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

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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

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Types of activities in this module

• 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?

• 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

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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.

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Useful websites

• www.comhairle.ie
• http//www.fas.ie/en/JobSeeker/
• 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/

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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

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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

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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.

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PARTNERSHIP IN A WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME

• Teacher
• School
• Student
• Employer
• Parent

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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.

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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.

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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 employers premises.
• Teachers may endeavour to guide student learning
  in the workplace (structured tasks, workbooks,
  diaries, visits etc.)

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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.

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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?

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• 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

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• 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

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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

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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

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Operational Unit/Employers Report

• Attendance/Timetabling
• Dress
• Following Instructions
• Learning new skills
• Completing tasks
• Initiative
• Adaptability/Attitude to job
• Communication
• Health Safety Observance
• Suitability

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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

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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. ?

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Leaving Certificate Applied Reflective Journal

• Before Work Experience placement
• Myself and this Work Experience placement
• During Work Experience placement
• After Work Experience placement
• Employers report
• Advice for other students
• Was Work Experience placement what I expected?
• Looking to the future
• Inserts
• Monitoring Record of Work Experience
• Employers Record of Attendance and Evaluation

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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. ?

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• 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

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• 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.

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