Work Experience

Work experience is your chance to step out of the classroom and into the real world of work. It’s a short-term placement that lets you try out an industry you’re curious about, see how things work behind the scenes, and decide if it’s a path you’d like to follow.

Whether you’re still figuring out your career direction or already have a dream job in mind, Work Experience helps you:

Build skills employers look for

Understand workplace expectations

Explore different career options

Gain confidence, independence, and maturity

You’ll mostly be observing and assisting – learning from professionals who know their stuff – but you’ll still get to experience the workplace atmosphere, meet new people, and make valuable connections.

Who Can Do It?

Work experience is open to secondary school students across our region. Every year, students from almost every local school take part. It’s perfect if you want to:

  • Get a taste of a career before committing to study or training

  • Boost your resume with real-world experience

  • Build networks that could lead to part-time work, traineeships, or apprenticeships

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How It Works

  • Pick your top 3 industries and job types – or let us know if you’ve already arranged a placement with an employer.

  • We organise the details with your school and the business.

  • Some placements have extra requirements – like safety training, vaccinations, or special forms – but your careers advisor will guide you through this.

  • Before you start, you’ll complete the Safe@Work OH&S module so you’re ready for a safe and successful experience.

“Has the work experience placement helped you decide what you would like to do for work?”

  • My placement assured me that I'm certainly heading down the right track, that I'd fit in with the industry and it fuelled my passion for a career in Finance, Accounting and/or Business.

    Megan

  • Yes, it did as before I hadn't really considered primary teaching, but I definitely will now.

    Willow

  • Definitely - I feel like I now know way more about what every day work is like as an architect, which is very important.

    Isabella

  • It has helped me see that media does interest me.

    Noah

  • After attending the placement, I am still certain that I would like to pursue engineering.

    Dominic

Reach out to our Workplacement Team for more information and support

(03) 5561 0047

workplacements@swllen.org.au