Sharing the Positives: Virtual Work Experience

Joanne Green a Careers Adviser for Changing Education has noticed massive changes in her day to day role since the Coronavirus Crisis, not least because everyone is now working remotely.

Joanne Green, Careers Adviser, Changing Education

On 24^th March 2020 our Prime Minister, Boris Johnson announced the closure of schools and colleges for the foreseeable future and the cancellation of all GCSE and A level exams.

The company I work for is called Changing Education and as well as careers advice the other main part of our business is sourcing and facilitating work experience placements for 1000’s of students across the country. In my role as a Careers Adviser, my normal working week would involve speaking face to face with students aged 13 -18 in schools to provide impartial advice and guidance on their education, training and long term career plans.

Following the announcement my thoughts were:

It was a worrying time.

Two weeks later:

My work day is now very different but there have been some positive developments:

We are now having 2 virtual team meetings a day at 9.30am and 4.00pm. This adds some structure to the working day and is also a chance for my team to share ideas around the work we are doing. I am speaking to my team much more than I would in normal working time (and having a nosey at their houses!)

I am still able to offer advice and guidance to students, concerned parents, worried teachers and other staff in schools. I am now doing this virtually (by email, phone calls and video calls). These are not the typical “careers interviews” I usually do but I am answering questions and queries, reassuring students and researching the latest developments to keep up to date with the fast-changing situation. I have also been setting online careers related tasks and assignments for students to complete at home. Schools have been amazing in planning in advance for the closures; arranging virtual lessons and setting work for students and contacting students every day to check on welfare as well as learning. 

As many work experience placements have been cancelled or postponed, we have come up with the idea of “Virtual Work Experience.” We have asked employers who were due to host a student to record and send a short video about their place of work, job role and an insight into their sector.  If the students can’t experience the physical work environment, we are going to bring the experience of the workplace to them!

We have already received some great videos from a range of industries, and we are looking forward to sharing them with students soon.

Hopefully we can resume normal ways of working soon and I can return to what I love doing; meeting amazing, inspirational and motivated young people every day and helping them to plan their future.

In the meantime, my company is adapting and responding to our customer’s needs on a daily basis and I am continuing to offer advice to students in any way I can!

Joanne’s tips for students doing Virtual Work Experience

Decide on a routine
Try to follow your ordinary routine as much as possible. Get up at the same time as normal, follow your usual morning routines, and go to bed at your usual time. Set alarms to remind you of your new schedule if that helps.

Manage your time
Recognise that different tasks require different levels of concentration. Watching a video can be easier than reading a complex text and taking notes. Divide your work in to manageable time slots and take proper breaks.

Keep in touch digitally
Make plans to video chat with people or groups you'd normally see in person. Think about things you can do to connect with people. For example, putting extra pictures up of the people you care about might be a nice reminder of the people in your life.

Think about the positives
Businesses value skilled young people more than ever. This year some of the largest employers are offering even more graduate jobs, apprenticeships and school leaver programmes than last year. Recruitment will not stop. (Prospects.ac.uk)

Thanks for Joanne and Changing Education for sharing their experience and tips.