Getting to Grips with Work Experience.

This booklet, which is intended for individuals responsible for organizing student placements in work experience programs in Australia, provides an overview of the basic issues regarding work experience programs. The following are among the topics discussed in the 14 sections: (1) understanding the characteristics and purposes of industry placements (general work experience placements, vocational placements); (2) reviewing research findings; (3) identifying needs and objectives (identifying needs, setting objectives, describing goals and objectives); (4) planning placements (deciding who will be involved, fulfilling legal and insurance obligations, developing budgets, involving employers in planning placements, catering to students with special medical conditions); (5) clarifying student and employer expectations; (6) organizing placements (exploring student preferences, resources and information sessions; (7) arranging placements (school- versus student-negotiated placements); (8) communicating information (informing employers, students, parents, other teachers, and nonparticipating students); (9) preparing for placements (preparing students, workplace supervisors, teachers, and coordinators and conducting workshops for teachers and coordinators); (10) implementing training; (11) monitoring student performance (visiting students in the workplace, assessing student performance, conducting observations); (12) reporting on student performance; (13) conducting follow-up activities; and (14) evaluating placements (major and minor evaluations). Concluding the booklet are a summary and 24-item annotated bibliography. (MN)