BC Education - Work Experience - Background Information

Work Experience


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Background Information

Work experience is an important part of both secondary and post-secondary education in British Columbia. To graduate from secondary school, all students must complete at least 30-hours (1-credit) of mandatory work or volunteer experience. Students may also choose to take 4-credit elective work experience courses, for example, through participation in Career Programs such as Career Preparation or Co-operative Education, which involve more focused work experience. Many college and university programs also offer a co-operative education component of paid work experience to complement classroom learning.

Work experience prepares you for the transition from formal schooling to the world of work by helping you to:

acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to be successful in the world of work, and to understand the relevance of the school curriculum;
gain experience in the workplace, and develop an understanding of personal potential in order to reflect on and make career decisions;
develop a better understanding of effective work habits and the importance of flexibility in dealing with change and challenge in the work place;
gain an understanding and appreciation of work;
appreciate the need to develop the self-reliance, self-direction, and confidence necessary for effective teamwork, life-long learning, and work place success;
develop the employability skills and job readiness required to access and meet the standards of the workplace;
acquire the experience required by many businesses as a pre-requisite for gaining employment;
build a network of contacts that will aid in gaining employment.

Information about required and elective work experience in secondary schools can be found in: