Work experience - general advice for all options
Sample material
The following contain samples from Work Experience Record Books which are based on actual submissions. Details have been changed, the names are hypothetical, and some technical references have been modified, but the essential features have been retained.
Limitations of space have meant that it has been possible to show only parts of the sample pages. The material shown must not be taken as showing a complete submission. Various aspects of the submitted record are highlighted in comments to help illustrate a number of the points made in the sections above.
Sample 1
The first example is for a person completing the Work Experience Record Book for a New Zealand Certificate in Quantity Surveying. The Work Experience Guidelines for this certificate list a number of activities which are to have been undertaken, such as measuring, preparing schedules of quantities, undertaking costing investigations for unit rates, working with contract documents, and so on.
Two pages from the Work Experience Record Book are shown. The first sample page is taken from the start of the applicant's work experience period, and the second sample page is taken from a later period.
| From April 1994 until December 1994, I worked with Flaws and Walls Quantity Surveyors. The majority of work was in residential housing. During this time, I worked as assistant to the company's Senior Quantity Surveyor. |
Measuring, estimating and costing
Contracts1 During this time, I increasingly worked with contract documentation. This involved understanding the documentation, monitoring the preliminary and general costs for the project, highlighting areas of possible over expenditure and proposing variations of costings to be discussed with the architect and client. 2 Monthly progress claims were also carried out. This involved requesting the sub-contractors' monthly progress claims, then assessing them, establishing materials on and off site and ensuring that baliment forms were in place for any off-site materials, preparing preliminary and general costs for the month, establishing where the job was at on-site by walking around the site, then preparing the progress claim into a trade based format. 3 I was responsible for the accounts of two subcontractors from start to finish. Work involved variation processing, progress claims and payments, contra charges and material checking, which was all carried out by me with the Senior Quantity Surveyor looking over my shoulder. |
| During my time with the Capital Quantity Surveying and Construction Management Company, I worked on many different types and sizes of projects and carried out many different tasks of a consultant Quantity Surveyor, reporting to the company's senior Quantity Surveyor. Types of projects included small, medium and large residential dwellings, commercial properties, shopping centres, and apartment buildings. I variously carried out the following duties in different projects. |
Measuring, estimating and costingThis was carried out on three residential type buildings and one apartment building.
Producing schedules of quantities
|
Note the following particular aspects of the sample shown on the previous two pages.
- The period covered by the activities is shown.
- The applicant has stated that he has worked with and has been supervised by an appropriately qualified person.
- The applicant has clearly addressed the activities in the Work Experience Guidelines.
- The applicant has clearly stated his personal involvement in the activities he has listed. Actual work undertaken has been specified.
- The applicant has clearly shown how his skills and responsibilities have developed over the time of his work experience. These have progressed from the situation where it was necessary for work undertaken to be approved to where the applicant was able to liaise with clients and other professionals.
- The information at the bottom of the page has been completed, including the certification by the applicant's employer.
Sample 2
A second sample is shown on the opposite page. This page has been drawn from a submission for a New Zealand Certificate in Engineering (Mechanical). The Work Experience Guidelines for this certificate specify three categories (General Engineering Workshop Practice, Design Research and Development, and Management) in which experience must have been gained, and list a sample of suitable activities for each of these categories.
Note the following aspects of this sample in particular.
- The activities listed are cross referenced to two of the categories (General Engineering Workshop Practice, and Design Research and Development) given in the Work Experience Guidelines (the third category was addressed elsewhere in the Record Book).
- The term "assisted" used in the first paragraph under the heading Design, Research and Development is not sufficiently specific. It would have been more helpful to the evaluator if the applicant had stated the particular aspects of the work in which she had assisted. Note that "assisted was also used in the fourth paragraph under this heading, but further elaboration was provided and specific responsibilities were listed.
- Times were provided for the activities under the second category. They provide the evaluator with additional information to assist in assessing the relative importance of the activity.
- The information to be completed at the bottom of the page is incomplete.
| Employer: | West Island Engineering Company |
| Employed as: | West Island Engineering Company |
| Period of employment: | 2 June 1996 to 15 August 1997 |
Work activities:1 General Engineering Workshop Practice Used a lathe in the production of a variety of metal parts for different machines. With the Workshop Supervisor, constructed a steel framework for a 10 tonne hydraulic press. My tasks included
Carried out general maintenance of various workshop machines (eg angle grinder). 2 Design, Research and Development
|
|
View Work experience - general advice for all options
Page updated: 13 April 2006