What is Work Experience?
Work experience is an educational program that provides a student with an opportunity to participate in, observe or learn about the performance of tasks and responsibilities related to an occupation or career.
Rationale for Work Experience
Work experience is intended to help prepare students for the transition from secondary school to the world of work or further education and training. The community becomes the classroom where students gain knowledge and experience about the workplace and are provided with a frame of reference to review or revise their career goals. Work experience provides students with an opportunity to apply classroom learning in a context outside of school and to bring back to the classroom new perspectives about their learning. It offers students the chance to:
- Get a closer look at the jobs related to the career path you're thinking about
- Apply some of the skills that you have learned in the classroom in a work environment
- Develop entry-level skills for employment
- Learn about employment expectations, regulations and practices
- Practice "employability" skills that employers will be looking for - positive outlook, sense of initiative, willingness to listen and learn, communicate.
Access to Work Experience
The Work Experience program and registration information are available through secondary school Career Centres. Please note that the WEX courses are also offered through our CEAP education. You can find course details on their school site.
The Ministry of Education has created a WEX Program Guide for elective courses Work Experience 12A and 12B. Schools may give students additional work experience credit by using Independent Directed Studies (IDS) credit for Work Experience 12A and 12B. Work Experiences 12A and 12B may be offered as part of a school's career program, or as stand-alone courses. Ministry Work Experience 12A and Work Experience 12B are each 100 hours long and worth 4 credits. In conjunction with work experience-based IDS, students can receive up to 16 credits for work experience.
