Policy
This policy outlines the requirements for schools in planning for and implementing work experience placements for secondary school students.
Summary
- Work experience (WE) is the short-term placement of secondary school students with employers.
- Work experience is generally undertaken in Years 9 or 10.
- The purpose of work experience is to provide students with insights into industry and the workplace.
- Schools must ensure they implement this policy and follow the guidance on the Guidance tab when planning for and conducting work experience arrangements to ensure compliance with legislation.
- Principals may nominate other school-based staff to authorise work experience placements. Refer to Roles and responsibilities for more information.
Details
Work experience (WE) is the short-term placement of secondary school students, generally during Years 9 and 10, with employers to provide insights into industry and the workplace. It provides students with the valuable opportunity to:
- develop employability skills
- explore potential career options
- understand workplace expectations
- increase self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence.
Students are placed with employers primarily to observe and learn – not to undertake activities which require extensive training or expertise.
Note: Work experience is different from Structured Workplace Learning which provides students with the opportunity to integrate practical on-the-job experience with secondary study as part of the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), the VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM) or the Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC).
Work experience arrangements
All arrangements for work experience must comply with Ministerial Order 1413 – Work Experience Arrangements .
The department's comprehensive guidance, on the Guidance tab, supports schools to comply with their obligations under Ministerial Order 1413.
Work-Based Learning Application
The Work-Based Learning Application (WBL App) enables government schools to digitally coordinate and process work experience arrangements. This includes creation and management of the arrangement forms digitally.
Refer to the Work-Based Learning Application on the Guidance tab for further details.
Work experience arrangement form
The work experience arrangement form must be completed and signed before the work experience commences.
The form must be signed by the:
- employer
- student
- parent/carer of the student – if the student is under 18 years of age
- principal or nominated person – the principal may nominate a person or a member of a class of persons (nominated person), for example, assistant principals, teachers or education support staff employed by the school, to perform the powers and functions of the principal which relate to work experience. The principal must ensure that nominated persons have the required knowledge and understanding of obligations in the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 and Ministerial Order 1413 relating to work experience arrangements. More detail on the provision of principal nomination for WE can be found in the guidance chapter, Roles and responsibilities.
Government school users can access the form on the dedicated WBL App. Refer to Work experience arrangement form on the Guidance tab for further detail on using this form and how it can be accessed.
Work experience travel and accommodation form
The department's work experience travel and accommodation form must be used if:
- it is proposed that the student may need to undertake vehicle travel with their employer and/or supervisor during the arrangement, including travel to or from the workplace
- the student is required to stay in accommodation other than their normal place of residence while undertaking work experience.
This form must be signed:
- for travel – by both the employer and the parent/carer, or the student if they are aged 18 years or over
- for accommodation – by the parent/carer, or the student if they are aged 18 years or over.
Government school users can access this form via the WBL App. Refer to Travel and accommodation arrangements on the Guidance tab for further information about this form and how it can be accessed.
School to Work Statewide Portal
The department’s School to Work (S2W) Statewide Portal provides students and teachers a single, easy to navigate information and referral point for work-based learning opportunities offered by a diverse range of employers.
Searching on the portal can be done by:
- location
- industry
- VET certificate.
If you are a student or teacher looking for work-based learning opportunities, including work experience and structured workplace learning, refer to the statewide School to Work .
The 31 Local Learning and Employment Networks (LLENs) in Victoria are funded to deliver the S2W Program and facilitate student access to work-based learning placements tailored to local priorities and employment opportunities. To find your nearest LLEN, refer to the Local Learning and Employment .
Occupational health and safety
Prior to commencing work experience, students must satisfactorily complete occupational health and safety (OHS) training, either through:
- A Job Well – for students with disability or additional needs.
It is the responsibility of the principal or nominated person to determine which OHS program is the most appropriate for the student to undertake.
Child Safe Standards
All Victorian schools are required to comply with the Child Safe Standards to ensure they are well prepared to keep children and young people safe and protect them from abuse.
The Child Safe Standards require schools to put in place systems and processes to help prevent harm to students in all school environments, including workplace learning environments where students undertake:
- work experience
- structured workplace learning
- school community work (volunteering)
- school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.
For more information, visit:
Refer to Student safety and wellbeing for more guidance on implementing Child Safe Standards in work experience placements.
Contacts
For assistance with queries relating to work experience arrangements, please contact the relevant organisation as outlined below.
For government schools
School Industry Engagement, Strategy and Secondary School Reform at: work.based.learning@education.vic.gov.au
For Catholic schools
Contact the relevant Diocese representative:
Carmel Clark
Ballarat Catholic Education
pathways@dobcel.catholic.edu.au
Jenny Wilson
Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools
pathways@macs.vic.edu.au
Sam Franzi
Sale Catholic Education
pathways@doscel.catholic.edu.au
Barry Norton
Catholic Education Sandhurst
pathways@ceosand.catholic.edu.au
For independent schools
Maria Floudiotis
Independent Schools Victoria
maria.floudiotis@is.vic.edu.au
enquiries@is.vic.edu.au
Phone: 03 9825 7200
Definitions
Work experience
The short-term placement of secondary school students with employers.
Related policies
Relevant legislation
Reviewed 24 July 2025