Why does work
experience matter….?

You may already have a part time job; the tasks you undertake are contributing now to your skill development - these can cover communication, time management, organising, problem solving to name a few. However, specific work experience related to your eventual career direction is particularly useful.
Start planning and write directly to organisations and companies that appeal to you to enquire about a placement - certain degrees require this in order that, as a graduate, you can be more competitive. Both the media industry and law careers spring to mind.
You could also use those summer holidays to travel abroad: taking on temporary work whilst travelling is a boost to your finances and again enriches your experiences - you may find you become fairly fluent in another language and develop cultural awareness of how other people live - all these aspects of work add to your profile and ultimately your confidence: knowing that you can meet challenges and try new experiences. Self reliance, flexibility and independence are good descriptive words you can bring to your CV.
There are areas of voluntary work both in the UK and abroad which give access to experiences with charities, you could be working with disadvantaged groups of people or you could target environmental or humanitarian organisations - by contributing to issues you care about and thus seeking to make a difference. Again these give clear evidence of your personality and contribute to your CV.
Alternatively you could use work experience to "sample" a job or profession whilst you are making decisions over career choices; it can help shape your career planning.
Why does work experience matter? …You may begin to feel there is a point to follow up for yourself now: why not make a start by using the Prospects website. Also you could get ideas from your Careers Library- visit the University Careers Service to find contacts. In addition you may benefit from an appointment with a Careers Adviser giving the chance to discuss some work experience plans together.
The last word on this! - the years at Uni pass quickly so, if you find ideas here that suit you, try put them into action - and in particular, enjoy your University vacations whatever you decide to do!