You are here: Vocational Training > Work Placements

Work Placements

Why work placements?

David on a work placement

Placements are central to the student's development and learning whilst at Roots and Shoots. They allow the student to experience working life in a safe way, and to experience working in their chosen career area.

Placements can be pivotal to students emotional and personal development, for most students it will be the first time they have been in a largely mature environment - it may be the first experience of having work responsibilities placed upon them and of higher expectations. Most students respond positively to these stimuli and one can see the changes in the student, maturity, confidence and social skills are enhanced.

The work placements are un-paid and there is no prior expectation of work at the end of the placement, Roots and Shoots covers the cost of travel and supplies and PPE needed.


How placements are set up

Placements are set up with the host organisation, the Employment Liaison Officer (ELO) making first contact with a possible host. The ELO then visits the workplace, and explains the expectations on the host when taking a student.  He then sets up a meeting between the student and the host. At this meeting (which can take the form of an interview) what the student will do on placement, which days they will come in, the hours etc. are all clearly established. A Health & Safety assessment is then completed.

It is important that everyone is happy about the placement going ahead, the student, the host and Roots and Shoots need to feel that the placement is going to work.

The placements are normally 1-2 days per week, over 10 weeks. A formal assessment of the placement is done on the 5th week; however with a new placement the ELO would normally contact the placement after the first week. At the end of the 10 weeks an assessment meeting is held, if it is felt that learning is still taking place and everyone is happy, then the placement may continue.


Why do organisations take a student?

Carlene on a retail placement

Roots and Shoots have long-established relationships with host organisations, and it is rare for an organisation not to take on further students. We have several hosts who we have been working with for well over 5 years (the length of the ELO post).

There are many reasons why organisations choose to work with Roots and Shoots and repeatedly take students: some organisations seem to see the importance of training the next generation of workers in their work sector, some feel that they received similar opportunities and want to 'repay' what they received and some see the value of having a new person around to assist.


Who does roots and Shoots work with?

Roots and Shoots currently works with:

Other recent placements have included: