Skills, Learning and Employment

Barking and Dagenham Trident short term work experience programme

Barking and Dagenham Trident is responsible for coordinating short term work experience undertaken by students in the borough's schools and in some alternative educational provision.

The team is based at the Westbury Centre and is led by Myra MacCormick.

Barking and Dagenham Trident holds the National Standard for Work Experience Organisers, awarded by the University of Warwick Centre for Education and Industry. It is affiliated to Trident from Edexcel, the largest national provider of work experience for young people aged 14-19.

The service currently coordinates placements for approximately 2,000 pre 16 students and 600 post 16 students each year.

The Director has written and produced a high quality record book which is used by tutors to prepare students for work experience and by students to record their learning during work experience. This product is currently used by 30,000 young people a year across east London.

Barking and Dagenham Trident programmes include:

Pre 16 placements for students in Key Stage 4 as part of their work related learning curriculum entitlement. Placements are for 10 days and take place towards the end of year 10 or at the start of year 11
Post 16 placements in support of vocational programmes undertaken by students, for example BTEC 1st Diploma, BTEC National Diploma, CACHE programmes and from September 2008 Diplomas
Post 16 programmes coordinated for students studying A levels with the objective of providing career exploration opportunities
Tailored placements for students with specific needs

The Trident service encompasses all aspects of work experience coordination including:

Working with schools to develop best practice with respect to the organisation of work experience and the use of work experience to enhance young peoples' personal development
Recruiting organisations in the borough and in central London to support the programme
Identifying placements for students and matching students to suitable opportunities
Undertaking visits to organisations to check health and safety and insurance as well as helping organisations to develop high quality programmes
Providing all the necessary documentation required by students, employers, parents, teachers and funding organisations
Dealing with enquiries from all associated parties
Monitoring programme quality on a continuous basis