“One of the best weeks of my life” – The Unique Value of Work Experience Abroad

Blue Stamp Travel is almost unique in the UK as a provider of work experience abroad for school-aged young people at schools and sixth-form colleges. The continuing popularity of work experience reflects the value which travellers, parents and teachers perceive in authentic experiences gained in real-life environments.

For us as a service provider, understanding travellers’ experiences, perceptions and priorities is key to ensuring our travellers enjoy a rewarding experience that helps them achieve their goals as language learners. Traveller feedback is therefore of central importance.

At the end of all our group work experience and work and study group trips, travellers are asked to fill in a short survey. Their responses are an essential source of feedback on work placements, and for the travellers, the survey is a chance to reflect and take stock at the end of an exciting, sometimes bewildering week in the workplace. Our Placement Coordinators use the data to plan future trips, provide feedback to placement providers and, where necessary, weed out any placements that fall short of our very high standards.

Following each trip, traveller feedback is analysed and collated with information provided by Group Leaders and employers as part of a comprehensive review process to optimise every aspect of the Work Experience Abroad programme. For this report, Will Burn evaluates the corpus of data gathered from over 450 travellers to to try to answer the question: “What do travellers get from work experience abroad”?

The survey

Designed in 2020 to replace a by then superannuated paper-based questionnaire, the survey is a bespoke tool which uses Microsoft Forms. Most travellers complete it on their mobile phones on the last day of a trip. Two-thirds (65%) take between 5 and 10 minutes to complete the form, and one-third (30%) take approximately 5 minutes. Given the wealth of data the survey generates, this represents an impressive return on the time travellers put into completing it. Travellers can download their own responses at the end if they would like to consult them again in future.

There are a total of 60 questions in the survey, but the logic is designed so travellers only respond to questions that are relevant to their experiences. In addition to capturing data about work placements, the survey can gather information on travellers’ accommodation, language school courses, au-pair placements, and group leader support, depending on the nature of the trip. A final section invites respondents to reflect on their experience more widely.

Most questions are in the form of single-choice buttons (many of which inform the logic of the survey) and multiple choice options. Free text options allow travellers to write at greater length, generally (75%) up to around 20 words. The longest recorded response was 144 words! Multiple choice questions include “other” fields to allow travellers to report responses that are not covered by the standard framework.

Most (80%) travellers who respond to the survey have completed a Work Experience Abroad trip. The trips comprise travellers enrolled in a mixed group from various schools who travel together from a UK airport and are accompanied by one of Blue Stamp Travel’s professional Group Leaders. Travellers complete placements of between 5 and 7 hours in duration each day of their trip (usually 5 days).

The remaining 20% of respondents were on Work and Study trips which combine morning lessons at a language school with shorter afternoon placements of between three and four hours in duration.

Blue Stamp Travel arranges Work Experience Abroad and Work and Study trips to various cities in France, Spain and Germany. In terms of volume, France makes up the largest group, followed by Spain, with Germany some way behind, broadly in line with A-level subject entries.

What travellers tell us

Enjoyment

Travellers report very high levels of satisfaction with their work experience placements. Four out of every five travellers (81%) said their placement was “quite enjoyable” (31%) or “very enjoyable” (50%). There were no significant differences between the three countries in terms of how enjoyable travellers found their placements, although travellers to Spain were slightly more likely than travellers to France to rate their placement as “very enjoyable”. Travellers to Germany were the most positive overall, with nearly nine in every ten travellers rating their placement as quite enjoyable or very enjoyable. Perhaps Germany’s reputation for austere, humourless working environments is ill-deserved!

Usefulness

When asked to rate how useful their work placement had been for their language skills, travellers were even more positive in their assessments. Nearly 85% stated that the placement had been “quite useful” or “very useful” for their language skills. Once again, travellers to Germany rated their placements most highly, with nearly nine in ten travellers (89%) saying their placement had been “quite” or “very” useful. France was very close behind, with Spain coming in third.

From the perspective of language students, this data underlines the great benefit to be gained from spending time in an authentic working environment. Compared to the structured environment of the classroom in a language school, work experience placements are less predictable and more challenging in many ways: travellers need to master technical vocabulary, work with customers’ dialects and accents, and learn workplace processes, to name but a few. However, the travellers thrive in the face of these challenges.

Skills

One question in the survey asks travellers to identify the skills and competencies they developed through their work placement. Perhaps unsurprisingly, communication skills were at the top of the list (83%), followed by a cluster of skills which around half of travellers said they developed: resilience and adaptability (56%), independence (52%), industry-specific skills (e.g. food preparation, working with children) (52%), dealing with customers (51%), and working in a team (50%). Problem solving (30%) and time management (25%) less common, ahead of technology use (18%) and creativity (14%).

Most respondents identified two or more competencies and skills which they developed through their work placements, showing that the benefits go far beyond language learning and cultural exchange. Given that the travellers are young people still in school or further education contexts, these skills and competencies will be invaluable across all areas of their future academic and professional careers.

What three words

One of the most illuminating elements of the survey is the question which invites travellers to describe their work placement in three words. The overwhelming majority are positive in tone, such as:

“Fascinating Informative Friendly”
“Enriching, fun and inviting”
“Exciting, interesting, self-improving”
“Bustling, rewarding, banter”

While others seem to relate to more specific experiences:

“Fast-paced, high-pressure, fishy”
“Busy, Cute, Rustic”
“Babysitting toddlers tiring”

The strongly positive sentiment of travellers is emphasised by the top ten words (by frequency) used in response to this question:

Top Ten Words (% Respondents)

fun 8.6%
friendly 7.6%
interesting 6.5%
busy 3.8%
welcoming 3.4%
enjoyable 2.6%
challenging 2.4%
quiet 2.2%
rewarding 2.0%
engaging 2.0%

The overwhelmingly positive sentiment shared by travellers reflects the efforts made by our placement coordinators to match students to the right placement, and the hard work of Group Leaders who support students in country. Where we do receive any negative feedback, it is a vital tool for planning future trips and allocating placements. While we accept that work may not always be a rollercoaster ride, traveller feedback is essential in identifying placements that are unsatisfactory, unsuitable or below the high standards we expect from our placement providers.

Work experience challenges and support

A free-text question invites travellers to describe challenges they faced during their placements. Just over half (55%) of respondents said they encountered something challenging or difficult during their placement. Most of these were of a practical nature, such as dealing with specific vocabulary (A-level syllabuses appear to be very lacking when it comes to the finer points of French patisserie or room allocation systems in Hamburg hotels), or linguistic hurdles such as regional accents or slang.

In other cases, travellers found social interactions challenging, such as having to adapt to different social norms and behaviours, or integrate into a new working environment with new colleagues. Some found the physical demands of work difficult to adapt to, such as having to stand for long periods of time. In news that will surprise nobody who has had to deal with children, placements in nurseries are often described as physically and mentally draining. On the other hand, these placements were also rated highest for enjoyment!

Where travellers did encounter challenges, Group Leaders were on hand to assist where if necessary. In the vast majority of cases, travellers were able to resolve issues themselves, again illustrating the opportunities for independence and resilience that work experience offers. Around one in five (21%), said they turned to the Group Leader for support. In many cases, Group Leaders assisted with practical matters such as helping find the work placement premises or arranging more suitable working hours. In others, Group Leaders engaged with an employer to address issues on the traveller’s behalf, or, in very rare instances, arranged a new and more suitable placement. As one traveller put it, “Hélène was amazing at finding me a new work placement when my original one was not working out!”.

Of those who responded to the survey, only 22% needed the support of the Group Leader to resolve an issue at their workplace. Over 90% agreed with the statement that “Group Leader was approachable and helpful”, and 86% agreed that their “Group Leader responded to issues quickly and appropriately”.

Given that for most of our travellers, these trips represent the first time they have travelled abroad outside the context of a school trip or family holiday, the survey data underlines how the Work Experience programme not only fosters independence and the ability to resolve problems for oneself, but also provides a robust support framework thanks to the expertise of our experienced Group Leaders.

Business sector insights

Business Categories

When a traveller enrols on a Work Experience Abroad or Work and Study programme, they are asked to give their preferences from our list of business categories. They also write a short letter about themselves in the target language and provide us with information about their A-levels, previous work experience and future academic and career plans.

Our Placement Coordinators then work with local employer partners to find the best fit given travellers’ interests and priorities. Travellers can also select a “BST Top Pick” if they are unsure of their preferences and would prefer to rely on our local knowledge to recommend a popular placement option.

Enjoyability

In terms of enjoyable placements, over 70% of travellers in every category said their placement was quite or very enjoyable. Travellers were most positive about placements in the categories of Children, Social, Sport/Leisure, and Café, bar & restaurant. This most likely reflects the lively and busy nature of these workplaces, with plenty of opportunities to speak to and engage with customers and fellow staff.

Usefulness

When asked to rate the usefulness of a placement for improving language skills, more than four out of every five travellers ranked placements in the categories as useful or very useful:

Animals
Arts & media
Café, bar & restaurant
Children
Hotel & tourism
Retail, beauty and fashion
Science/medical
Social

One of the unique strengths of Blue Stamp Travel’s programmes is our rich and detailed knowledge of placements and destination cities. Many of our partner employers have been taking work experience travellers for years, forming a network of trusted and reliable placements. Our Placement Coordinators can therefore draw on a rich store of knowledge and information to make the best match between traveller and placement.

Language skills

When asked to identify the language skills they have developed through their work placement, travellers emphasise how work experience assisted with the practical elements of using the language. Nearly 90% of travellers said their listening had improved through their work experience placement, a vital skill for studying a language at A-level or beyond.

Another striking theme of this feedback is that travellers benefit in areas that would not ordinarily be covered by an A-level course (for example), such as in asking questions and using ordinary, day-to-day vocabulary. It is a common criticism of MFL teaching in general that students learn vocabulary that will never be of use in real-life situations (unless you are particularly concerned about your aunt’s writing implements or need to inform someone that their postillion has been struck by lightning). By contrast, a work placement abroad helps travellers gain a wider knowledge of the working language that will boost their confidence for future stays.

Skills improved (% of respondents)

Listening 87%
General/conversational vocabulary 85%
Asking questions 82%
Speaking 75%
Fluency 57%
Technical or subject-specific vocabulary 52%
Reading 23%

Advice to others

When travellers are invited to share the advice they would give to someone undertaking a placement at the same employer in future work, the responses reveal the practical and positive outlook travellers take away from their experiences. They stress the need to be proactive and open-minded (“Make conversation with the other waiters, they are all really nice and funny.”), and to take the initiative to improve their language (“Ask them to only speak to you in German!”).

The theme of grasping opportunities runs throughout the advice travellers have to offer: “try to engage with customers as best as you can, try not to overthink the actual work you are doing and try to listen to the spoken French”, said one. Another said, “Speak as much Spanish as you possibly can and don’t be afraid of making mistakes,” while a third summed up their advice as “Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone”.

Would they recommend it?

The final question of the survey asks travellers whether they would recommend the trip to a fellow student and they are almost unanimous in their support. Nearly four out of five responses begin with “Yes” (or similar), and an AI analysis of sentiment (Microsoft Copilot) categorised 96% of responses as positive.

Travellers stressed the improvement in their language skills (“a great way to improve language skills and improve confidence overall not just in language ability”), along with the opportunity to experience and understand the culture of the country they visited (“it’s a once in a lifetime experience to be fully immersed in French culture and language. It’s a great way to meet new people and try new things”). Others emphasised the independence they enjoyed and the benefits they gained from that (“It increased my confidence and allowed to me be more independent. I learned so much about the culture and my peers at work were so helpful and patient with helping my language skills.”).

Social interactions and friendships were mentioned by a number of travellers (“I came alone but made great friends, I loved meeting/getting to know new people and made lifelong memories – I wish I was there longer!”), while personal development and skills were another common theme (“Although it is a nerve-wracking thing to do, it teaches you so many transferable skills, and you meet so many great people. It is a great way to develop your language skills and your communication in general”).

One final answer to the question of ‘would you recommend this trip’ encapsulates the enthusiasm our work experience travellers feel at the end of their stay:

“Yes 100%! This is an experience you can’t miss – it improves not only your language skills, but also your confidence. You meet lots of incredible, interesting people from the group, from language school and from your work placement. I couldn’t recommend this trip enough!!”

Work Experience Abroad or Work and Study?

Blue Stamp Travel offers two different pathways into work experience in France, Spain and Germany. As outlined above, Work Experience Abroad trips comprise mixed groups where the work placements are the primary focus. Work and Study trips combine language school lessons with shorter work placements. Work Experience Abroad travellers were very slightly more positive overall than Work and Study in terms of the usefulness of their trips (85% useful and very useful vs. 82%). The difference in terms of enjoyment was even smaller, as around 80% of both cohorts rated their placement as quite enjoyable or very enjoyable.

Conclusion – real life, real value

Given the availability of high-quality language courses in all the cities in which we offer work placements, why continue to offer work placements? As this report has shown, real-life, authentic language experiences not only benefit learners’ skills in using the language, but also foster skills, confidence and independence which will benefit them in their academic and professional careers. By overcoming challenges, travellers become more resilient, adaptable and self-assured.

In conclusion, one traveller’s review of their experience sums up what young people gain from work experience abroad:

“I genuinely had one of the best weeks of my life. I learnt so much academically and socially with my Spanish language skills improving so much and making friends with similar interests to me. Working in the care home was so valuable, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there and learnt so much from the lovely residents and my working supervisor Ana. I would recommend this trip to everyone, Valencia is a brilliant place for the trip too as it is an amazing city.”