Work experience guidelines

1.        Introduction

The Periodicals Training Council (PTC) is the lead body for best practice in training and development and people management for the magazine industry.  PTC enhances the performance of people working in magazines and professional media publishing by improving the quality and availability of training, acting as a focus for guidance on employment best practice and encouraging new talent into the industry through the provision of careers information.  Our vision is for a fully professionalised industry, with equal recognition and opportunity for employees across all functions of the business. 

These guidelines aim to safeguard employers by clarifying the status of individuals applying for work experience.  They also provide practical advice to ensure work experience placements benefit the business and are a positive experience for both the companies and individuals involved.

2.        Definition of work experience

Work experience is defined as a short period of work either during educational studies, or immediately after, where the individual gains first hand experience of the workplace before choosing a career.  It focuses on providing opportunities for learning and enables individuals to immerse themselves in the industry for a very short period of time helping them to understand the key skills and personal qualities needed to pursue a career in that sector. 

Work experience can be offered to students in full-time education and also to genuine job seekers who are unable to gain full time employment.  Indeed, some publishers report an increase in requests for work experience placements from people who are not in formal education.  This trend seems to be driven by the desire of publishers to employ people with relevant experience. 

3.        Types of Work Experience

3.1      School students

Work experience is included in the national curriculum in England and Wales* and students attending state schools must undertake a two week work placement.  Companies involved in work experience with school students must comply with appropriate child protection requirements for young people under the age of 18 and take responsibility for both their social and physical welfare.  This will include undertaking a Health and Safety risk assessment and Criminal Record Bureau checks. 

Students under school leaving age may only take part in schemes arranged by the Local Education Authority or school’s governing body on its behalf.      

School student work placement is largely observational; students do not contribute to the business and are not paid.  School students should attend the workplace for the same hours for which they would normally be at school.

Employers wishing to start a scheme working with school students should contact the local Learning and Skills Council to find out the arrangements for their area.  

*There is no prescribed national curriculum in Scotland and the curriculum in Northern Ireland differs from England and Wales.

3.2      Gap year students

Work experience can be offered to students aged 18 and above who are taking a “gap” year between school and higher education.  These students are not considered to be in full-time education and so must be paid at least the national minimum wage for any work they do.

3.3      University and college students

Many courses – particularly under and post graduate journalism and media studies courses - require students to arrange a work placement for a short period of time to gain real and first-hand experience of working in magazine publishing.  The placement is timetabled as an essential part of the course, and its length is decided by the Company in conjunction with the University or College but is likely to last no more than two weeks up to a maximum of four weeks.  Placements involving University students will involve a mix of observation, shadowing and carefully supervised tasks and may include completion of an assessed project.  Students do not contribute to the business and companies are not required to pay them. 

Companies should be aware, however, that whilst an exemption to the minimum wage will apply in those circumstances, the student may still be deemed to be a worker (as defined by the Working Time Regulations) if the student carries out work normally done by an employee or if they have a contract. 

PTC is concerned with the increasing problem of rising student debt and recommends, strongly, that employers reimburse all work experience students with genuine and reasonable expenses.  This must be agreed, in writing, in advance of the work experience placement.  It is also essential and fair that employers pay student journalists for any and all published work at the standard rate.  

3.4      University sandwich courses or industrial placements

Some university and college courses require students to undertake periods of work experience or industrial placement away from the university or college during the course.  The placement will normally be for a period of 6-12 months.  Individuals are taken on to perform specific tasks, are assessed in that role and must be paid.  (Any grant for education is usually suspended during such periods.)  Payment must be agreed in advance and individuals must be paid a fair wage for the job they do.  This must be at least the national minimum wage.  Individuals must be given a fixed-term contract and treated as a member of staff.  They should not be paid expenses, unless incurred whilst carrying out business on behalf of the employer.

3.5        Summer workers or students who have recently completed full time education

Students may be taken on for a short period of time for vacation work.  Individuals can be taken on to perform specific project/s or task/s, and must be paid at least the statutory minimum wage but not expenses.  These workers should not be put onto a contract but, instead, be treated as casuals. 

3.6      Internships

More and more structured internship programmes are being offered by companies in the UK.  Companies usually approach undergraduates in the penultimate year of their degree and the internship takes place over the summer, generally for a period of up to 12 weeks.  Internships provide an opportunity to experience work and life at the company offering a valuable insight into the business and culture.  Often internship programmes are linked to graduate training programmes and companies use the internship programme to inform their next graduate intake.  Interns are treated in much the same way as graduates in that they receive formal and informal training, are exposed to a wide range of work and are expected to make a valuable contribution.  Interns must be paid.   

3.7      Job seekers

Ad hoc work experience offers the same opportunity to gain insight into the industry to those seeking employment.  Placements for job seekers can be beneficial to both companies and the individuals however there is a danger that unscrupulous employers could use these placements to take individuals on to complete essential tasks but not be paid for them.  This is not only unethical but is also illegal.  PTC recommends job seekers are treated in the same way as those in full time education seeking work experience – that is that job seekers should be paid genuine and reasonable expenses and their work experience should last between two and four weeks.  

3.8                  Voluntary work

From time to time individuals may decide to undertake work for no payment - usually outside of a course, their normal job or in their spare time.  Individuals doing voluntary work for a registered charity and those doing work-shadowing are exempt from being paid the national minimum wage.  Work shadowing is not work experience; it lasts for very short period of time – generally one or two days – and the student or job seeker only observes someone else in their day-to-day role.  The experience is second hand – through watching, not doing.  Employers may benefit from work shadowing as it may help them assess the suitability of a job seeker for a job in the company. 

4.                 Managing work experience         

Work experience needs to benefit both the Company and the individual on work experience.  To get the most of out work experience placements PTC recommends that companies comply with the following standards:

4.1      Individuals on work experience are not used to replace paid staff.  Placements should be for a limited time and provide an opportunity for learning.  It is unethical to offer repeated, unpaid placements to the same person.  Passing on lipsticks, accessories and other fabulous freebies does not constitute payment!  Advice on the maximum period for unpaid, ad hoc work varies from two to four weeks. 

4.2      Applicants for work experience are treated fairly and equitably.  Developing clear guidelines explaining how work experience placements can be applied for and how they will be managed within the Company will help streamline the process.  Identify and publish the opportunities available and introduce systems to ensure applicants are selected fairly and without regard to age, race, colour, ethnicity, gender, disability or sexual orientation.

4.3      Individuals applying for work experience are interviewed.  Or – as a minimum – that the course tutor is contacted to provide a character reference and to discuss what experience the student needs to gain from the placement.

4.4      A written agreement is signed by both the individual undertaking work experience and a company representative to ensure that the terms of engagement are clear to both parties.  This agreement should include placement dates and location, hours of attendance and reference to payment where appropriate.  It should state that there is no obligation between the Company and the individual and give specific details on important policies such as the need to maintain confidentiality, data protection, copyright and intellectual property.  It should also name a member of staff nominated to supervise the individual on work placement. 

4.5      Companies provide a written programme.  Each individual should be given a written programme.  If the individual is a student the programme should be agreed with their tutor.  This should establish clear objectives and outline the work the individual will be involved in and the experience they will gain.  It should also confirm whether the individual will be given access to any in-house or on-the-job training.  The student will be given meaningful tasks to perform and will be able to identify how their input fits the business objective.

4.6      The individual should be given feedback.  Individuals on work placement will benefit from constructive and helpful feedback on their skills, attendance and enthusiasm.  The company may benefit from hearing the individual’s views on the work placement 

4.7      The individual should receive an induction.  All individuals taken on for any period of time should receive a basic induction.  It is advisable to carry out a Health & Safety Risk Assessment and managers/supervisors should be reminded that they have a duty to ensure the health and safety of individuals on work experience, and to communicate the health & safety policy to them.  Temporary workers must be advised that each of us has a duty to take reasonable care of our own health & safety and that of other people who may be affected by our actions, to co-operate within the Health & Safety Policy of the Company and behave in a reasonable manner.  NB: Schools and Universities will normally provide their own assessment form to Companies to complete.   

4.8      The Company has the appropriate insurance cover.  Any individual on work experience should be covered adequately by the Company’s Employers Liability Compulsory Insurance, Occupiers Liability Insurance and Public Liability Insurance.

Useful sites for reference

www.crb.gov.uk                           Link to the Criminal Records Bureau - the executive agency of the Home Office that vets applications for people who want to work with children and vulnerable people.

www.dfes.gov.uk                          Difficult to find from the home page, but the Department for Education and Skills publishes a downloadable pdf booklet on work experience for employers.  Worth searching for!  Follow the link: http://www.dfes.gov.uk/ebnet/download/Work%20Experience%20%20-%20A%20guide%20for%20employ.pdf

www.dti.gov.uk                            The Department of Trade and Industry website includes a section on employment and comprehensive guidelines to the National Minimum Wage.         

www.direct.gov.uk                        Direct Government – the widest range of public service information and services online – also includes a section on employment.

www.doctorjob.com                      Website dedicated to offering advice and information to graduates including wide-ranging work experience and job search options.

www.hmrc.gov.uk                         Search Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs for detailed information on the tax status of individuals on work experience.

www.hse.gov.uk                           Carries a section covering employers’ responsibilities to young people and offering advice on good health and safety practice. http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/index.htm

www.thetridenttrust.org.uk             Trident is a registered national educational charity and the leading national provider for work related learning programmes.

www.work-experience.org                   The National Council for Work Experience promotes, supports and develops quality work experience for the benefit of students, organisations and the economy.

The PTC work experience guidelines are endorsed by the National Council for Work Experience.