I acted as a secretary replacement for a day. And I visited a site they were working at, The Williams Formula 1, where they were constructing a new wind tunnel. It was quite an captivating and exciting occurrence.

If people are interested in Graphics design and have a good use of IT then Bison Structures Is a good place to apply for.

When I arrived I was met at reception by the teacher (Mrs Tutty) who was in charge of work experience. She told me and other work experience students what to do e.g. we had to sign in when we arrived in the morning and sign out whenever we left. After she had explained this she took as to the classrooms we would be working with for the whole week and introduced us to our teachers. I was working with Mrs Tutty’s class (yr 2s).

Before I started work experience I had been told that I could wear what I wanted but it had to be reasonably smart and I wasn’t allowed to wear jeans. I wore beige trousers with a black shirt and coloured top underneath with school shoes (trainers at the end of the week).

During the week I had to run errands for Mrs Tutty, listen to children read, help children with their work and keep an eye on children at play time.

The children were all very clingy and always want to hold your hand and follow you around, all this might sound annoying, but the kids are really sweet and you get use to it after the first day.

Daily Diary

Day 1 (Monday)

• I arrived at the school at 8:40 and was told where I would be working for the next week. Immediately I was asked to go and get something photocopied for the class worship the class were going to present to the school at the end of the week. As the class came into the classroom they all gave me a puzzled look, I was then introduced and the day began. During the day I was asked to listen to children read, help with preparation for their class worship, which involved cutting out hands from cellophane (very tricky), by now I had a mini fan club and it wasn’t even break time.
• I was allowed to go out for lunch, so I went up the street. I had to sign out at lunch and then sign back in when I came back for the afternoon as a safety procedure.
• In the afternoon all the infants and reception went into the hall and had singing time. The day finished at 3:15pm

Day 2 (Tuesday)

• Today was pretty much the same as yesterday, except more boring. It was more boring because I didn’t have Mrs Tutty; I had Mrs Peatman who wouldn’t let me do anything, I went home not wanting to come in the nest day knowing I would be with Mrs Peatman.

Day 3 (Wednesday)

• Again, today was pretty much the same as yesterday and by now I was beginning to feel like a spare pair of hands. I decided to go and find Mrs Tutty and ask her if I could work with a different class to get a wider experience (and escape from Mrs Peatman). I was told I could go and work with Mrs Sellick (yr 3 & 4) on Friday.

Day 4 (Thursday)

• Today I told my class that I wouldn’t be working with them on Friday and today was my last day with them, They all told me that they didn’t want me to go and tat they wouldn’t let me, this was very nice to hear. Today, again, was the same as Tuesday and Wednesday.

Day 5 (Friday)

• Today I would be working With Mrs Sellicks class for the morning. I went in to the class and, like the year 2’s; they all came in with a puzzled look on their face. Mrs Sellick introduced me and they took to me like a duck takes to water. Because they were older they didn’t really need my help so I just watched what they did. It was pretty cool to see how different the work is between each year.
• In the afternoon Mrs Tutty needed me back to help with their class worship. The worship went really well and that was the end of my week.

Overall I had a great week and I didn’t want to come back to school and it’s a great place to go if want experience with little kids. Its not really the place to go to get experience if you want to be a teacher though because you don’t really get to teach the class you only really help them, the only experience you really get of teaching is watching the teacher.

I am really pleased because I got invited to go back next year after my exams and help if I want to.

On my first day I was shown around the school told were all the fire exits were! I was shown the classroom I was going to be in for the week! I had to help the children on a shape hunt outside the classroom to help them learn what shapes had.

For my work experience, I worked in an office in Bristol for a company called BNP Paribas Lease Group. I did typing, filing and entering data into a database. I also did some photocopying and occasional other activities such as sealing envelopes and taking proposals to different parts of the office.

I worked with the sales administrations teem in the office, being instructed on jobs by the people who I was working with. Most of the jobs I carried out were done to help the other people with jobs not as important as some others so that more time could be spent on doing these things. This made things happen quicker than they would do normally.

The hours that I worked were from quarter to nine to quarter past five. I had an hour for lunch, which I could have had either at one or two o clock. The day seemed quite long when I wasn’t doing much but when I was busy, it appeared much quicker. By the end of the week I knew how to do the things I was instructed to do and could do them reasonably quickly. Every day I did similar things, but for different lengths of time or with different people. It depended on what needed doing and how urgently.

Responsibilities and duties: - I had to keep the salon clean and tidy after everything had been used and get the right equipment out for the next clients.

Health and safety issues, special clothing: - there wasn’t that many health and safety issues or special clothing except I had to keep all the equipment and sun beds clean for health reasons. I also had to wear black or white clothing to fit in with the rest of the beauticians.

I enjoyed the week in some ways except it got quite boring towards the end of the week. I’m not sure I want to do this as a career.

I was working in the shop. Answering phones for three days. Which I was helped to do. We would as if any help was needed. Clothing to be worn black trousers and white or back top. Where there we where aloud to try the machines out e.g. Toning tables & Sun beds.

As I friend of mine was doing her work experience there the same time we done each others nails and toe nails with the toe nails was really mining as I don’t like feet or any one touching my feet.

At the end of the week our teacher came in to take a picture of us. |I was discussing what the job would be like in the future and the 2-year collage course or you can take the 3-year course.

On Monday morning, I was taken to meet Gary, who is head of the Art Studio at the Evening Post. He showed around the building and introduced me to the six other members of the Studio. I was shown the kind of work that the Studio produces, and briefly shown how to use the computer system and the programs they frequently use, as graphic designers.

I was given a mini-project to complete throughout the week, which involved designing a logo for a fictional company and incorporating this into a set of stationary items, including letter-headed paper, a business card, compliment slip and poster. I began by sketching some ideas for the logo, based on some research I had collected. Once I had come up with my final design, I was helped by one of the designers to convert it onto the computer.

I started work at nine and finished at five, with an hour for lunch, which I could take at any time between twelve and two. The dress code within the company was generally quite smart, however it was a lot more relaxed in the Art Studio. I had to sign in and out each day as a security and health and safety measure.

The week was very interesting and definitely worthwhile, as it gave me a taster of how art and design can be used within a large organisation such as a newspaper company.

As most people know, BT is a large telecommunications company and is responsible for a lot of landlines and mobile lines across the country. I dealt with the landlines. I worked as a field engineer. My responsibility was repairing and installing telephone systems on business premises.

To get my placement was relatively easy for me compared to other pupils as my Dad works for BT. He was able to tell me of what I could expect from the placement. Although this could easily be done by contacting a known employee from BT or visiting BT’s website – www.bt.com.

Once I had decided that I would enjoy working with BT I was given an E-Mail address of the person in BT who s responsible for work experience placements. I E-Mailed him and he replied and sent me an application form, containing information such as the dates and contact number and address, which I completed and returned to the same address. Consequently, I was sent an E-Mail confirming my placement and was told I would be contacted nearer the time of the placement. After requesting a fax number I sent off the insurance form that needed to be completed by the employer by fax that was completed and returned by post. Along with this I was sent a letter explaining what the plan for the week was. I was asked to ring the number of the employer on the sheet, which I did, and we finalised certain details such as clothing and meeting arrangements. That was the last contact I made with the employer before the week I would be working.

Initially, I would observe my colleague either repairing or installing a telephone system and I would assist when I could. After I had learnt a few basic skills I was able to assist more often and do what I could to help. I ended up being quite involved in the work, especially when I was able to display specific skills needed for a certain task and my colleague would realise I could do the job. At one point I was left alone to undertake a task involving powerful machinery and various specialist tools.

There were three main systems I had to be made familiar with – Inspiration, Versatility and BCM (Business Control Management). By the end of the week I pretty much knew the basics on how to install the Versatility and Inspiration systems (which are very similar). I was also able to program the phones in a number of ways including extension names and numbers and speed dialling.

On the first morning I was shown around the work base at the Circus in Bath. I met the main curator and an intern from Nebraska who I was going to be working with. I was told the health and safety regulations and had my tasks for the week explained.

• Monday: Arrived at 4 the circus, at ten o’clock. After being told about the health and safety, and my projects for the week, we walked over to the assembly rooms to pick up a tray of gloves. When we got back I started work on taking down the record code off each glove. Later on I had to put all the codes into object history files.
• Tuesday: I arrived and got back to work on the OH files, then I had to do some photocopying and folding for the annual symposium at the end of the week.
• Wednesday: Sorted another tray of gloves in the morning, then in the afternoon I started the next load of OH files.
• Thursday: Started sorting the files for the symposium, and doing some extra photocopying. In the afternoon I was allowed to go around the museum, sketching for textiles, then I was allowed to go down to the Victoria Art gallery.
• Friday: Last minute preparations for the symposium, resulting in general madness and lots of coffee. In the afternoon the intern and I ate lots of chocolate, and then went to the symposium, based on Georgian life.

The week was a good chance to see what working life is like. I’m not entirely sure that museum work is totally my bag of chips, but it could have been a lot worse.