Providing work experience opportunities

Work experience is an opportunity to introduce young people to the reality of working life. The experience they get during their work placement can help them develop practical insight and skills to help them secure and sustain future employment.

By taking students on work experience, employers get an opportunity to engage, inspire, and inform young people about what working life is really like. 

Benefits of providing work experience for employers

Offering work experience can bring a number of benefits to you as an employer:

Promotes your company profile

Establishing your business as an employer that offers young people work experience opportunities will build a positive image of your company and one that people easily recognise.

Contribute to your corporate and social responsibility (CSR)

Providing work experience opportunities will contribute to your CSR duty. This will be seen favourably by customers, suppliers, and the wider community.

Better connection with your community

By offering work experience opportunities to local schools and education providers you can add value to and make meaningful connections with your community.

Find new talent

Work experience programmes are a great way to tap into new talent as young people seek jobs following full-time education. Having an established connection with young people gives you a competitive edge over those employers that don’t offer work experience placements. You will also get insight into what potential recruits look for in an employer as generations evolve.

Skills development

Involving your employees in the work experience placement and providing potential management opportunities can help your staff develop their supervisory and managerial skills. This will help staff feel motivated and invested in your business helping to contribute to staff retention.

Get additional help at no cost

Employers are not obligated to pay for work experience placements, so you have the opportunity to get additional help at no extra cost. This can be beneficial to both you and the work experience placement, for example, if you have a large project that requires additional resources. This also offers the opportunity to provide an enriched experience for the placement student.

Innovation and new ideas

Young people often bring fresh ideas and approaches which may open up new opportunities for your business. They may also be able to inject some innovation into your business and offer alternative solutions to challenges.

Promoting diversity

By offering work experience placements to young people from various backgrounds you will promote diversity in your workplace.

Gain a competitive edge

By establishing a relationship with local education providers and being viewed as an employer that provides young people with opportunities you will have a significant advantage over your competitors especially when it comes to recruitment.

Work experience benefits for young people

There are a number of benefits that work experience placements can offer young people:

Skills development

Work experience gives young people the opportunity to develop skills essential for working life such as time management, teamwork, business etiquette, communication, and problem-solving.

Career path

Young people can get an insight into what is required to work in certain industries when they take up a work experience placement. It will help them decide what career path to follow.

Personal development

Work experience helps young people build transferrable skills that they will be able to use in other jobs. They will also gain confidence by taking on a new challenge.

Connections

Work experience provides young people with the opportunity to connect with local companies and meet new people who can help them on their career path.

Insight into recruitment

Applying for a work placement provides the opportunity to learn about recruitment processes eg how to apply for a job, prepare for job interviews, and build a CV