Skills for Work: Work Experience
Work experience is a 20 hour Skills for Work unit in which learners prepare for, take part in and review a real work placement or a realistic scenario-based workplace activity in school. It is one unit that learners combine with others into a Skills for Work, or Skills for Life and Work, Award, Certificate or Diploma, from Entry 1 to Level 2. No criterion names a digital tool, but the pack says digital competence grows through workplace documentation and digital tools. Digital work sits in typing CVs and application forms, planning travel and timing, professional emails, workplace tasks such as data entry, digital logbooks and portfolios, and researching placements online.
- Awarding body
- WJEC
- Level
- Entry Level 1 to Level 2
- Guided learning hours
- 20
- First taught
- September 2027
- Amount of digital work
- Medium
How this unit is assessed
- Entry Level (Entry 1, Entry 2, Entry 3): Four learning outcomes (what work experience involves, preparing for a placement, taking part in a placement or scenario-based activity, reflecting on the experience and skills), with assessment criteria at Entry 1, Entry 2 and Entry 3. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, Skills for Work group.
- Level 1 and Level 2: Four learning outcomes (purpose and expectations of work experience, planning and preparing, engaging effectively in work experience or realistic scenario-based activities, reviewing performance and identifying skills for progression), with assessment criteria at Level 1 and Level 2. Evidence goes in a portfolio, internally assessed by the centre and externally quality assured by WJEC. 20 guided learning hours, Skills for Work group.
Skills that use Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
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Planning travel, timing and readiness for a placement
Level 2 learners carry out plans and preparations for a placement or realistic activity, and the amplification includes managing time, travel and readiness, such as planning a bus route or setting an alarm. Using an online journey planner or a digital calendar is one way to do this, but it is not required.
DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils use an online map to find the walking route from school to a local library and note how long it takes.
- Year 8
- Pupils use a bus operator's journey planner to plan a trip that arrives by 9am, and set a calendar reminder for leaving home.
- Year 9
- Pupils plan travel to a mock placement using two online journey planners, compare the routes and make a checklist of what to prepare the night before.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 2, assessment criterion 2.1, page 7; amplification of learning outcome 2, page 9; suggested activities, page 11
“managing time, travel and readiness for work or scenario-based activities”
Progression step 3
I can independently create and plan work before beginning a digital task.
I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.
Progression step 4
I can select and effectively use a variety of planning techniques.
I can search a variety of sources using relevant search techniques with increased complexity.
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Researching placements and career options online
Learners identify skills and next steps for progression at Level 1 and set realistic career goals at Level 2. The pack points teachers to online resources such as Careers Wales, Profi and Prospects, including virtual work experience, so online research is taught support rather than an assessed requirement.
DCF: Sourcing, searching and planning digital content
Getting pupils ready
- Year 7
- Pupils use the Careers Wales website to find two jobs linked to a favourite subject and bookmark the pages.
- Year 8
- Pupils search for local employers in one sector, refine their keywords to narrow the results and save three useful links.
- Year 9
- Pupils research a virtual work experience programme and a local placement, compare how reliable and useful each source is and record where they found the information.
Show the specification wording and the DCF statements
Where it is in the specification: Level 1 and Level 2, learning outcome 4, assessment criterion 4.2, page 7; resources available to support delivery, pages 14 and 15
“Describes online work experience options, highlighting flexibility and accessibility for students to gain skills remotely.”
Progression step 3
I can adjust keywords and search techniques to find relevant information.
I can store search results for future use, e.g. bookmark, add to favourites.
Progression step 4
I can evaluate the reliability of sources of information, justify my opinions and reasons for choices, and reference using appropriate methods.
Good to know
- Unit codes run from Entry 1 to Level 2: "Unit Codes S668E1 S668E2 S668E3 S668L1 S668L2" (Unit overview, page 3).
- The pack claims digital work but does not require it: the unit fosters "Literacy, Numeracy, and Digital competence, which are developed through communication activities, workplace documentation, and the use of digital tools in work-related learning." (Unit overview, page 5). Appendix A of the specification ticks Numeracy, Digital Competence and Personal effectiveness for this unit (page 30).
- A real placement is not essential: "Where placements are not available, centres may use on-site roles that replicate real workplace routines and expectations." (Experiences, page 13), and "Assessment of this unit should not require any specific resources." (page 16).
- Evidence can be digital: the list includes "photographic or video evidence of practical activities supported by commentary or observation notes" and "portfolios of evidence (paper-based, audio or digital)." (Sources of evidence, page 13). Learner declarations can be signed online: "Electronic signatures will be accepted." (Section 4.2, page 19).
- AI rules matter for CVs and reflections. AI misuse includes "Using AI to complete parts of the assessment so that the work does not reflect the learner's own work, analysis, evaluation or calculations." and "Failing to acknowledge use of AI tools when they have been used as a source of information." (Section 4.6, page 21).
- Suggested assessment tasks are optional: "These tasks are not mandatory." (Section 4.1, page 18).
- The pack opens with a note that UK plans to restrict social media use by children under 16 "may impact some of our qualifications" (page 2), so avoid building tasks around social media profiles.
Links with other qualifications
The pack itself names links to VCSE Public Services and GCSE Business, and lists Exploring career pathways, Applying for jobs, Interview and confidence techniques, Personal development planning, Jobs of the future, Career creativity, Enterprise venture, Working in Wales, Understanding the changing labour market, Community participation and Teamwork as closely related Skills Suite units. Applying for jobs and Interview and confidence techniques share the CV, application form and mock interview work. The customer service role-play links with VCSE Retail and Customer Service and the Customer service unit. Digitally, typing formal documents and keeping digital logbooks connect with GCSE Digital Technology and the Using IT in the workplace unit.
Source: WJEC Work experience unit delivery and assessment pack, read with the WJEC Entry 1 to Level 2 Skills for Life and Skills for Work specification, approved by Qualifications Wales, teaching from September 2027 (© WJEC CBAC Ltd 2026).