What Is Work Placement?

Subject choices at schools now include Industry Developed, entry level courses that give young people a great kick start to a future career in the field they are studying and can even lead to a shortened traineeship or apprenticeship.These courses require them to complete work placements. This is called Structured Workplace Learning and is a compulsory component of Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses. These courses include Automotive, Business Services, Construction, Entertainment, Hospitality, Information Technology, Metal & Engineering, Primary Industries, Retail and Tourism and are recognised by industry and the Board of Studies.

Work Placement allows the students to practise what they are learning at school and enhance the skills they have learnt in the classroom. To demonstrate and hone these skills students are required to complete 2 weeks of work placement (1 week in Year 11 & 1 week in Year 12) for each course with a local business which we help arrange through their school/TAFE.

Can your workplace help our students? Click here for more information.

How Are Work Placement Students Different From Work Experience Students?

Work Placement is very different to work experience as it is directly related to the subject the student is studying at school or TAFE as part of their HSC. It is mandatory for these students to do one week’s work placement in a relevant industry in Year 11 and another week in Year 12. Work Placement students also turn up on the first day with some skills they have already learnt from the classroom!

By being involved in Structured Workplace Learning, young people gain a better understanding of the world of work, and are given a chance to develop their technical and general employability skills in the workforce. The students are skilled, interested and committed and some of these workplace experiences result in offers of apprenticeships, traineeships or casual work.

Work Experience students, on the other hand, are generally in Year 10. The students organize their own work experience. It is not mandatory to fulfil any course requirements and the learning experience can be in any area of any industry.

What’s In It For Business?

• It’s FREE.
• There is an additional pair of hands to assist for the week.
• Students are fully insured.
• Businesses have direct access to the workforce of the future – a student undertaking work placement is the best way to interview.
• The students are studying in a specific industry so they will come with some prior knowledge.
• The business chooses when they want the student/s and may increase or decrease this need at their convenience – they are under no obligation.
• It’s a great way to showcase the business and their industry.
• Students are keen to work as they don’t receive their HSC until they successfully complete their ‘hands on’ learning in the workplace.
• Be promoted by MWLP as a dynamic organisation supporting youth. (This could be via local radio C91.3FM, the Macarthur Chronicle, on MWLP promotional material and on the MWLP website.)
• Be recognized as a good citizen of our community.
• Over 250 companies are currently benefiting from this great program.
• Be associated with MWLP – a company dedicated to the youth of Macarthur.
• Remember when you were a kid and needed an opportunity to show what you could do? Give the youth of Macarthur a go!

Without this work placement these students will not pass their HSC.

What Do Students Get Out Of It?

• An opportunity to try out new skills.
• Many students impress the employer greatly and receive positive reports, references or even job offers.
• The work placement experience and report will be worth its weight in gold and impress prospective employers when your child is applying for hotly contested job opportunities in the future.
• Obtain practical workplace skills, both general and industry specific.
• Develop an awareness of career pathways.
• Build confidence & develop maturity.
• Gain experience and an understanding of a realistic workplace.
• Meet Board of Studies HSC requirements.
• Gain credit transfer and recognition into further education and training.
• The possibility of being nominated by their employer for the MWLP Honour Roll. This gives them exclusive opportunities for an apprenticeship or traineeship with MG My Gateway and the possibility of becoming the ‘Work Placement Student of the Year’.

How Does MWLP Help?

An employer offers a student/s via MWLP, the opportunity to work as voluntary employees for 35 hours (usually in one week) in an area of business for which they are studying their VET Course. The number, timing and frequency of offers in a year are totally under the control of the employer.

MWLP liaises with businesses to see what opportunities they can offer over the year. Schools put in requests for what their students require and MWLP manages the process to make sure all requirements are met (including full insurance cover for the placement) and the needs of both parties are met.

We are the point of contact between 25 Macarthur high schools, 2 TAFE Colleges and the Macarthur business community. Having facilitated opportunities for more than 20,000 Macarthur youths since 1996, we believe that we are a significant contributor to community development.

To hear what Macarthur Businesses think of MWLP and the program, please click here.

Businesses that take MWLP students are eligible to become possible Business of the Month Winners. To see previous winners what they receive, please click here.

Introduction

Work Placement

Building Partnerships

Partnership Brokers Progress

Community Services

Testimonials