Work Experience Week 2025

During this week, we provide the 12 students with interactive workshops, talks, activities and opportunities for the students to meet an array of interesting people, hearing their various journeys into their current roles. They learnt about the different career pathways we offer and how they align to their current studies, to help them make informed decisions about their future.

Students were provided with a workbook folder filled with information for them to keep. Each day started with a fun quiz, which then led into them learning about key skills and behaviours required in a working environment, such as communication, growth mindset, resilience, self-confidence, problem solving and team building.

Day one

On day one they found out about local government, our organisation and had an interactive session with our Economic Development Team who asked them to build a business and to think about what they would need to do this.

Day two

Day two: Included a hands-on CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) session presented by the Air Ambulance, those brave enough had a go!

Day three

Day three included an informative practical Environmental Health session, where they undertook a ‘hands hygiene’ exercise, swabbed items for bacteria and recorded noise levels outside.

Day four

As part of day four, Finance, HR, Health and Safety, Families and Communities, Energy and Sustainability, Legal and Customer Services joined the cohort for a Q and A session, where the students had 10 minutes with each service area to find out what they do.

In the afternoon, the group had a demonstration of how the refuse collection vehicle worked and the Waste and Street Scene team advised the students of what they do across the district and the upcoming changes, due to Better Recycling.

Day five

On day five: amongst, quizzes and prize giving, the students met and chatted with our current apprentices to find out about their journeys and experiences followed by a session with West Suffolk College about the Apprenticeship route to qualifications.

The week was rounded off with certificates, presented by the Deputy Chief Executive.

Other activities

As well as having sessions with these departments, the students also met with:

Planning: the team explained the different roles within the service, and gave the students a practical task to complete, which involved using their five senses - they had to think about their local environment, surroundings, animals and areas.

The Apex: the Marketing Manager from the events venue discussed with the students how marketing has changed over the years and what that means, as well as providing an interactive fun quiz, where they had to match the logos to organisations.

Elections: described their role in the Council and discussed the meaning of power, and how it can affect decision making processes. The students were tasked with designing a.

Housing: presented the different teams within housing and explained what they all did. Students were encouraged to participate in answering questions and voting in polls via their mobile phones.

Students Comments

Enjoyed this work experience very much. Feel have learnt new skills and lots of useful information. Definitely would consider a role in local government as it has opened eyes to the wide variety of options (plus lots of free sweets).

I think that I would consider a career in local government in the future, as everyone was very kind and I felt very welcome.

Really enjoyed the week and found it very beneficial because it showed the different careers which can be available for the younger generation.

I really enjoyed this week because everyone was friendly, and the atmosphere was relaxed but was still quite professional. I’m really grateful that this work experience has helped me reduce the options that I want to do and helped me to feel more confident about what I want to achieve and be.

Helped understand that it’s okay not to know what to do as a career at such a young age. Would definitely consider a career in local government because it seems very flexible.

I enjoyed the week; I learnt a lot of life skills and lots about council work and the many team teams they have.

I found this week beneficial as it did improve my confidence and my people skills, I now think it is easier for me to talk to people. I think that this has made me consider a career in local government as I think it could create a pathway into a possibility of changing the world for the better.

I found this week very interesting because I found out all the different departments in the Council and I didn’t realise how much the Council is actual involved in day-to-day life.

I enjoyed the week because it gave me a chance to look at and understand jobs I never knew existed and just to enjoy it and not feel pressured. This is useful as I now know I want to take an apprenticeship.

I enjoyed doing work experience at West Suffolk Council because it was a welcoming environment to be in.

I very much enjoyed the week, and it was beneficial because I have collected many skills that I can use in future work environments. This work experience has shown me different pathways such as apprenticeships and degrees and overall this was a very insightful week.

I enjoyed the week so much and it was very beneficial because it allowed me to see ranges of different jobs and roles. It has given me a better idea of what I want to do. I really enjoyed Environmental Health, Planning and Housing. At the Council even though everybody seemed to work really hard, they seem to enjoy it a lot.

Schools feedback

As a school, we would just like to extend our deepest thanks for your support in hosting our students for their work experience with you last week. The students, and their parents, have been consistent in their compliments and gratitude for the help and support provided by all the employers, and their positive comments about the value they feel the students have found within the experience. Many students have eagerly come to speak to us about future careers and opportunities they have been offered; their enthusiasm has been fantastic to see!

Our students thoroughly enjoyed their time at the council, as evident from their feedback forms.