Year 10 Work Experience 2005

Name of the Work Experience placement:

Chappell and Dix

Type of work experience:

• Woodwork.

How did you get there each day?

• I walked there and back everyday, as it was only 5 minutes away from my house.

In general, what sort of things did you have to do?

• I had to help my boss make a set of ten windows, unfortunately I was too young to use any of the big cutting machines, so for the first few days I could only observe. However, as the week went on I was allowed to make some joints, which was fun.

What did you think of the work experience?

• I found the first few days of the experience, I was a bit bored as I couldn’t do very much, but later on in the week, my boss taught me how to make some joints. This was really interesting and I would like to go back and do it again in the future.

Daily diary:

• Monday:
  • Today I met the people who I was going to work with. I was also taken out on to one of the company’s work sites, where I watch them build a set of stairs and fit. I also helped start to build a set of windows.
• Tuesday:
  • Today I was taught about some of the tools that are used in the workshop, and I was allowed to chisel out some mortises in the window. I also helped take in a delivery of timber, which was really heavy.
• Wednesday:
  • Today my boss started to show me how to make a few of the wood joints that you are meant to learn at college. This was really useful, as I will need these skills when I have to make my RM coursework.
• Thursday:
  • Today I made a few more joints, and they were getting really good. I also helped one of my colleagues machine some more wood for the windows.
• Friday:
  • Today I spent the majority of my time helping my colleagues assemble the 10 windows. This was really fun, as over the week we had been building the small separate pars, and it was nice to see them all come together.

Any special skills that were needed:

• I had to know a bit about how to make some wood joints and how to use the tools, but that was it.

Any other requirements such as special clothing or safety equipment:

• I was allowed to wear what ever I wanted, but I was given some safety equipment there; earmuffs, goggles, etc.