Research report from Speakers for Schools calls for mandatory work experience for all young people

Speakers for Schools, a UK-wide youth social mobility charity, has published its latest report into work experience. The report argues that work experience can bring a range of benefits to school students, in terms of future employability, insight into the world of work, self-confidence, emotional development, and even academic outcomes. The report makes a number of recommendations so that every young person in England can access high-quality work experience opportunities.

In recent years the prevalence of work experience has declined, with less than half of young people in England receiving work experience today. Speakers for Schools commissioned this research to generate evidence on the practicalities of rolling out universal high-quality work experience, and how any barriers to such an objective might be overcome. 

The report undertaken by the independent think tank Social Market Foundation on behalf of Speakers for Schools argues that:

• Work experience is achievable and affordable.
  Costing a modest £75 million a year to deliver. This covers the economic cost of building a universal programme from scratch to provide two placements per individual student and includes the cost to coordinate at a national and regional level and school resources. 

• We should move forward, not backwards.
  Meaningful work experience requires careful planning to ensure personalisation and integration within the curriculum to avoid it becoming a ‘tick box’ exercise or reversion to the one-size-fits-all two weeks in-person model. 

• Make the system easy for everyone.
  Both schools and employers require clear guidance on planning work experience to ensure workloads are not disproportionately impacted. Organisations like Speakers for Schools can support the creation of a national toolkit with guidance and case studies showcasing best practices. 

• Scale back before scaling up; an evidence-led approach must be taken.
  Working up to universalism means that work experience can be rolled out phase by phase. With social mobility in mind, this can start with areas of disadvantage. As work experience for all is rolled out, progress should be assessed, with evidence used to adjust the implementation as needed. 

• This is a devolved matter but needs central support.
  The roll-out of work experience should be led regionally, especially for in-person opportunities. However, aspirations might not be fulfilled if young people aren’t offered national placements. Breaking down the barriers to opportunity at every stage needs government to increase the supply and coordination of meaningful placements working in partnership with existing organisations and charities