Year 12 Work experience?

I’m a year 12 Student currently taking A- level English Literature, Geography and Psychology.
Our sixth form requires a weeks worth of work experience towards Summertime.
I’m interested in a career in Law
maybe areas of Psychology

Does anyone know any good places to find real life work experience in? Any valuable places that take on Year 12 students for one week?
Even anything unrelated but something that can provide transferable skills would be appreciated.
Any firms or corporate places?

Reply 1

ⓁⒶⒾⒷⒶ

Original post by ria777

I’m a year 12 Student currently taking A- level English Literature, Geography and Psychology.
Our sixth form requires a weeks worth of work experience towards Summertime.
I’m interested in a career in Law
maybe areas of Psychology
Does anyone know any good places to find real life work experience in? Any valuable places that take on Year 12 students for one week?
Even anything unrelated but something that can provide transferable skills would be appreciated.
Any firms or corporate places?

Maybe ask a local law firm you live near? You could possibly apply for work experience through the council- it works like that where I live.

Reply 2

McGinger

You dont need 'work experience' for a Law degree - Unis don't want it, and a week in a Law firm isnt going to make you anymore likely that they would make you an offer.

Find something you will find interesting and you might enjoy, forget 'relevant to Law'.

Reply 3

LittleFire10

Original post by ria777

I’m a year 12 Student currently taking A- level English Literature, Geography and Psychology.
Our sixth form requires a weeks worth of work experience towards Summertime.
I’m interested in a career in Law
maybe areas of Psychology
Does anyone know any good places to find real life work experience in? Any valuable places that take on Year 12 students for one week?
Even anything unrelated but something that can provide transferable skills would be appreciated.
Any firms or corporate places?

Even though some may say you don’t need work experience, I would really suggest doing some at a law firm if you can just to see if it’s actually something you’d like to do in the future! You may go there and realise it’s nothing like you expected and decide not to do law because it isn’t for you. Or maybe you will love it but you’ll understand it better. There are so many reasons for work experience, not just for unis.

Reply 4

ria777

Original post by LittleFire10

Yes I completely agree! I've applied to like over 50 by sending emails and numerous phone calls, but they mostly say that they don't offer work experience or I just don't receive a reply back! Which is annoying because law is such a popular field and I don't understand how other people get work experience if everywhere just refuses.

Reply 5

nwar

Study Forum Helper

Original post by ria777

I’m a year 12 Student currently taking A- level English Literature, Geography and Psychology.
Our sixth form requires a weeks worth of work experience towards Summertime.
I’m interested in a career in Law
maybe areas of Psychology
Does anyone know any good places to find real life work experience in? Any valuable places that take on Year 12 students for one week?
Even anything unrelated but something that can provide transferable skills would be appreciated.
Any firms or corporate places?

Getting legal work experience when you don't have any connections is so difficult and I completely feel you.

I got one of my placements in a local high street law firm by walking into their office during the April term break with a cover letter on why I wanted to do work experience there + my CV. I'd say the cover letter is more important. I got no responses/rejections when I emailed firms or called them up. Asking in person helped. But even so, I walked into 10-11 places in my local high street with cover letters and CVs and got 1 placement - so don't be disheartened by rejection.

Landmark chambers does a work experience programme for students. This is the website and email: https://www.landmarkchambers.co.uk/recruitment/work-experience
They're a lovely chambers and were very kind. The staff were very encouraging and taught me so much in one week.

If you can't find any, please don't worry! Sitting in your local Magistrates Court and Crown Court is an amazing way to gain some experience that anyone can do. You can sit in the public gallery during a term break and observe cases. Best of luck!!

Reply 6

Kingston Jenifer

Official Rep

Original post by ria777

I’m a year 12 Student currently taking A- level English Literature, Geography and Psychology.
Our sixth form requires a weeks worth of work experience towards Summertime.
I’m interested in a career in Law
maybe areas of Psychology
Does anyone know any good places to find real life work experience in? Any valuable places that take on Year 12 students for one week?
Even anything unrelated but something that can provide transferable skills would be appreciated.
Any firms or corporate places?

Hi there!

this depends on your schools requirements, but there are lots of virtual work experience's. For example, Forage is a good website for virtual internships - with employers such as Slaughter and May (magic circle law firm I think!). This may not be acceptable in your school, but it can give you some really good experience. Springpod is really good and specifically targets year 12/13 students - with virtual experience at the big 4 firms such as Deloitte.

Finally, for in-person experience, your best bet would be to network around. Unfortunately, at least when I was applying in 2018, there are limited places that offer work experience to those in year12/13 and most of the focus is on undergraduates at university, so please do not be disenheartened by this! The sites I have given you above are extremely good to have on a CV/application form for uni/apprenticeships. You can consider writing to people on LinkedIn and posting there. Alternatively, finding work experience that is not in law but offers transferable skills. I did my work experience at a local pharmacy - this can be good for psychology as you are understanding what certain medicines do, including those that treat mental illness.

I hope this helps!

Kind regards, Jenifer (Kingston rep)