Work Experience
At Waterfront UTC we aim to prepare our students for the world of work. It is important that young people are provided with the right skills and tools necessary for their next steps after secondary school. We offer our students the opportunity to complete work experience in both Year 10 and Sixth Form.
Year 10 Work Experience
Our Year 10 students get the opportunity to complete work experience in March. Our work experience programme is launched in November each year when parents and carers along with the students are invited to our launch event. This event outlines how the programme will work and what is required from the students.
Our students are tasked with finding their own placements, an ideal opportunity for them to practice their networking, letter writing and communicating skills with employers. Pre-placement activities are completed during the term before the placement to ensure students are aware of what is expected of them during their work experience placement. A staff member will visit the student during their placement and evaluations take place after the placement has finished.
In previous years, this programme has been very successful and we have received positive feedback from numerous local and national employers who have fully supported our students.
Post 16 Work Experience
Level 3 Engineering students have a compulsory work experience unit and we are grateful to BAE Systems, one of our school’s sponsors, who offer all Year 13 Engineering students a much sought after 2 week placement at their Rochester site. During this placement, students complete a variety of tasks within the Engineering and Operations departments and have the opportunity to speak with BAE employees from many departments, giving them further insight into the company.
We are now into our third year of Work Experience with BAE Systems and the programme is developing and improving with each group of students that participate in it.
Delphi Technologies have also offered our Year 12 students a 2 week placement in May of each year. This is a placement that gives students the opportunity to see how Delphi works and to gain more knowledge of the manufacturing side of Engineering. Up to 8 students are able to participate in this scheme each academic year.
Events and Trips
Throughout the academic year we offer a variety of trips and Careers events to help engage our students in all aspects of their careers education. Below is a snapshot of the events we participated in over the last two academic years.
- UCAS Personal Statement Sessions with the University of Greenwich
- 3 Professional Skills Days at the University of Kent
- Networking into Work workshop delivered by DOMEG
- Pathways to Careers workshop delivered by DOMEG
- CV workshop delivered by the DWP
- Employability workshop delivered by BAE Systems
- International Women’s Day trip organised by Network Rail
- Apprenticeship assemblies delivered by ASK Apprenticeships
- Apprenticeship Panel visit to BAE Systems
- Employer Assemblies delivered by Delphi Technologies, Knights Brown Construction, and BAE Systems.