Trying to juggle your studies and work all at once can be quite demanding. What with all the coursework, the revision and stress. Seems like young people in education have more than they can work with. As a new academic year has begun, many questions for students are arising. How can I achieve my predicted grades? Can I somehow do better than what I’m predicted? How can I manage so much workload? But the main question many students have asked is; where can I get work experience? Yes, academic education is crucial, grades are crucial, results are the basis of what you can achieve later in your education, but without some type of work experience, it’s difficult to achieve full success. Work experience is said to shape one’s personality and polish an individual’s confidence. Many students go out of their way to get enough experience so they can put that forward in their university applications or CVs. But sometimes, as mentioned before, it’s easier said than done.
When asked why she couldn’t do work experience, Roksolana Masliuk (16) commented, “I didn’t want to miss out on my education because it’s difficult to catch up at A Levels. When I come home from sixth form it takes me three hours to write up my notes, after that it’s time to sleep. And that’s not including any sort of homework. There’s no time to fit in work experience.” Asmin Alam also sixteen, when asked if it’s easy to get work experience in Redbridge commented, “I think it depends on what type of work experience you’re seeking. For example, work experience at a charity shop or something would be easy to find but if you want to seek work experience in the field of a specific science, that’s a bit more challenging. And usually people have to go to companies that are outside Redbridge to do it.”
In addition to this, when asked if young people are under pressure to get work experience, Asmin stated, “We’re more than under pressure, I feel like we’re encouraged to seek work experience, because yes, universities nowadays are not only seeking someone who has amazing grades but also a passion towards what they want to study. That way they’ll stand out from the others. Same thing goes for when applying for a job. If the employer sees you have experience, that tells them you’re more prepared.”
Many young Redbridge residents agree that it is somewhat easy to get work experience but it all depends on how much work one is willing to put in. It is vital to get active and stay motivated to experience the working world, to prepare yourself for your future. Many also agree that Redbridge is a great place to seek that type of experience. From the Local Ilford Library to the charity shop down the high street, work experience is thriving in every aspect of the word and it is all about getting up and getting involved.
Hamna Kashif - Ursuline Academy Ilford
