As many of you may know this is the first year that students from EISL have been sent out to complete the Work Experience Programme. All students in the Senior 4 class at São Lourenço International School were allowed out into the world one week last term to taste how the work enviroment feels. For one week they dressed appropriately and worked longer hours than at school and they took on the responsibilities of an employee.

Several students went to offices such as Joro Lda and were asked to do filing, send out letters and perform general clerical duties. Villas and Vacations found a willing new trainee, who especially enjoyed the sales side of work. Two students went to Atelier do Sul, where one had a chance to work in the design section and spent time rearranging and designing labels for the filing system there and the other experienced the accounts section, checking the payment of cheques and receipts.

At ADD Decor the student designed and provided quotations and costings of curtains for clients. Others entered the leisure industry, working at Barringtons in the Health Club, preparing and cleaning equipment and at Vilar do Golf, visiting all the departments including housekeeping. A more technical student went with engineers to help to install satellite equipment with Lazer Visão Antenas. Young people of today are experts with computers and one of the students took computers to pieces (and put them back together) at DVR Informatica in Quarteira. Griffin Book Shop in Almancil gained a new sales assistant who worked extremely hard and was taken on for one of the regular employees. The young lady who went to KISS FM helped to write news bulletins and organised the discs that were broadcasted on the music programmes.

The students gained in two ways from the opportunity, first by tasting an area that they may like to follow as a career path, and secondly by experiencing the rigours of everyday working life. The employers all gave their time and help freely and made this scheme an enormous success, offering a chance for the students to learn, experience and have fun for the week.

Not everyone enjoyed their week as much as others, as they were bored or were asked to perform very routine tasks, but that is what the work experience is all about. At least they learned what sort of job would not suit them and to work hard for their qualifications, so they can find a more interesting profession.

The young people, teachers and parents would like to express their gratitude for all the help that was given by employers in arranging this week.

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