Work experience

“I always feel happy when I wake up in the morning and I remember that I’ll be going to work at The MERL that day.”
Ways into Work Supported Intern

At The MERL we know how important it is for young people to experience the world of work to give them an insight into a range of careers and to learn essential skills to aid their employability.

SUPPORTED WORK EXPERIENCE FOR SEND STUDENTS

We offer Supported Work Experience opportunities, tailored to students’ needs, which provide an insight into the world of work in arts and heritage, but which also enable students to develop transferable workplace skills and build confidence.

To discover more, listen to Edward’s experience as he discusses his work placement at The MERL.

We currently partner with Ways into Work to deliver a supported internship at the museum. These supported internships are study programmes for young people aged 16 to 24 who have an EHCP (education, health and care plan), combining studies alongside time in the workplace. Take a few moments to read this blog to learn more about the experiences of our intern.

YEAR 10 WORK EXPERIENCE PROGRAMME WITH EDUCATION BUSINESS PARTNERSHIP

We work in partnership with Education Business Partnership and target schools to offer an annual work experience placement for Year 10 secondary students as part of our Widening Participation programme. To find out more and enquire about eligibility, please contact our Volunteer Coordinator at merlevents@reading.ac.uk.

There are other opportunities to get involved such as our Youth Panel or by becoming a regular volunteer. For further information please contact our Learning and Engagement team at merlevents@reading.ac.uk.