Virtual Work Experience (VWEX)

Many companies are offering virtual work experience and links can be found below which students can sign up and take part in sorted by industry/sector, however, we have chosen Speakers for Schools as our main VWEX partner for this year. Students can access their portal to apply for placements from a wide range of industries and is completely free. There are some incredible opportunities that would never have been accessed through traditional work experience as students can now apply for opportunities all over the country.

Opportunities range from a 1 day insight day, to a 3 day and 5 day work experience placement. All placements are designed to be learning experiences that help students better understand the world of work, gain transferable skills and valuable insights about industries to help pave the way for their next steps.

To take part students will need to register for the Experience portal. Click here to sign up and follow the simple application process, it takes just a couple of minutes to complete the registration. Opportunities will also be advertised on the careers google classroom every fortnight.

• Step-by-step guidance on how to register and create a Speakers for Schools student account | PDF

More virtual experiences of the workplace and virtual training opportunities

Medicine, Health & Social Care 

Brighton and Sussex Medical School – becoming a Doctor Have you thought about maybe becoming a Doctor or studying medicine? Work experience is an incredibly important part of this and it is essential that you start preparing yourself early. Brighton and Sussex Medical School have put together a wonderful opportunity for all who are considering medicine to gain some valuable work experience with them.           

First Aid Introduction to First Aid Knowledge in First Aid is useful for all walks of life and different careers. It will obviously also be incredibly useful if you are considering a career in healthcare

Observe GP: Virtual Medical Work Experience Observe GP is an initiative which was set up by the Royal College of General Practitioners which is a professional body within the UK for GPs. Observe GP is a free system that was created for the purpose of giving every medical applicant a fair chance at gaining work experience.

Healthcare 

Royal College of General Practioners (RCGP) Organised, by the RCGP, Observe GP is an alternative to work experience for aspiring medics aged 16 and over, who are living in the UK. It is a free interactive video platform providing insights into the role of a GP and the wider primary care team.

Psychological Research Introduction to Psychology for those who are interested in pursuing a career in any of the caring/social/Mental Health professions

Social Work 

Childcare Our NurseryVue app builds learner confidence and prepares them for work experience by exploring childcare health and safety issues and solutions from the comfort of their own learning environment.

Sheffield teaching hospitals We have put together this virtual resource that will assist you in carrying out alternative work experience. The resource contains information on a variety of job roles within the NHS, both clinical and non-clinical.

 

STEM

 Jacobs Juniors If you have an eye for detail and enjoy design, the Jacobs Juniors work experience will give you the opportunity to gain virtual work experience with a real, very successful company. You will tasked with designing a coronavirus research facility. You will be introduced to a wide range of STEM subjects

Halliday Fraser Munroe This course is suitable for year 10 and 12 but if in year 10, it would be very beneficial to have a keen interest in architecture. This is a real company, who are running a fantastic work experience programme online. You will complete 2 tasks including designing a house for a celebrity.

Forensic Science and Fingerprints

How do Forensic Scientists operate? What is involved in using fingerprints as evidence. This course will introduce to the basic principles of forensic science in the working world.

Veterinary Professions

Learn what it takes to become a vet and explore the challenges of the vet profession to decide if it’s the right career for you.

KPMG In this online program, you will get to complete similar work that our Graduates do at KPMG. You will learn what it is like working at one of the world’s best data analytics team, and build skills required to excel as a analytics consultant.

British Airways Every 90 seconds a British Airways aircraft takes off from somewhere around the world. Ever wondered what it’s like to be part of that excitement – the magic that connects Britain to the world and the world to Britain? Now you can.

Idea The Inspiring Digital Enterprise Award, known as iDEA, is an international programme that helps you develop and demonstrate your digital, enterprise and employability skills for free.

 

Digital Technologies

Idea.org.uk You can work your way towards various ‘badges’ in IT safety, digital creativity and techniques to gain more knowledge and skills in coding and cyber security. If you complete enough points in the same section, you will obtain an online badge                  

Cyber Discovery  A chance to learn from industry experts and take part in over 200 free cyber security challenges                     

National Cyber Security Centre A website dedicated to helping the UK’s next generation of cyber professionals through a variety of free courses for 11-17 year olds and exciting competitions.           

 

Law/ Legal

Legal – White & Case LLP Our virtual programme allows students to gain first-hand insight into life as a White & Case lawyer and experience the realities of cross-border law.

The Lawyer Portal A list of law firms offering virtual work experience.

Jacksons Law Opportunity to win a practice interview

Linklaters Free programme of virtual experience

Kennedys Law Our training programmes are designed to develop lawyers who will be the future of Kennedys.

 

Construction

Plumbing

Introduction to Plumbing Great way of gaining some basic Plumbing knowledge if you are considering a career in this industry

 

Introduction to the Electrical trade This online course will give you a free introduction to the electrical trade, electrical safety, and electrical theory.

Introduction to Masonry This free online masonry course will teach you about essential masonry tasks, such as the spreading of mortar, furrowing, buttering, and bricklaying

 

Education and Public Services

Teaching

The World of the Primary School Considering becoming a Primary Teacher? This will be a great introductory course about the profession.

Policing Sure, I Know How to Talk to People A great introduction to the Police Force using one of the most important skills, communication.     

 

Hair and Beauty

Eco Hair and Beauty  The online ‘salon’ is for hairdressers and trainees to explore. By clicking on different areas of the salon you will learn about eco-friendly/sustainable techniques and products

 

Business

Marketing

Hunter Bevan A remote virtual work experience with a twist. Suitable for anyone interested in developing their design or marketing skills. Feedback will be given plus a chance to feature on Hunter Bevan’s website.

Journalism 

PWC The programme combines both live and pre-recorded sessions which will provide you with an insight into PwC and an opportunity to develop your employability skills. You’ll also have the chance to engage with a range of PwC ambassadors through the interactive live sessions, whilst having the flexibility to watch and listen to the recorded sessions at a time best suited to you each week.

General Employability

FreeFormers  This is an interactive video of someone on a work experience placement, at a Technology company You don’t need to be interested in Technology to do this virtual work experience. It gives you a great idea of what it would be like to carry out a work experience placement in a real company to give you a ‘feel’ for going into a new company and meeting new people. You will need to follow the link above and register an account to access the video.

World of Work This is a great variation of work experience which explores a variety of types of work and also employability skills. You don’t need to register. You must click on the tab which says Monday and complete the 4 lessons on that. You must then choose at least 1 of the other days (for example Thursday) and complete the 4 lessons You don’t register on this so you must let your careers teacher know if you choose this option and which days you will be working through – they will then be able to access the certificate.

InsideSherpa An excellent website that offers virtual work experience placements from a range of companies, from banking to careers in tech. Most options last up to six hours and involve tutorials, videos and activities.

InvestIn (paid) Aimed at students between 14 and 18 years old, InvestIn offers an impressive array of virtual work placements involving real life work and contact with professionals. This is a paid service, and placements range from one day to one week. Prices start from £90.

Youth Opportunities An online platform providing a range of virtual work experiences including workshops, fellowships and internships. External companies are free to post opportunities, so we strongly recommend you encourage your child to research all options thoroughly before applying.

Barclays Life Skills  You’ll get to see the inner workings of a ‘digital transformation’ agency, and actively work with different departments on one exciting project, helping them solve problems and complete real-life tasks.

LearnLive  Connect with employers and watch videos

Future first   Work experience in the 3^rd sector

Students on placement in Summer 2023