Student Work Experience Program Opportunities for Homeschoolers
In the spring of 1999, I received a notice that the company that I worked for was starting a work experience program for high school students, intended to help students learn how to cope with work-related situations, to have an opportunity to develop current skills or interests, and to be able to evaluate possible career options before entering post-secondary education. The students are not paid a salary, but do get an opportunity not otherwise available to most students.
When I saw this, it seemed to me that this would be an ideal match for homeschooled students. Homeschooled students have flexible schedules, are taught to think more independently and have greater opportunity to be focused on education related to their future career goals. This appeared to be a perfect win-win opportunity for the student as well as the employer. From a personal perspective, I wanted this same opportunity to be available to my children to help give them a headstart to be prepared compete in the job market.
I inquired as to how homeschooled students could get involved and was advised that it was only available to full-time students of public or secondary schools due to Workers Compensation Board (WCB rules. The concern was that if a child got injured at work, the company might be legally exposed if the WCB would not cover the injury. This is because under the government policy, the WCB covers the students as though they were employees of the school board, not the employer. The policy also states that the students must be in full time attendance at a school, which is understood to mean attending school in a physical school building.
Over the next few months, I continued to pursue various possible options, with no success, so I finally decided to approach the WCB directly. Though they were helpful and pleasant, they were not able to give me any more hope than the company's student coordinator. I knew nothing at the time about WCB rules, or government policy in this area, but I was learning.
After several weeks, I received a response. Since the WCB is an arms length operation, the minister cannot alter their interpretation, However, he did advise me that if a company that was already required by law to provide WCB coverage would agree to take on a student on a work experience program, they would automatically be covered whether the student was paid or not. This finally opened the opportunity that we need. I advised my company accordingly, and they verified with the WCB that this was true. As a result, for the first time, the spring work experience term is now open to homeschoolers.
The same approach could be used to open up opportunities at other companies across the province. The only stipulation is that the company must be one that is required to have WCB insurance in place. The keys to getting this accepted are:
Personal Insurance for the student: I would expect the same to be true for other businesses. One source among many where student insurance can be purchased on line, and which meets the requirements for the program is at http://www.studentaccident.com.
WCB: As stated above, if the company is otherwise required to have WCB insurance, this should not be an issue. You just need to make sure that the company is aware of this option in the rules.
The specifics for the opportunities where I work are:
The student is not an employee and does not get paid. There would be a $500 honorarium at the end of the term.
Minimum age is 15 yrs old.
Student insurance is mandatory
The student works up to half-days, typically for a total of 225-250 hours over the term
Placements occur 2 times each year (fall and winter).
My recommendations for those who live in other jurisdictions and who may be subject to different regulations are as follows:
Check out the government regulations with respect to workplace insurance. Find out what the mandatory requirements are and get ahold of a copy of the regulations so that you can examine them for yourselves and determine the alteratives.
Obtain student insurance. This may benefit you as well as the employer.
Find out from local companies if they have a program for high school students and the requirements. Find out what needs they have to address and see if the student insurance addresses that requirement. Because this is an opportunity for the student, it should be viewed more as a part of their education rather than a job and therefore compensation is a secondary or irrelevant matter. The experience is what is important. Typically, starting ages are 15-16 years of age and the term lasts 3-4 months.
Always keep in mind that the person that you need to speak to is either the decision maker or someone who is able to effectively take your case to the decision maker. If you are simply speaking to someone who acts as a go-between, you are unlikely to ever be able to effect any change in the policy of the company. The old adage that you get more flies with honey than with vinegar works here. Taking a confrontational approach will likely make it difficult or impossible to achieve your objective.
Always remember that the company will do something if it makes business sense. Homeschooled students have a lot to offer present those advantages to the company rather than trying to force a decision. They are not required to accept students but they will respond if a good business case is put forward.
Examples of benefits that homeschooled students offer are:
1) Flexible working hours
2) Typically self-motivated
3) Independent thinkers
4) Freqiuerntly have unique training or skills
Obviously the approach may have to vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction to fit the local situation and to address local regulations. This document is simply to show how it was done in one jurisdiction to try to inspire some thoughts as to how it may be applied elsewhere.
Please feel free to let me know of local successes elsewhere.
Tom Smith,
Email smithtj@geocities.com
since June 20, 2000.