Schools and businesses want to see the return of compulsory work experience for pupils, a new poll has shown.
The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) polled over 3000 business owners, with 82% agreeing that it should be mandatory for all pupils under 16 to be offered work experience placements. 79% of those surveyed said work experience was necessary in order to equip young people with the skills they need to succeed in the workplace. Similarly, 73% of schools, colleges and universities supported the calls to make work experience compulsory in schools again.
John Longworth, Director of the BCC, maintains that “work experience is crucial to bringing down our stubbornly high youth unemployment rate” as young people will be more prepared for work. “We won’t bridge the gap between the world of education and the world of work unless young people spend time in workplaces while still at school”, he continued.
Mr Longworth argued the removal of compulsory work experience by the coalition government in 2012 was “careless” but that “it is not too late to correct the mistake.” National Union of Teachers (NUT) General Secretary Christine Blower agrees, calling the decision to scrap mandatory work experience for school pupils a “mistaken policy downplaying the importance of work experience.”
In addition, the research also found that 55% of business owners consider voluntary work valuable, and 69% believe young people who undertake part-time work have an additional advantage when it comes to applying for jobs. Many firms that are unable to offer work experience – 36% of those surveyed – attributed this to a lack of information on what was required of the business, and the benefit to the business.
At NCFE we believe work experience is crucial in preparing young people for the world of work. It’s difficult not only for school leavers to find jobs without experience of the workplace, but it also makes the settling in period longer. Academia can only do so much for pupils’ career prospects; only real workplace experience can prepare young people for their careers or even part-time jobs. It’s difficult to find a job vacancy that doesn’t require some sort of experience. A recent survey of leading employers showed 58% consider work experience the most important thing they look for. That’s why programmes of study like Apprenticeships and Traineeships are so important and successful; learners get hands-on experience of what it’s like to work in their chosen occupation, and two-thirds of apprentices are kept on with the same employer.
What do you think? Should work experience become compulsory again? Do you set up work experience for your pupils?
