North Yorkshire County Council recognises that career choices can be difficult. At school, college, university or between, we are asked to consider which path into the world of work we will take – the truth is that without ever having experienced a particular career it’s difficult to say if we will enjoy it. That’s why NYCC places huge importance on providing you with the opportunity to sample different career opportunities.

Whether you are looking to sample the public sector as part of a placement through school, a way to enhance your CV, as an opportunity to affirm your career choice or looking to return to work, NYCC will have a flexible programme to suit your needs.

Offering a mix of block placements, extended work experience, opportunities during the holidays or as part of a course, we can tailor the arrangement to fit into your requirements – ensuring that you get a quality placement.

Before you apply for work experience, it's helpful to have an idea of what it will involve.

We asked Daniel Ross, 16, to describe his two-week placement in the ICT Department at North Yorkshire County Council.

”I applied for work experience at NYCC to confirm my career choice and gain a greater understanding of working in local government. It is also becoming more important to have work experience due to the competitiveness of finding a job.

The application process involved an enquiry after seeing a placement in the Real Start Bulletin, followed by a suitability interview. After an induction and introduction to NYCC, I joined the ICT department where I shadowed team members and sat in on meetings. I gained an insight into the service by shadowing team members, dealing with problems and fault reporting and setting up new users.”

Daniel’s Tips

”I was given a buddy (a young person in the team) and a mentor (NYCC’s Young Person’s Development Adviser) so there was plenty of support. Speaking to other people helps you see how you can progress in the future. Do your research into what appeals to you. It’s important to know what you’re getting yourself into. If you show enthusiasm and interest, managers will notice you”.

Following his work placement Daniel has now returned to North Yorkshire County Council to embark on the Real Start Apprenticeship Programme where he is employed in a support role and is working towards a NVQ Level 2.

For more information on how the Work Experience Programme can meet your needs contact Kate Race (01609) 536021 or kate.race@northyorks.gov.uk

To find out what kind of placements are offered click on the link to download the Real Start Bulletin.