Scaffolding vocational education and successful youth transitions through Work Exposure, Work Exploration and Work Experience: The WE3 Continuum and Activities
Dave Turner
August 2020
This paper has been written by Dave Turner, an Australian with 30 years of international experience in youth employment and careers education and was commissioned by Toi Economic Development Agency in Eastern Bay of Plenty, New Zealand. It is full of practical examples to optimise the chances of our young people in work and aimed at educationalists, employers and governments around the world.
The paper explains the ‘WE3 Continuum’ consists of Work Exposure, Work Exploration and Work Experience. It is a sequence of three important vocational learning elements.
The continuum:
- Paints a picture of activities that introduce, entice and induct young people into the world of work
- Indicates possible progression for young people as they learn how to develop their work readiness by taking leadership of their vocational learning, career development and navigating their future employment pathways
- Suggests activities that may be most appropriate at different ages and levels
- Offers choices and provides a range of potential leaning and development opportunities for employers/ees and entrepreneurs to contribute to the education and career development of young people
Work Exposure covers activities that reveal ideas, information and concepts about a relatively unknown world of work and career development by young people.
Work Exploration covers activities in which young people explore, examine and investigate a new and/or unexpected world of work.
Work Experience is activities that offer young people close and more sustained opportunities for observation and participation in one or more workplaces.