Hosting a work experience student is a bit of a punt. You give up some time and attention for a week or two, with no guarantee of getting anything back. But done well, it's one of the cheapest ways to find your next apprentice, give something back to your trade, and get a proper look at a young person before you'd ever have to commit. The key is having a plan rather than just handing them a broom and hoping.
This guide covers how to support a work experience student on site — keeping them safe, giving them a genuine taste of the trade, and setting things up so it's worth your while. Most students are school kids exploring whether a trade suits them, so your job is part host, part safety supervisor, part talent scout.
Understand what work experience is (and isn't)
Work experience is a short, structured placement — usually a week or so — arranged through a school, with the student typically covered by the school's or the department's arrangements rather than employed by you. It's not an apprenticeship, not a trial for a paid role, and generally not paid work. The student is there to observe and have a supervised go at simple tasks, not to be productive labour.
Because the arrangements differ by state and school, sort the paperwork before day one: the placement agreement, insurance and any consent forms. Talk to the school's coordinator so everyone's clear on hours, dates and what the student can and can't do. For the student's-eye view of all this, see Work experience guide for school students.
Safety comes first, always
A work experience student is the least experienced, least aware person who'll be on your site — and they're often a minor. Your Work Health and Safety duty of care applies to them just like anyone else, and young workers have specific protections. Take this seriously.
Before they touch anything:
- Give them a proper site induction pitched at someone who's never been on a site
- Provide and fit the right PPE — don't assume they've brought any
- Keep them well clear of high-risk work, machinery and anything requiring a licence or ticket
- Supervise them closely; never leave them alone on a task that could hurt them
- Explain the site's hazards in plain language, not jargon
Match tasks to what a beginner can safely do under supervision. See Understanding site inductions, PPE guide for new apprentices and Young workers and workplace safety rights.
Give them a real taste, not just the broom
The fastest way to waste a placement is to park the student on cleanup duty for the whole time. Yes, tidying up is part of any trade, but if that's all they do, they'll leave thinking that's the job — and you'll learn nothing about them.
Give them a genuine feel for the work: let them watch a skilled task and explain what's happening and why. Let them have a supervised go at simple, safe jobs. Take them along to different parts of the day so they see the variety. Explain the trade honestly — the good bits and the hard bits, the study, the early starts, where it can lead.
A student who leaves genuinely excited about the trade is a future apprentice — maybe yours. One who leaves bored or ignored is lost to the industry, and to you.
Assign a buddy
Students do best when they've got one person to shadow — ideally a good apprentice or a patient tradie who's happy to explain things. A buddy gives the student someone to ask the "dumb" questions, keeps an eye on them for safety, and makes them feel less like they're in the way.
It's also good for your apprentice: teaching someone else builds their own confidence and communication, and shows you how they handle a bit of responsibility. Brief the buddy on what you want the student to get out of the week, and check in so it doesn't quietly slide back to broom duty. See How to communicate like a professional tradie.
Watch and learn about them
Here's where the payoff is. A week on site tells you far more about a young person than any interview or resume. Pay attention to:
- Do they turn up on time, every day? The single best predictor of a good apprentice
- Do they have a go, or hang back and wait to be told everything?
- Do they listen and take direction, or need telling twice?
- Are they interested — asking questions, watching closely — or just clock-watching?
- Do they get on with the crew?
None of this is about skill; it's all attitude and reliability, which is exactly what you'd hire an apprentice on anyway. If a student ticks these boxes, you've effectively pre-screened a candidate. See Why attitude matters more than experience.
Make the most of the opportunity
If a student impresses you, tell them. Let them know you'd be keen to hear from them when they're ready to start an apprenticeship, and explain how the pathway works — a school-based apprenticeship, a pre-apprenticeship course, or applying when they finish school. You might just lock in a keen future apprentice before your competitors even meet them.
Point them to School-based apprenticeships explained and How to get your first apprenticeship. And give honest feedback either way — this is a learning experience for them, and a straight word about their strengths and what to work on is genuinely valuable.
Keep it simple and worthwhile
You don't need an elaborate program. A safe induction, a buddy, a mix of watching and having a go, a bit of honest conversation about the trade, and paying attention to how they turn up — that's a good placement. It costs you a bit of time and returns goodwill, a look at potential talent, and a contribution to bringing new people into the trade.
Looking to turn a promising student into your next hire down the track? Post a job when you're ready or create a free employer profile.
Key takeaways
- Work experience is a short, supervised, unpaid school placement — sort the paperwork first
- Safety is paramount: students are inexperienced, often minors, and owed a duty of care
- Give them a real taste of the trade, not just the broom
- Assign a buddy — good for the student and for your apprentice
- Use the week to read their reliability, attitude and interest — better than any interview
- Encourage promising students toward the apprenticeship pathway
- Keep it simple; a safe, genuine placement is worth the time