Work Experience Information for Businesses

What Can Work Experience Offer Your Business?

Work Experience offers young people the opportunity to spend a short period of time in a real workplace. While on work experience students complete a range of work-related tasks and learn key skills and knowledge.

Through this hands-on approach, the student is able to develop the attitude they will require to succeed throughout their working life while at the same time being introduced to the roles and structures of the modern workplace.

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Here are just some of the benefits that work experience offers:

Development of Staff
The hosting of a student on work experience will contribute to the development of your own staff. It may be the first opportunity that an employee has had to supervise another person in the work place. This experience will raise their own awareness of communication, team work and mentoring skills which, can in turn, help increase an employee’s motivation and job satisfaction. The process of planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluation of work experience programmes gives employees the opportunity to develop their own coaching and leadership skills.
Innovation
Young people are a valuable resource and can undertake planned projects that company staff do not have the time to manage. They often bring a fresh approach and a younger perspective to routine tasks and often find new solutions. They also have the time to research alternative approaches to workplace practices.
Improved Health and Safety Practices
Working through an induction with a student and risk assessing their activities allows the organisation to review their current systems and reminds staff of the importance of health and safety.
Cost Effective Recruitment
Employers help to improve the quality and preparedness of young people coming into the world of work and build links with local schools which can help to reduce recruitment costs in terms of attracting young people into your company. Work experience provides the opportunity to assess a potential employee over a period of time.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Work experience placements are a great way to raise the profile of a company in the local community creating a positive image amongst young people, teachers, parents and other employers.