Description

Students study on the English Plus course for a minimum of 7 weeks. Students are tested and interviewed and placed into the correct level class. Please see ‘English Plus’ course for details. You are able to have English Plus lessons for longer than 7 weeks (up to 16 weeks) if you prefer.

Before starting the course you choose what industry you would like your Internship Programme to be based in. You can choose from:

• Administration
• Information Technology
• Multi Media
• Web design
• Finance
• Marketing
• Travel & Tourism

On occasion it is possible to get a work placement programme in Environmental, Engineering or catering industries. If you are interested in this please ask about the possibility. If there is another area of work you are interested in please ask.

You should make a first, second and third choice. The choices should be based on your past experience or studies so that the company can see from your CV what relevance your past work experience has and the subjects that you are most interested in. We realise that some students will not have any work experience.

The aim of the course is to help students acquire ‘real’ business English language skills through their continued English language tuition at Loxdale on Fridays and through being in a work situation with British companies. The two stages complement each other and students are academically supported by Loxdale through both stages.

The work placement is on a Monday to Thursday full day basis. During this period students will have academic work to do including keeping an English language vocabulary list. Each Friday students come back to Loxdale to have lessons, lectures, tutorials or take part in study visits. This ensures that we can follow your progress and help you to continue to expand your academic English knowledge.

Throughout the placement you will have various written work and tasks to carry out including a diary of the work you do and the various work situations you encounter. This is followed up in the Friday sessions.

The work placements are unpaid work experience. All placements are within the Brighton and Hove area. Although some placements will pay for the bus fares, students should not expect this and should be prepared to pay for their own transportation to and from work.

You are likely to be asked to do a variety of different tasks during your work placement. This may include helping with mailshots, filing, database work and a variety of day to day activities. Most British offices, particularly small ones involve all staff in all levels of work. During the first couple of weeks the managers will want to see what work you can do and might then set you more complicated or responsible work as you develop your skills.

However, you will rarely receive direct training from your line manager. He or she will induct you into the company and the job you are required to do but the company is not expected to give you skills training. This is work practice, not training as you would receive in a college. Your learning is more likely to evolve from your observations of business practices, business language, relationships, structure; in essence your life in the English workplace. The language points that you discover and learn during your placement is the basis of the work students carry out on their Fridays.

Support:

Loxdale English Centre, in conjunction with Stages (Company-student Co-ordinator), checks the company for insurance and safety.

During the English Plus part of the course students are informed about their work placement for your Internship Programme and given the company details and a welcome pack explaining more about the placement.

Before starting your internship a Company-Student Co-ordinator will visit Loxdale twice to speak you about the placement and to go through your and your employers expectations.

It will take between 2 and 4 weeks to settle into your new role in the company and during this period your employers will be testing you to see what challenges you can meet and what skills you have. As their trust in your ability grows you will be given more responsibility. Of course if you are experiencing severe problems you should contact Loxdale or Stages (the Company-Student Co-ordinator) without delay.

During your placement the Company-Student Co-ordinator will visit you at the placement to talk to both you and your manager to ensure that both of your expectations are being met.

During your Internship Programme students are still able to visit, telephone or e-mail their Course Organiser to discuss academic matters, any concerns or ideas. You will of course also meet her every Friday to discuss the language learnt and situations dealt with.

Throughout their Internship Programme students are also encouraged to join in the School Social Evenings and use the School Pavilion in the evenings as a meeting point and to meet the other students at the school.

Application

As well as filling in the normal course application form students wishing to join this course should also provide Loxdale with the following extra information:

• Internship Application Form where you will need to explain why you wish to take part in the programme
• A copy of your current CV in English
• Police checks
  (where required – such as you would be working with children or vulnerable adults)
• The name and contact details of two referees
• An enrollment fee of £80

Insurance

Students must take out the following insurance policies for the period of their course:

General and Public Liability (The school will need to see copies of this insurance before you can start the work placement section of your course.)

The school also recommends that students take out medical and property insurance.