Re-imagining work experience in the twenty-first century Anthony Mann Education and Employers Taskforce

1984 Nothing to me about my life...

Work experience endures 1974: Department for Education and Science Work experience “should have value for pupils of varying ability and aptitudes and should neither be designed as vocational training nor aimed at a limited range of ability.” 1986: 66% pupils do a placement 1995: 95% pupils do a placement 2004: Statutory requirement for WRL Young adults 2011NSSS : 92% SSS : 88% Indep : 84%

Gove/Wolf v Twigg/Husbands Compulsory work experience will be reintroduced in schools under a Labour plan to get teenagers ready for the jobs market, the Daily Telegraph has learnt DfE – requires that ‘work experience will form an integral part of the study programmes from September 2013.’ ‘high quality and meaningful work experience... to give the student a valuable experience of the work environment and to develop their employability skills.’

Three things about work experience 1. It’s not just about work experience

390 KS4 school teachersSelf management Problem solving Team working Understandin g work One day enterprise** Long term enterprise*** Learner enterprise** Employer career talks Career fairs* Employer mock interviews** Psychometric testing Classroom presentations* Financial education* Entrepreneurship quals* WRL learning resources* Curriculum delivery* Business mentoring Work experience** Workplace visits*** Job shadowing Pupil volunteering**

Low achievers Borderline achievers High achievers Learners with SEN Disengaged learners One day enterprise Long term enterprise* Learner enterprise Employer career talks* Career fairs* Employer mock interviews*** Psychometric testing Classroom presentations** Financial education* Entrepreneurship quals* WRL learning resources*** Curriculum delivery* Business mentoring*** Work experience**** Workplace visits**** Job shadowing* Pupil volunteering**

Increase attainment Broaden aspirations Recruitment demands Get PT job Progression decisions Get onto course One day enterprise* Long term enterprise** Learner enterprise Employer career talks*** Career fairs*** Employer mock interviews ** Psychometric testing* Classroom presentations * Financial education Entrepreneurship quals * WRL learning resources Curriculum delivery* Business mentoring*** Work experience****** Workplace visits**** Job shadowing* Pupil volunteering**

Scores on the doors... 1Work experience11 2Workplace visits10 3Mock interviews6 =3Business mentoring6 =3Pupil volunteering6 6Long enterprise competitions5 =6Career fairs5 =6Career talks5 9Classroom presentations4 =9Learning resources4 =9Curriculum delivery4 12One day enterprise3

Type of activityGetting a jobDeciding on a careerGetting into HE Work experience27% (9%)58% (20%)27% (7%) Career talks (1-2 times)33% (4%)55% (8%)32% (6%) Career talks (3 and over)54% (16%)84% (28%)52% (20%) Mentoring (All types)60% (23%)78% (28%)62% (18%) Enterprise (Short)25% (5%)35% (8%)28% (4%) Enterprise (Long)34% (7%)50% (3%)50% (8%) WX is great, but according to young adults...

Other activities are a bit easier to put on... ActivityHow demanding (1 = not at all, 5=very) Staff going into schools to talk about the organisations or the jobs they do 2.72 Staff volunteering to be reading or number partners (usually at primary schools) 2.84 Staff volunteering to take part in enterprise competitions 2.88 Staff volunteering to give mock interviews/CV feedback2.93 Staff volunteering to be governors3.00 Job Shadowing3.03 Staff volunteering to be mentors3.06 Workplace visits3.08 Organising work experience3.27

Three things about work experience 2.It really is for higher achievers and we do them a disservice if we do not realise that

It really is for higher achievers... “Perhaps you are a barrister who can show a young Wykenhamist something of chamber life?” (£800!?) Its time to broaden the debate around access.

Three things about work experience 3.It’s time to understand the link between WX and attainment

NFER (2012). Survey of 700 KS4/5 teaching staff with experience of pupils undertaking work experience. UK. (Mann 2012) “What impact, if any, do work experience placements have on the motivation of KS4/5 pupils at your school?” More motivated (total): 68% Much more motivated: 17% Less motivated: 6% “Focusing on pupils who are currently achieving near the borderline of key attainment targets (such as 5 GCSEs A*-C or equivalent), to what extent do you think that work experience placements increase these individuals' chances of reaching these targets?” Increases chances (total): 50% Greatly increases chances: 7% Reduces chances: 6% Pearson/Education and Employers Taskforce (unpublished – fieldwork 2012). Survey of 366 KS4/5 teaching staff. “What impact, if any, do work experience placements have, in general, on the motivation of KS4/5 pupils at your school/college?” More motivated (total) : 82% Much more motivated : 25% Less motivated : 2% “Focusing on pupils who are currently achieving near the borderline of key attainment targets (such as 5 GCSES A*-C), to what extent do you think that work experience placements increase these individuals’ chances of reaching these targets?” Increases chances (total): 64% Greatly increases chances: 13% Reduces chances : 3%

“If school was like this, I’d love it” Congratulations! You were right and more and more people are agreeing with you. Please don’t stop thinking about work experience, who it is for, what it can provide for young people and employers, how its insights and experiences can be fairly and efficiently delivered. Work experience is a complicated, sophisticated, remarkable thing: it is to be respected, cherished and valued.

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