The Value of Work Experience

Hi my name is Alex and I am studying at Alderwasley Hall Sixth Form Centre in Derbyshire. I started my work experience with Wyvern Rail in October 2008.  Wyvern Rail is the company who run the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway which is a community-owned and locally-managed venture to reopen and operate the railway between Wirksworth and Duffield in Derbyshire.

At the start of my placement I was supported by a member of staff from my college. Eventually, I gained enough confidence to travel to work on my own which meant catching a bus in the mornings and calling a taxi to get home in the evenings. I also organised my own packed lunch each day.

I worked really hard. My main job was to help relay the track. This consisted of many manual tasks and I soon knew a lot about this and the engines in use on the railway. The people at the railway asked me to stay for another two terms. When my placement was due to end they asked me if I would like to continue to work on the railway.

I have attended all their staff training and have made some good friends. I still work on the railway each week and with the support and positive feedback from the staff at Wyvern Rail I am hoping to get an apprenticeship with another railway project located near to my family home when I leave college.

Alderwasley Hall Sixth Form Centre, Derby Road, Wirksworth, Derbyshire DE4 4BN
Tel 01629 821400