Making the most of your virtual work experience

This lesson brings the LifeSkills virtual work experience tool to life in a classroom setting. The tool provides insight into the workplace, specifically a digital transformation agency. It offers multiple pause points on screen that present either an interactive challenge for students to consider or a selection of questions that invite them to explore the skills and motivations of the different employees.

This lesson features in the employability skills scheme of learning for 11-14 year olds.  They provide a ready-made sequence of curriculum linked resources to help you build progression in your learners' knowledge over time. Visit the Scheme of learning homepage to support with your planning.

Lesson learning outcomes

By the end of this activity, students will be able to:

• Understand the work that goes on at an innovative organisation by seeing an office in action and meeting the people that work there
• Recognise the skills needed for the world of work, such as resilience, communication proactivity and creative thinking
• Recognise the range of roles and opportunities on offer across an organisation

Further ways to get students exploring workplaces

They can gain insight into a career in banking, with our virtual work experience and taster courses, to support them in planning their pathway.

Barclays virtual work experience

• Students in years 9 to 13 can sign up here where they get to connect with current Barclays employees to chat and answer questions on working at Barclays
• Students will attend a series of webinars where they will get to meet Barclays employees
• They get to work on a project connected to banking
• To help them to feel supported to apply for an Apprenticeship at Barclays or within a different sector altogether, they will identify their own skills, develop self-confidence, resilience, review their CV and develop interview skills

Barclays virtual taster courses

• Student in years 9 to 13 can apply to go on a taster course where they carry out real-world tasks and gain the knowledge and skills to help them with their future careers, find out more here
• They can choose from four taster courses covering different roles; Developer, Data Analyst, Operations and Finance all led by industry professionals, where they get to work on projects

Different industries

There are also some activities to provide students with even further insight into what it’s like working for different companies and sectors.  

• Get students to use our independent activity exploring different job sectors and the skills required. We have also created. teacher guidance to help provide feedback on their worksheets
• Visit a BBC Teach series of short films following a group of teenagers as they try out being apprentices for a day, in sectors ranging from hairdressing to dental nursing