Many job seekers find that work experience is a helpful first step toward getting a job.
Work experience provides an opportunity to observe and participate in the every day activities of a workplace, is usually unpaid and is set up for a defined period of time, for example full time for three weeks or one day a week for ten weeks.
Work experience can have a number of benefits for job seekers including:
- helping to clarify what kind of work they are suited to
- providing an opportunity to practice applying for jobs
- improving resumes
- providing practical experience that job seekers can refer to in a job interview
- providing industry contacts that may lead to employment
- a possible offer of employment at the end of the work experience placement.
Some employers may advertise work experience opportunities or you can directly approach employers and ask about the possibility of work experience placements for your job seekers.
Work Experience Activities
Work experience is a part of the Australian Government’s employment service, Job Services Australia.
Work experience activities provide employers with an opportunity to see how someone operates in a work environment and provides job seekers with the opportunity to demonstrate their skills and attitude to employers. It also provides the job seeker with the opportunity to develop new skills and improve their chances of getting a job.
Financial help and wages
It is also useful to talk to job seekers about all the incentives that are available to their potential employer. If they know about these incentives they can discuss them with the employer during the recruitment process. The fact sheets in this section provide information about the help and financial incentives that may be available to them. The fact sheets print out in a user friendly format so that you can hand them to job seekers in hard copy.