QAC Students take part in Work Experience Week 2016

During Work Experience Week 2016 (10th-14th October), our students had plenty of opportunities to partake in various activities, giving them an insight into employment. Work Experience Week is dedicated to raising awareness of the benefits of high quality work experience. It's a fantastic opportunity for organisations across the country to host activities showcasing their work experience provision, and to demonstrate the difference a high quality placement can make to an individual’s employment prospects and life.

At QAC each day of Work Experience Week 2016 was used to showcase a different type of work experience. Some of the companies involved in creating opportunities for our students included:

  • Interserve: Interserve hosted 2 of our students at their West Bromwich site, as well as visiting the college to work with our Hospitality group on a project design activity, allowing students to design and create a mock building of their choice!

Hospitality Students working with reps from Interserve

  • Midlands Art Centre: Students are involved in a year long, one day per week placement, working towards an end of year performance open to the public.

Students working on their performance at the Midlands Art Centre

  • Willmott Dixon: Students travelled to the Willmott Dixon Training Academy and worked alongside students from St. Paul's  School, taking part in activities such as re-wiring plugs, tile cutting, skirting, painting and learning about Health and Safety. This also gave students an insight on potentially undertaking a future work placement or internship with Willmott Dixon.

Students and Willmott Dixon staff posing for photo

  • National Grid: There were two different activities presented by National Grid staff for our students to take part in. The first of which was playing "Silly Olympics", which involved some of our Sport students. The second activity was aimed at one of our IT groups, and this was to project manage the process of developing a luxury yacht, made out of Lego of course, with some strict time and financial constraints to consider.

                                Students working on a project with National Grid reps

  • The Barber Institute: The students had a guided tour of the Art Gallery, really getting involved in discussions about the artworks, demonstrating their knowledge and understanding of art! The students then took part in a short clay workshop, which involved creating miniature heads out of clay, resulting in some great 3D pieces. It was a great day for all involved!

Students on a tour around the Barber Institute

  • Aston University: BTEC Level 3 IT students got the chance to visit the Aston University Library, where they were greeted and shown around, meeting various different workers and discussing their varied roles there. The students were also made aware of the different services the library provides. The students really enjoyed their visit and found a lot of what they learned was informative.

QAC Students being guided around Aston University Library

  • Hobbycraft: Tim and Nicola from Hobbycraft paid a visit to our Craft Club, bringing with them masses of materials and resources for our students to use. The students learned about the importance of good customer service, as well as getting busy with creating some Halloween themed goodies!

QAC Principal Hugh Williams working with student during WE Week exercise by Hobbycraft

  • Onnelley House: Some of our Health and Social Care students had the chance to sit and talk with users of the Day Care Centre at the Onnelley House. Students took part in various activities, including some singing and dancing. Staff and users were very keen to have the students return to take part in more various activities, as they were very impressed with how respectful and professional the group was.

QAC Students and staff posing for photo outside the Onneley House

  • Holbeache Farm: 10 students have the opportunity to go out on placement to Holbeache Farm once a week, where they take part in activities such as animal care and management, animal pen maintenance etc. This also ties in to the students building their interpersonal skills due to meeting people they would not have otherwise met during their time at the college.

QAC Student on placement at Holbeache Farm

  • Autism Central: Students hosted seminars at an exhibition organised by QAC and held at Villa Park during which they talked in front of an audience of visitors about what autism is and how it affects them personally. Students also discussed how QAC has supported them during their time at college and how they deal with their personal stigmas and adversities. 

                                   Students posing for a photo before their seminars at Autism Central

Work Experience Week was enjoyed very much by all who took part, providing an invaluable insight into working life for our students. Find out more about #WEWeek2016 here