Work Experience

As well as the valuable work experience they gain from day one in our own Foxes Hotel, our students also attend external work placements in the local community and sometimes further afield. The development of close working relationships with local businesses has led to a work placement scheme that carefully matches the needs and aspirations of each individual with an employer. We have many local businesses that can offer work experience in Food Preparation, Food Service, Front of House and Housekeeping in settings varying from Hotels, Restaurants and Cafes to Community Support Groups and Children’s Play.

Research shows that people with a disability stay in a job longer and have a strong commitment to their employer and lower rates of absenteeism.

External work experience placements provide an opportunity for students to experience what it is like in different work environments, support their qualification as well as supporting with Transition.

In order to match students to the most suitable placement for them, we use a ‘Recruitment’ model:

Students will develop their independence in the community and will work towards travelling independently using public transport if necessary.

Students usually attend their work experience placement one day per week when they reach their third year. During this time students work towards agreed targets and are encouraged to keep a record of their own progress. At agreed points in the year, provider and student feedback is sought and reports are sent home at the end of each term. Placements may change throughout the year to provide variety and enable students to make progress.

Benefits for the students:

1. Develop employability skills.

2. Explore hospitality job roles.

3. Gain transferable skills including working as part of a team, following instructions given by different people and communicating effectively with team members and customers.

4. Apply practical skills in different contexts and have the chance to put what they have learnt into practice in real life situations.

5. Gain evidence to show they have met some of their personal targets in a different environment.

6. Gain observations to go towards their hospitality qualification. 

7. Work towards independent travel skills.

8. Are highly motivated to gain the most from the experience.

Feedback from employers:

‘They have gone from strength to strength with their cooking.’

‘We really love having Foxes students here.’

‘They have come such a long way since they started work experience here. They have made such great improvements.’

‘They have been an absolute delight to have here. They have applied themselves to all tasks given to them.’

‘They are always positive, polite, well presented and have a lovely sense of humour. We have really enjoyed working with them.’

‘It’s been a pleasure to have them. They’ve worked very well completing all tasks given to them. Till work – they are brilliant at.’