EXPERIENCES OF WORK EXPERIENCE FROM THE CLAREMONT STAFF

“My work experience was on a Surrey Farm and I helped with the day to day maintenance and animal welfare. I found it useful because I knew that I didn’t want to be stuck behind a desk for a job and it allowed me to work outside, something I love.”

– Mr Hofmeyr

“I did my work experience in the Biochemistry laboratory of the John Radcliffe hospital in Oxford. One morning I shadowed a doctor who was taking blood from newborn babies on the maternity ward for testing in the lab. I was asked if I wanted to have a go at doing one of the tests myself. So, after watching the doctor do several tests, I obediently pricked the heel of one of the tiny babies and firmly squeezed to collect the blood…. the baby started wailing and so did the mother! Much drama ensued! Quite an eventful morning – I realised that I’m probably a bit too sensitive to be working in a maternity ward but I also learnt not to take things too personally sometimes!”

– Miss Jackson

“I did my work experience teaching English in a local primary school in Mérida – my hometown in Venezuela. The children were so enthusiastic, and I had so much fun with them that it made me think teaching was probably going to be my future career path…”

- Mr Marquez

“My work experience was at Midland Bank (now HSBC). The highlight was filling up the ATM with brand new notes! The placement showed me how much I enjoyed working as part of a team.”

– Mr Hyman

“My work experience was as a waitress at a restaurant in Hong Kong. I lost a customer’s gold credit card and had to empty the bins in the kitchen to find it. I never let the customer know and had a frantic 5 minutes looking for it. I found it, breathed a sigh of relief and managed to keep my job. I found a liked working under pressure, but not in a restaurant, and ended up working in finance.”

– Mrs Turner

“My work experience was at Shepperton Studio’s in the art’s prop department. I helped make some of the bodies in the camps that were in the background of the series of ‘Band of Brothers’. I am not artistic in the slightest and have always known since I was young that I wanted to be a nurse. However, I wanted to use the opportunity such as work experience to do something different and random to see where life could take me.”

– Miss Campbell

“I did my work experience at RHS Wisley as part of the horticultural team – I had a wonderful week outdoors in the sunshine and worked some friendly people who were keen to answer my questions and show me what they do. It shaped my love of plants and the environment – it also taught me that I am not cut out to be a gardener! Although I am now a teacher instead of a horticulturalist, but I am still able to work with plants and teach others about their importance.”

– Mrs Bennett

“Volunteering at Surrey archives in their WW2 project confirmed I loved history, but showed me I was more interested in Degas than Dunkirk, so I moved to Art History.”

– Miss Seabrook