PTCs essential Work Placements guide

for employers promotes best practice

and improves access to outstanding
new talent. It helps employers deliver
high-quality work placement
experiences which are focused on both
the student and the business.

PTC
55-56 Lincolns Inn Fields
020 7400 7509
loraine.davies@ppa.co.uk

Work placements
A best practice guide for employers

Contents
1

Work placements: a guide for employers

2.

What is a work placement?

3.

Selection, pay and induction

4.

10 top tips for induction and training

5.

Task and supervision

6.

And theyre off!

7.

Checklist

8.

Further information

1.
Work placements:
a guide for employers
Introduction
To an individual, work placement can
make a real difference to their
appreciation of the skills, knowledge and
attitude needed to get that all-important
first step on the employment ladder. But
for employers, offering work placement
(also called work experience) can feel
risky and time-consuming.
This guide aims to help you see the
value and get the most out of your work
placement schemes. It improves access
to suitable individuals (referred to here
as workies), promotes best practice and
helps deliver high-quality work
placements which are focused on both
the individual and the business.
Taking you through the process step-bystep, PTCs guide includes a checklist to
help you assess your ideas and plans,
along with links to other organisations
and initiatives. And if you reach the end
and we havent answered all your
questions you can contact us for advice.
e: loraine.davies@ppa.co.uk
t: 020 7400 7509

2.
What is a work
placement?
Work placement is a short, unpaid,
observational or light-task opportunity.
It takes place either during or
immediately after educational studies
and within an organisation prior to
employment.

short because work placement

should last from two to a maximum
1
of four weeks

unpaid because workies should

not be used as workers, i.e. to
replace paid staff

observational or light-task
because workies undertake tasks or
projects that provide an opportunity
for learning; they do not contribute
to the development of the business

Weve limited the advice in these

guidelines to students in full-time
education. There are also, however,
back to work schemes that encourage a
1

However Jobcentre plus matches people seeking work

experience for two to eight weeks the young person
continues to receive benefits and there are no expenses for
employers

more diverse range of individuals into

employment through work experience.
Weve given more details on page xx.

How does work placement differ

from internship?
We define internships as formal,
supervised schemes aimed at new
entrants to the labour market who are
focused on a particular profession or
industry and want practical experience.
PTC has developed best practice
guidelines to internship which can be
accessed here. (Add a link)

Why introduce a work placement

scheme?
A challenging economic climate affects
everyone. Employers look to cut fixed
costs resulting in a reduced workforce
and fewer entry-level job openings. At
the same time, young people face
increased competition for jobs but find it
difficult to acquire the experience and
skills that would make them attractive to
employers.
Work placement gives students a firsthand, positive experience of a real work
environment; it can improve their
employability; help them hone their
career aspirations and support them as
they make valuable contacts.
At the same time, employers are given a
try before you buy opportunity.

Although work placement should never

be offered as a trial for a vacancy,
employers can nevertheless determine
whether a student could become a
productive addition to their workforce.
You can also make use of intelligent and
motivated resource without making a
long-term commitment to any individual,
and benefit from offering staff an
opportunity to develop their skills as
they oversee and train students.
Finally, many employers use work
placement to raise their profile in and
give support to the community in which
they are based.
Overall, offering work placement can
benefit both students and businesses.

3.
Selection, pay and
induction
Where do I start?
Conventional recruitment processes are
not suitable for work placement as the
student is not fulfilling the role of a
worker. You are, however, offering an
unique opportunity and investing your
time, so the scheme should benefit your
business and attract the very best
students.
Before you start you should set time
aside to plan the work placement. When
will it run? For how long? Where will you
take students from? Think carefully
about the tasks or projects the student/s
will be given. Detail any skills,
knowledge and experience a student will
need to carry out the tasks. How will you
measure the return on investment?
Developing clear guidelines explaining
how work placements can be applied for
and how they will be managed within the
company will help streamline the
process. It is essential to identify and
publish the opportunities available and
introduce systems to ensure applicants
are selected fairly and without regard to

age, race, colour, ethnicity, gender,

disability or sexual orientation.
Make sure any individual on work
experience is covered by the companys
Employers Liability Compulsory
Insurance, Occupiers Liability Insurance
and Public Liability Insurance.

You are offering an

unique opportunity
and investing your
time so the scheme
should benefit your
business
Consider what you can offer the student
unbeatable experience, opportunity to
acquire new skills and knowledge,
genuine insight into working in your
organisation? What training and support
will the student receive, e.g. will you
offer software training?
Being clear about all of the above will
help you decide what you want and how
to manage the expectations of the
students. Then all you need to do is
decide who will sift applications, meet
candidates and make the final decision
on who to take on.
Use a less formal process for interview.
Be fair and rigorous. Comply with the
relevant legislation or equality and
diversity. Follow this link to find out how

The Equality Act 2010 affects you:

http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?artic
leid=3017
Give a broad overview of the
organisation; an explanation of the tasks
they will be involved in and who they will
be working with. If you dont intend to
interview you should as a minimum
contact the course tutor for a character
reference and to discuss what
experience the student needs to gain
from the placement.

What should I pay?

Remember we said that workies
undertake tasks or projects that provide
an opportunity for learning; they do not
contribute to the development of the
business. As long as workies do not
undertake work of value they should not
2
fall under the definition of worker
resulting in there being no obligation on
employers to pay them. We recommend,
however, that you offer reasonable
expenses (limited to an amount per day
for travel and an amount per day for
lunch) and pay for all published work at
the standard rate.
2

An individuals status depends on the terms of their

appointment and the reality of their treatment by the
organisation. The elements of deciding whether the
individual is a worker include whether there is an
obligation on the individual personally to perform the work;
whether there is an obligation on the employer to provide
the work; or whether the individual is rewarded for the
work by money, benefits or training. In short - a worker
contributes to the business; has a list of duties he/she
must perform and works set hours. Workers must be
paid.

Wherever a student or young person

undertakes work of value, they may
have worker status under the National
Minimum Wages Act 1998. It is
important, therefore, in all relationships
with students and young people to
identify the type of work being
undertaken.
It is unethical to offer repeated, unpaid
placements to the same person. (And
passing on lipsticks, accessories or other
fabulous freebies does not constitute
payment!)
Anyone who is receiving relevant
training is entitled to protection under
the Working Time Regulations in respect
of holiday pay, rest breaks and weekly
working hours even if the individual does
not satisfy the definition of worker.
For more information you can call PPAs
business support helpline on 020 7929
9696 or the Pay and Works Right
Helpline on 0800 917 2368

4.

1. Introduce workies to the company

the history, values, culture, brands,
products, services and objectives

10 top tips for

induction and training

3. Introduce them to the people they will

be working with

Many of us have stories of poor

introductions to a new company. Some
weve heard include not being told where
the loos are, being left without any work
to do because a supervisor was too
busy to spend time training, and
possibly the worst being banished to
the print room do a huge photocopying
job. (In fact, the print job took so long
everybody had gone home before it was
finished leaving the brand-new
employee locked in the building!)
Planning a really good induction and
training process is easy if you follow our
checklist.
This might seem over-the-top as workies
will be with you for a relatively short
time compared with permanent
employees, but the short timescales
make it even more important that you
help them settle in very quickly. (And in
this age of social media and instant
messaging you really dont want to see
your hard-won reputation as an
employer of choice undermined on
Facebook, Twitter or your workies
blogs!)

2. Explain how the company is

structured

4. Take them around work areas;

breakout and meeting spaces; tell
them where the coffee/water machines
or kitchens are and point out the
loos
5. Talk them through the health and
safety requirements (this is a legal
requirement so dont skip it!) And
show them where the fire exits are
6. Give each workie a clear outline of the
tasks they need to complete and tell
them who will manage their day-today supervision
7. Give the workie a clear idea of how you
expect them to dress and behave
8. Give them the tools they need to do
the tasks properly this includes (but
is not limited to) a work station, Mac
or PC, system logon, entry door key
code, coffee!, manuals, brand and
house style information. Dont forget
to tell them about important policies
such as maintaining confidentiality,
data protection, copyright and
intellectual property
9. Limit the amount of information given
to them on the first day

10. Arrange for each workie to have a

buddy having someone to talk to

informally is great way to help a
workie settle in

5.
Tasks and supervision
We have already said that work
placement programmes have the
potential to benefit both the employer
and the student. But how much benefit
both parties gain is really down to you,
the employer. You have a responsibility
to make the very best of the time the
workie is with you.
You have already identified projects or
tasks the workie will be engaged in.
Giving the student a work plan and
deadlines will help, as will being very
clear about how to approach each of the
tasks theyve been allocated. They can
still get the tea and do the photocopying
and all the other dull but necessary
tasks other people have to do; just try
not to limit them to only the mundane
jobs.
How workies are managed is important,
too; they are brand new to business and
good supervision and support will make
a huge difference to their level of
productivity and motivation. We
recommend the workie has a line or
project manager to whom they report
day-to-day and a buddy whose role is to
support them throughout the placement.

The two roles are different but

complimentary.
The line managers role is to ensure the
task is achieved. They should hold
regular, task-focused conversations to
review and feedback on the workies
performance.
The buddys role is to build a supportive
working relationship that helps the
workie navigate their way through the
placement.

Questions to ask and things to say at exit

interviews
What have you learned and how have you developed?
How well did you meet your objectives?
What are you most proud of?
What did you find most difficult?
How has the placement helped prepare you for the jobs market?
Where do you need to develop/what new skills do you need to acquire to help
you in your future career?
Was there anything we could have done differently to improve your work
placement experience?
Would you recommend us as an employer?
Give the workie specific examples of his or her achievements.
And if theyve had a great placement, say so!

6.

you need to do the measuring! Dont

be tempted to skip this review
process; it will help you clarify your
objectives for future work placement
opportunities.

We recommend you organise a final

review meeting as the work
placement draws to a close.

Finally, weve included a checklist

overleaf along with details of helpful
organisations and information. We
do hope youve found this guide
helpful; dont hesitate to contact us
if we can help you with your work
placement programmes.

And theyre off!

Principally, the aim of the meeting is

to discuss how both parties have
benefitted from the programme. You
should encourage your workie to
share as much information and as
many ideas on the placement as
possible so you gain a real insight
into its value and potential for the
future.
At the same time you will want to
encourage the workie in their future
career and thank them for the tasks
they have completed.
We recommend you cover off
practical details in this meeting as
well. This should include what will
happen on their last day and how
any handover of tasks will be
managed.
Remember we said right at the
beginning that there should be a
benefit to the business. You
identified how you would measure
the return on investment and now

Good luck!

Loraine Davies
Director, PTC and PPA Training
t: 020 7400 7509
m: 07711 824874
e: loraine.davies@ppa.co.uk

7.
Checklist
We would like to introduce a work placement scheme and have
Clarified our objectives

Identified timescales

Identified potential recruitment pools

Know what wed like the workie/s to do

Know what skills, knowledge and experience we need applicants to have

Know how and when we will select candidates

Designed an induction process

Arranged dates and times for induction and relevant meetings

Prepared any documents the workie will need

Arranged logons, equipment, workspace etc

Given each other a pat on the back for getting this far!

And we have
Organised a work plan, set tasks and determined deadlines

Built in reviews

Identified a buddy

Identified a line manager/supervisor to oversee day to day tasks

Organised a final review meeting

And finally we have

Enjoyed every last minute!

Reviewed the success of the scheme

Planned the next programme

Written up our experiences as a case study for ppa

8.
Further information
Types of Work
Experience
School students
Work experience is included in the
national curriculum in England and
Wales3 and students attending state
schools undertake a two week work
placement. Companies involved in work
experience with school students must
comply with appropriate child protection
requirements for young people under
the age of 18 and take responsibility for
both their social and physical welfare.
This includes undertaking a Health and
Safety risk assessment and Criminal
Record Bureau checks. Students under
school leaving age may only take part in
schemes arranged by the schools
governing body on its behalf. School
student work placement is largely
observational; students do not
contribute to the business and are not
paid. School students attend the
workplace for the same hours for which
they would normally be at school and no
3

*There is no prescribed national curriculum in

Scotland and the curriculum in Northern Ireland
differs from England and Wales

longer than a standard eight hours day.

The Working Time Regulations 1998
apply to work experience and students
should not be asked to attend work
placement for more than five days out of
seven. To start a scheme working with
school students contact the Young
Peoples Learning Agency.

Gap year students

Work experience can be offered to
students aged 18 and above who are
taking a gap year between school and
higher education. These students are not
considered to be in full-time education
and so must be paid at least the national
minimum wage for any work they do.
Individuals must be given a fixed-term
contract and treated as a member of
staff; as such they will acquire certain
rights. PTC has produced best practice
guidelines for internships. Click here to
download them [add a link here]

University and college students

Many degrees require students to
arrange a work placement as an
essential part of the course. Placement
lasts from two to four weeks and
students are involved in a mix of
observation, shadowing and carefully
supervised tasks (which may include
completion of an assessed project).
Students must not carry out work
normally done by an employee and so
are not paid.

University sandwich courses or

industrial placements
Some courses require students to
undertake periods of work experience or
industrial placement away from the
university or college during the course.
The placement will normally be for a
period of 6-12 months. Individuals are
taken on to perform specific tasks, are
assessed in that role and must be paid a
fair wage for the job they do and at least
the national minimum wage. Individuals
must be given a fixed-term contract and
treated as a member of staff; as such
they will acquire certain rights. They
should not be paid expenses, unless
incurred whilst carrying out business on
behalf of the employer.

Summer workers or students

who have recently completed full
time education
Students may be taken on for a short
period of time for vacation work.
Individuals can be taken on to perform
specific project/s or task/s, and must be
paid at least the statutory minimum
wage but not expenses. These workers
should be put onto a fixed-term contract
and are likely to be deemed to be
workers which will give them additional
rights.

Internships
More and more structured internship
programmes are being offered by
companies in the UK. Companies usually

approach undergraduates in the

penultimate year of their degree and the
internship takes place over the summer,
generally for a period of up to 12 weeks.
For further information refer to our
guidelines on Internships (add a link
here)

Job seekers
Ad hoc work experience offers the same
opportunity to gain insight into the
industry to those seeking employment.
Job seekers should be treated in the
same way as those in full time education
seeking work experience that is that
job seekers should be paid genuine and
reasonable expenses and their work
experience should last between two and
four weeks.

Voluntary work
Individuals may decide to undertake
work for no payment - usually outside of
a course, their normal job or in their
spare time. Individuals doing voluntary
work for a registered charity and those
doing work-shadowing are exempt from
being paid the national minimum wage.
If the volunteer receives any payment or
benefit in kind for volunteering, this may
mean the individual is classed as an
employee or a worker.

PTC accredited courses

PTC accredits a number of courses ensuring
they meet exacting standards for training
and development. Accredited courses equip
students with the skills and knowledge they
need to make an immediate contribution to
the business, reducing employers
recruitment and training costs. For more
details go to
http://www.ppa.co.uk/training/magazinejournalism-courses/currently-accredited/
www.acas.org.uk
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration
Service aims to improve organisations and
working life through better employment
relations. Site has up-to-date information
and offers free impartial advice on equality,
contracts, hours etc.
www.bis.gov.uk
The Department for Business, Innovation and
Skills website includes sections on
employment and business law
www.crb.gov.uk
Link to the Criminal Records Bureau - the
executive agency of the Home Office that
vets applications for people who want to
work with children and vulnerable people.
www.direct.gov.uk
Direct Government the widest range of
public service information and services online
also includes a section on employment
www.hmrc.gov.uk
Search Her Majestys Revenue and Customs
for detailed information on the tax status of
individuals on work experience
www.hse.gov.uk
Carries a section covering employers
responsibilities to young people and offering
advice on good health and safety practice:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/index.h
tm

www.mandbf.org
National charity that encourages the growth
and development of mentoring and
befriending across all sectors
www.periodicalstrainingcouncil.org
Lead body for best practice in training and
development for the magazine and business
media industry
www.placementsurvivalguide.com
Health and safety website designed to raise
students' awareness before starting work
experience includes a section for employers:
http://www.placementsurvivalguide.com/em
ployers
www.targetjobs.co.uk
Website dedicated to offering advice and
information to graduates including wideranging work experience and job search
options
www.work-experience.org
The National Council for Work Experience
promotes, supports and develops quality
work experience for the benefit of students,
organisations and the economy
www.ypla.gov.uk
Champions education and training for young
people in England

The PTC guidelines are endorsed by the

National Council for Work Experience

The Periodicals Training Council (PTC) is the

lead body for best practice in training and
development and people management for the
magazine and business media industry. PTC
enhances the performance of people working
in magazines and business media by
improving the quality and availability of
training, acting as a focus for guidance on
employment best practice and encouraging
new talent into the industry. Our vision is for
a fully professionalised industry, with equal
recognition and opportunity for employees
across all functions of the business.