The great thing about National Careers Week is that we get to celebrate careers support in all its guises, and this includes the huge impact made by employers who offer young people work experience. If you’re one of these businesses already, you’ll be well aware of the benefits to the students coming into your workplace, but also appreciate some of the advantages it brings to your firm, let’s Explore some of these.
Over the last few years there have been plenty of surveys indicating that the majority of employers see work experience as a vital ingredient to the careers landscape; and this is reflected in the Governments recent Careers Strategy which states they want young people to, ‘learn from employers about work and the skills that are valued in the workplace and to have first-hand experience of the workplace.’
Creating work experience opportunities is a win-win situation for both your company and for the young person involved in the program. Employers involved in work experience are giving back to society, helping our future economy by preparing young people for the world of work.
Young people may have an idea of what they want to do in the future but they have no real hands on experience of the workplace. Work experience helps shape these perceptions and learn what is expected of an employee. Employers are helping students first hand to make more informed choices about their future pathway.
This benefits all businesses, but especially those experiencing current skills shortage, work experience offers students an industry taster and provides employers the opportunity to showcase their sector and ultimately narrow any talent gap.
Here are our top 5 benefits to employers:
• Workforce planning- you could be looking at your next apprentice following a successful work placement or identifying a potential employee of the future
• Staff engagement and development- An opportunity to develop those important management and mentoring skills of your current staff
• Fresh approach- capitalise on young people’s ideas and skills, particularly in IT and using social media and giving them the opportunity to look at your business from a new, young perspective
• Sector promotion- Providing a positive introduction to young people of you sector enabling them to pursue a career in your industry
• Engagement with the local community- helps boost local economic development and can also lead to increased brand loyalty and profile, and in turn to greater profits.
Visit our Enterprise page by clicking here for more information on Work Experience.