Schools do not have to provide work experience placements or careers advice for pupils, but most schools choose to. Some provide career advice through Connexions or Careers Scotland.
Any careers advice given to pupils should be based on their abilities and interests, and not on their age, race, belief, sexual orientation, religion or belief, gender or whether they have a disability. Some jobs do have specific requirements – for example, language requirements or physical requirements (such as eyesight requirements for pilots) – which may mean some people cannot do them. There are strict rules on when employers can set such requirements.
Example
A girl asks for advice on different careers working outdoors. The careers adviser talks to her about jobs in forestry and working with animals, but does not offer information about construction work. This may be direct sex discrimination, if the adviser has not provided information about construction just because the student is female. It may also be indirect discrimination if the careers advice service has a policy of not providing information about all career opportunities equally to both boys and girls.
If you are doing work experience, it is up to the employer who gives you a placement to ensure that they treat you fairly and in a non-discriminatory manner. Employers must also do a health and safety risk assessment before work placement students go onsite.
If you think you are not being treated fairly, as a first step you should talk to the teacher who arranged your work experience placement.