Work experience

Learn through a work-related curriculum that will equip you with the training, skills, experience and behaviours that employers need.

A key component of your programme is gaining practical, real-life work experience. On work experience, you will achieve objectives set by the college, working under the supervision of industry staff on tasks assigned to you. You will complete activities that are part of the study programme, for example, a work experience log.

Placements can last for a week or more on a full-time basis or up to several months on a part-time basis.

Work experience - so how does it all work?

Read on to find out how work experience placements worked out for some students in ICT and health and social care.

ICT students have set an incredible example by securing work experience placements with over 50 employers. The placements aided the students’ personal development, including communication skills and time management skills.

Francis Denton completed 100 hours of work experience with Solid State Logic, a company that creates music equipment for the media industry. Francis worked closely with the Head of IT and was able to gain experience of data analysis, monitoring firewall internet security backups as well as key skills such as team work.

Health and care students at City of Oxford College clocked up over a thousand hours of work experience in the last year.

Level 2 and 3 students on courses in childcare and health and social care complete work experience placements as a central part of their studies.

The experience, delivered in partnership with local employers, such as Co-operative Childcare and the John Radcliffe Hospital, helps students to put the skills they learn in the classroom into practice.