Facts to change your mind about offering work experience
By Donna Fielder and Sarah Cronk
We know we talk a lot about getting involved in providing work experience… which must get tiresome. But wait, keep reading!
As an employer, you’ve probably already thought about why you can/can’t provide work experience opportunities. But post-COVID, the work experience model is changing - and students are needing it more than ever.
We caught up with Mark Likeman, Work Experience Team Leader at East Sussex County Council, to fill you in on what work experience looks like these days.
Work experience is not statutory within schools
…but it’s such a valuable experience to help get students ready for work. Schools can access the work experience service to enable their students to go out on placement. This team provides advice, support around the processes and procedures, and works very closely with the East Sussex Careers Hub.
Ofsted assesses schools on their careers provision
…despite the lack of funding.
4500 students in East Sussex will be out on placement
All secondary schools in East Sussex are signed up for support from the ESCC Work Experience Team, meaning potentially 4500 students out on placement. This is back to pre-pandemic levels and the highest in over 10 years.
But who is ready and willing to take them?
The ESCC Work Experience Team has a database of employers that students and schools can approach. This is made up of businesses that have taken students before, but they won’t know if they are willing and ready to take a student again until they approach them.
Make yourself known
Employers can view a calendar of when each school has their work experience week and select which weeks would be suitable for them. The employer can then approach the ESCC Work Experience Team, who will broker the link with the school(s) in question.
Three-year H&S coverage
Once an employer has had a pre-placement health and safety check by the ESCC Work Experience team to allow them to take students, this covers them for 3 years to work with any schools in the County and any amount of students, unless they experience any significant changes.
The “work experience week” is adapting
Some schools are now adapting the work experience week, for example, by having students on placement for just 3 days with in-school wrap-around activities either side where they can share and reflect on their experiences with fellow students.
Virtual work experience placements are possible
During the pandemic, some virtual work experience placements were created in partnership with employers and these will continue to be offered to those who can’t find a physical placement.
What’s the most important aspect of work experience for a student?
One of the most important things for a student on placement is for them to come away with an understanding of the different types of roles available within an industry, as well as some of the key skills needed for those roles.
A guide for employers
This work experience guide for employers provides lots more information on the process and its benefits.
Only three digital companies in Eastbourne…
Only 3 digital companies in Eastbourne have offered work experience in the last few years - let’s try and increase that this year!
For more information, or to chat about offering work experience, please contact Mark Likeman, Work Experience Team Leader: Mark.Likeman@eastsussex.gov.uk
