What is work experience?

Work experience is an opportunity for you to learn about the world of work and to experience activities and develop the skills that will equip you for future employment.

The National Trust may be able to offer some challenging, interesting and fun work experience and there is a process for applying. Please read the notes and follow the instructions carefully.

What can we offer you?

Location
The National Trust has a central office based in Swindon, 11 regional offices and hundreds of properties across England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Not all places can offer work experience but you should try to identify which properties you would like to work at and which you can easily travel to. You can find these by searching our website for properties near you. We cannot guarantee to find you a placement but the more help you give us and the more committed you are to working for us, the easier it will be.

Type of work
The National Trust is an organisation that relies on the skills of many different people, including accountants, IT specialists, receptionists, solicitors, property managers, policy advisors, builders, architects, cleaners, strategists, wardens, conservators, archaeologists, botanists, administrators, chefs, caterers, retailers, youth and community workers, volunteer co-ordinators, theatre managers, gardeners and many more.

Skills and knowledge
You may wish to gain experience in one of the above jobs but remember the whole organisations requires every individual to communicate well, work as team, plan, monitor and review work, take responsibility, provide good customer service, solve problems, listen to, co-operate with, and support others.

Most staff also need to be able to use IT equipment and software, email and the internet/intranet. Using photocopiers, printers, fax machines and the telephone is part of the day to day work and helps to keep the organisation running effectively. Staff also have to consider their own safety and that of others and so working responsibly and with care and attention are also important.

Length of work experience

Most work experience with under 18s takes place over a week as part of your school’s work experience programme. In some cases work experience can take place during school holidays. Schools are now moving towards extended work experience placements, which may take place 1 or 2 days a week over a period of months. The National Trust will try to cater for different needs but each placement is dealt with on a case by case basis and we cannot guarantee a placement that suits you.

What can you offer us?

Organising work experience placements is time consuming and relies on the goodwill of many, busy staff and volunteers who recognise the benefits it can bring to you and to the Trust.

We do not expect you to understand everything that the Trust does or to be able to take on every task without help. We recognise that you want to learn and we feel we can support you in that.

What we do expect is for you to:

1. Be clear why you want to have work experience with the National Trust and what you hope to achieve.
   
   
2. Be open and honest and tell us in good time if you wish to cancel your placement.
   
   
3. Try your best during your time with us and tell us how we can improve in the future.
   

In return we will:

1. Be open and honest and inform you as soon as we can about potential placements
   
   
2. Try to ensure that the placement lives up to your expectations and that you develop the skills you have identified
   
   
3. Improve future placements based on your comments
   
   
4. Give you constructive feedback on how you have done
   

• Work experience application form (PDF 58KB)