Offering Work Experience - any advice?

anniem

I would like to suggest to my employer that we have an AAT student in for some work experience, but would like to hear how other people have got on. I work 3 days a week as a Farm Secretary, and although the job title is 'secretary' my function is actually accounting! Do you suppose anyone would be interested in, perhaps, a day a week?

I appreciate how hard it can be for students to find work experience to help them attain MAAT, but it would provide quite a diverse range of skills, purchase ledger, sales ledger, payroll, bank recs, computerised accounting, etc.

It could also possibly help us in the not too distant future, as I need to have my right hip replaced. I live 25 miles from work and will be unable to drive for about 6 weeks so we could see how it goes before deciding whether the 'somebody' could also cover whilst I have my operation. I'm planning ahead a bit here, as I don't envisage having my op until next summer.

Any thoughts/advice appreciated.

Thanks

Anna

katz568

I've done work experience a couple of times and am about to do it again although this time it may lead to employment.
In the work ex I've done, I have done a little bit of everything although under supervision to ensure I was on the right track.
I've been told that over the next four weeks I can expect anything from photocopying, to inputing records onto excel, working on incomplete records, working on audits to tax work and more.
To a student it can be a lifeline as many colleges are now stating that if you are not in relevant employment then you have to spend a minimum of 10 days doing work experience to get funding along with the chance to build up the relevant experience for to go MAAT.
Its a great idea BUT the only thing I can see for it being rejected is that somebody is going to have to supervise the student which would drag them off normal duties.
Good luck
Katrina