Sutherland Shire Council provides a vast range of services to the community and employs skilled staff from numerous occupations. Providing work experience in council helps to translate Council’s Strategic Plan into reality by promoting careers in the local area.
Council endeavours to support students in unpaid, short term work experience/industry placements that broaden their experience and provides them with an understanding of work and career opportunities in Local Government.
What's beneficial about work experience
Work experience has many benefits including:
- To provide ‘real-life’ vocational experiences for students in a range of work environments across Sutherland Shire Council.
- To provide opportunities for Sutherland Shire Council to promote occupations and professions within local government with the prospect of developing interest in students to follow a career in this area.
Work experience is an unpaid experience, which consists of an agreement between the student, the student’s educational institution and Sutherland Shire Council. Work Experience students are not employees of Council and are not placed in roles normally occupied by an employee nor are they allocated the full duties of an established position.
Whilst Council will endeavour to assist where possible with work experience placements, it should be noted that many inquiries are received. Please allow up to 14 days for your inquiry for work experience placement to be replied to.
Student Placement
After receiving the relevant online application outlining the preferred dates for the work experience and the relevant Student Placement Form, council will attempt to match the student with their preferred work area.
A match at the required time is not always possible for a variety of reasons and if this is the case applicants will be notified as soon as possible.
Work experience in council’s business units is dependent on availability and resources. Only some of council’s business units offer work experience and council retains the right to refuse an application for work experience if it needs to.
An evaluation of the student’s development while at council can be carried out, if requested by the student’s educational institute.
Training and Induction
After being offered work experience but before starting with council all applicants will need to successfully complete an on-line induction. Access to the on-line induction will be provided by council once the student has been offered a work experience position.
The induction provides an introduction to council’s values and ethics, Fair Workplace Policy and Practices and Work Health and Safety Policy.
Council also undertakes to provide:
- a site induction for the work experience student when they first arrive
- meaningful, relevant and skills based training
- on-going day to day supervision of the student
- a safe environment free from harassment, bullying and discrimination
Work Experience Inquiry - High School or TAFE Students
If you are a high school or TAFE student or please submit our online inquiry form.
Work Experience Inquiry - Organisations and other Individuals
If you are not a high school or TAFE student please note Council cannot consider your inquiry for work experience unless you provide a copy of your personal indemnity insurance or the insurance details of the job search centre or organisation representing you. If you have the relevant insurance details please submit our online inquiry form.