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Work experience - what it is

Work experience is one of the services that Jobcentre Plus offers to help you back into work.

Work experience gives you the opportunity to:

• improve your chances of finding work
• see how the skills you already have can be used in a workplace
• gain real life work experience
• build your confidence
• add to your CV
• obtain a work reference
  

A work experience placement can:

• last between two and eight weeks
• be between 25 and 30 hours per week hands-on work experience
  

You may also be able to get help from Jobcentre Plus for costs related to attending your work experience placement. This could be to help with things like your:

• travel costs
• childcare costs

Finding a work experience placement

If you’re interested in gaining work experience, a Jobcentre Plus adviser will be able to:

• explain how work experience could improve your chances of finding work
• give you more information about the work experience placements available in your area
• check if you can get any help with your travel and childcare costs - not everyone will be able to get help
• explain what will happen when you start
• explain what will happen when your work experience ends
  

You can also find your own work experience placement. If you do this you must tell your Jobcentre Plus adviser immediately. This is so that the placement you have found can be set up formally with Jobcentre Plus.

• Contact Jobcentre Plus Opens new window

Who can take part?

You can volunteer for a period of work experience if you are:

• aged between 16 and 24
• claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance
  

You may join work experience:

• when you have been getting Jobseeker’s Allowance for 13 weeks
• until you are required to take part in the Work Programme

• The Work Programme

Jobseeker’s Allowance and work experience

To continue to get your Jobseeker’s Allowance while taking part in work experience, you must:

• continue to look for work
• attend your regular jobsearch reviews
  

To help while you’re on your placement, Jobcentre Plus may be able to offer you different times to attend your regular jobsearch reviews. For example, you may be allowed to attend your reviews earlier or later in the day than usual.

Getting the best out of your work experience placement

Jobcentre Plus has produced some tips on how to get the best out of your work placement.

You can download the Jobcentre Plus 'Work experience - Some top tips' factsheet using the following link.

• Download 'Work experience - some top tips' (PDF, 90K) Opens new window

• Help with PDF files