This week’s Staff Spotlight focuses on Stephanie Kennedy, Work Experience Co-ordinator here at East Lothian Works. She very kindly sat down to answer my questions so we could find out more about her job role and what she gets up to on a typical day.

What does your job involve?
My job involves sourcing work experience placements for both young people and adults, liaising with new and existing partners. I also coordinate the Community Benefits elements of contracts by meeting with companies who have been awarded East Lothian Council contracts to discuss what they can offer back to the community as part of their contract. In addition to this I coordinate the Mentoring Programme which involves pairing Mentors with school pupils and supporting this where necessary.

What is your favourite part about your job?
I enjoy meeting young people to discuss what they are looking for with regards to work experience.

What is the most difficult part about your job?
The most difficult part of my job is getting schools to take up opportunities provided through Community Benefits. I can negotiate a variety of opportunities with contractors but if no one takes advantage of them the benefits are lost.

What is a typical day in the working life like for you?
My day can be varied due to the combination of roles I can currently covering. I can be dealing with work experience referrals, contacting employers, and then notifying the referrer of  a placement that has been agreed. I can also be meeting with Contractors to discuss what they can offer via Community Benefits and then taking this forward. I can also be meeting with colleagues and prospective employers regarding placement for pupils who are currently on our Foundation Apprenticeship courses.

Why is your service important?
My service is very important as it offers both young people and adults the opportunity to gain valuable work experience in a suitable environment to help them make decisions regarding career plans and also to provide them with up-to-date experience for future job/college applications.

I’d like to extend a huge thank you to Stephanie for answering my questions. You can find out more about East Lothian Works staff by checking out our Staff Spotlight series here.

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