Student placement

Secondary students

The aim of the student placement program is to provide meaningful work experience for students to assist them in their learning and development, and to learn about the day-to-day operations of a particular business area or agency.

The department welcomes secondary student work experience requests. Due to the nature of the department's portfolios and its legislative responsibility, some requests cannot be accommodated. Each request is considered by the relevant business unit to ensure that the student is provided with a beneficial learning opportunity. The department does not accept students under the age of 15 years.

The department embraces diversity among our staff and volunteers (including students) and encourages applications from people with disability, including people with mental ill-health, as well as people from all cultural backgrounds, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Work experience

Work experience is the short-term placement of secondary school students with employers, to provide insights into the industry and the workplace in which they are located. Students are placed with employers primarily to observe and learn - not to undertake activities which require extensive training or experience.

It provides students with the valuable opportunity to:

• develop employability skills
• explore possible career options
• understand employer expectations
• increase their self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence.

It is important to note that the focus of a student placement is a learning and development opportunity rather than an additional source of labour. Students are to assist with a range of tasks or specific projects but must not be assigned primary responsibility for client case management, or tasks that require delegated authority.

Students must be given appropriate and consistent information prior to starting their placement, or as soon as practicable, such as:

• meeting and speaking to key team members
• clear expectations in relation to behaviour and appropriate conduct in the workplace
• confidentiality and privacy requirements and issues
• security access and protocols.

Before a student undertakes a student placement the student is to be made aware of the occupational health and safety (OHS) rules and regulations that relate to their workplace.

Responsibilities

The student must identify the program or business unit with which they want to be placed. A representative such as a career advisor or teacher may also act on behalf of the student. The business unit can accept or deny the request based on the nature of the work or sensitivities related to the local operating environment.

It is the school or the student's responsibility to send the Work Experience Arrangement Form to the business unit for sign-off once the placement has been confirmed. This form must be completed and returned to the school before the work experience placement can commence.

Pay

Secondary school students undertaking a work placement are required to be paid a minimum of $5 per day as prescribed by the Department of Education and Training.

Length of placement

Work experience placements are generally one to two weeks in duration. The business unit needs to consider whether requests can be accommodated, particularly if the unit experiences work peaks during specific times of the year.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria applies to all secondary school placements:

• Work experience placements are completed in one or two weeks.
• All students must sign a Deed of Confidentiality before undertaking any work for the department, but are not required to undergo a Criminal History Check.
• All students, school principals, parents/guardians and supervisors of students must complete the Work Experience Arrangement form and provide a completed copy of this to the student's supervisor.
• The Work Experience Coordinator details must be provided to the business area authorising the placement.
• The student placement request form must be submitted to the business area using the Placements Contact list below.
• Students should submit a student placement request form at least one month prior to when they would like to undertake their placement.

Please note Corrections Victoria and Youth Justice do not accept secondary students. For more information visit the Department of Education and Training (External link). Information on guidelines and forms to assist supervisors, schools and students in fulfilling their work experience obligations, including the Work Experience Manual, can be found there.

Tertiary students

It is the responsibility of the student or a representative of the student's tertiary institution to contact a business area directly (see below).

The consideration and approval of the student placement will be determined by the business unit. Some requests may not be accommodated due to business requirements.

The following eligibility criteria applies to all tertiary placements:

• The tertiary placement must contribute towards a tertiary qualification and is unpaid work.
• The tertiary institution is obliged to cover the student for public liability insurance, accident insurance and professional indemnity insurance. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are covered.
• All students must undergo a Criminal History Check prior to commencing a placement. The business area will liaise with the student to organise the check.
• All students are required to sign a Deed of Confidentiality before commencing a placement.
• Work Integrated Learning Coordinator details must be provided to the business area authorising the placement.
• The attached student placement request form must be submitted to the business area using the Placements Contacts List below. 
• Students should submit a student placement request form at least one month prior to when they would like to undertake their placement.

Contact us

External work experience placement requests can be made directly to the business unit. Business units are advised to contact the Employment Programs team on 03 8684 6783 to discuss the obligations and responsibilities associated with hosting a work experience student.