WORK-SHADOWING
All first year students are introduced to work-shadowing, in college meetings and in tutorials. All students have the opportunity to apply. Details of the arrangements for the year are to be found in the current Enrichment leaflets. Placements are seen as an important way in which students can consider, and experience, their career choices.
An outline of the programme, reviewed annually, is agreed by the team.
The work-shadowing team is the responsibility of a senior member of staff. The team is served by a permanent part-time Placement Officer. The job description of the Placement Officer identifies the key areas of activity. The members of the team are drawn from different curriculum areas, community service and the pastoral/careers area. Team meetings are concerned with policy and planning.
All members of staff can participate in staff development and industry/community links by opting to be a College Supervisor, they are required to participate in the annual briefing. Staff also have the opportunity to go on placement themselves. Members of the team have participated in a number of meetings which have had work placements as their focus, sometimes as a presenter.
The team acts as the co-ordinator of all industry/community links for departments and actively fosters links. Membership of the Chamber of Commerce and the West Yorkshire BEP, the opportunity for people from external organisations to shadow in College and the Forum reflects our commitment.
Students are matched carefully to the specific placement on offer. The briefing of students and the pre-visit are also factors in ensuring successful placements. Supervisors should arrange to visit. Debriefing and reports are important aspects of the post-placement phase. The immediate follow-up of any problem is a hallmark of an effective scheme.
Students who do not apply for placements or college projects or are unsuccessful in their application are involved in an alternative programme in College which includes a conference based on a UI course. The nature of the provision is reviewed annually.
The successful award of a Queen's Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education for the Enrichment programme reflects the quality of our provision. The work-shadowing element was identified as a key and distinctive feature. It is our aim to improve on the current excellence of provision and increase the number of placements available.
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