Read and listen to the article again and answer the questions.
1. What time of year do most teenagers do work experience in the UK?
2. Why does the writer think work experience is useful?
3. How long are placements?
4. What does Paul want to do when he finishes school?
The world of work experience
Forget relaxing with friends. The end of the school year is a time for working for most fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds in the UK. Around half a million teenagers in the UK do work experience every summer. This is a useful way to find out which jobs you might enjoy in the future. It is also important when you apply for university, or get a job in the future. For example, if you want to study to be an engineer, you could do work experience with a car manufacturer. Other popular work experience placements are in teaching, marketing, media, and finance. Placements usually last two weeks. Some teenagers have no idea what job they want to do. In this case, they need to think about their passions. For example, if you are interested in music, you could work in a music shop. Alternatively, if you love animals, you could work on a farm.
My work experience: Hi, I’m Paul, and I’ve just done two weeks’ work experience on a farm near where I live. It was brilliant. I enjoyed giving the animals their food in the morning. I also made sure the animals had exercise and I kept everything clean. At night, I helped to put the animals inside. It was hard work but I loved it. I hope the farm will give me a job when I finish school.
1. Most teenagers do work experience in the UK in the summer.
2. Because it’s a useful way to find out what jobs you might want to do in the future. It can also help you to get a job.
3. Placements usually last two weeks.
4. Paul wants to go back to work on the farm when he finishes school.
