Practical Preparations
Here are some practical issues you may wish to consider and / or discuss with your employer , either in advance or on your first day . Bear in mind that some of these may be covered by the employer during any induction that you might have , so you can use this checklist .
ACCESS REQUIREMENTS If you have any specific access needs , ensure that you raise these with the company prior to starting work . Employers have specific responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 for people that they employ but bear in mind that this is not always precisely the same for work experience . See www . gov . uk / guidance / equality-act-2010-guidance
CAR PARKING / TRAVEL Make sure that you know how to get there by car or public transport and how long it will take you in traffic ( do a test journey if you are not sure ). You need to arrive at the agreed time , and always plan to be a few minutes early so that you can relax a bit before you start . Check out where you can park , as you may need to pay for parking .
CONFIDENTIALITY If you are doing work that is of a confidential nature , or perhaps handling data that is confidential , the company should make you aware of this and if needs be , they may ask you to sign a legal agreement regarding this . If you are not sure about this , ask someone at the company first , and if you are still not sure or feel uncomfortable then ask if you can bring it back the next day so that you can check with someone else .
CULTURAL CONSIDERATIONS If you need to raise cultural requirements , discuss these with your supervisor as soon as possible .
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES There is legislation regarding equal opportunities ( the Equality Act 2010 ) that employers have to adhere to - employers should have an equal opportunities policy and you can ask to see this . www . gov . uk / guidance / equality-act-2010-guidance ( The Equality Act 2010 ).
HEALTH AND SAFETY This should be covered by the company during your induction , there should be a written health and safety policy and it should cover most of these areas as appropriate to the business :
Accident reporting and first aid arrangements , display screen equipment regulations , COSHH ( control of substances hazardous to health ), emergency evacuation procedure and location of fire extinguishers , instruction on using equipment / machinery and manual handling , protective clothing arrangements , controlling risks in the workplace , welfare arrangements ( eg toilets , place to store personal belongings ). www . hse . gov . uk / legislation / hswa . htm ( The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ).
INSURANCE Check that you are covered by Employer liability insurance . Students doing work experience should be covered , but it is still best to check with the company .
WORKING HOURS / LUNCH AND BREAKS Before you start , make sure that you understand what your working hours and what the lunch breaks / other breaks are to avoid any embarrassment . Do not be afraid to ask !
MEDICAL CLEARANCE For some workplaces , this may be required and the employer should advise you if this is the case .
PERSONAL VEHICLES If the company requires you to use your own vehicle to carry out your duties , you must check if your insurance policy covers you for “ business use ”. Most insurance policies cover you for getting to the workplace only , so it may be an additional cost .
The University provides guidelines for any form of work experience or placement that is a formal part of your degree or postgraduate course . See : www . keele . ac . uk / media / keeleuniversity / policyzone / sas / Placement % 20Learning % 20 Code % 20of % 20Practice2015 . pdf
If you are not on a formal placement / internship , you may wish to draw up a form of work based learning agreement . You can see the University ’ s link above and see an example of a Work Based Learning Agreement .
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