The Learning and Work Institute along with Sussex Council of Training Providers, associate member, Fair Train have reported back for the Department of Education on their call for evidence on what makes good work placements.

This report looks at effective practice in work placements; how to increase the scale of current work experience opportunities; the challenges to providing those placements and how to overcome them.

Nobody will deny the value of ‘effective’ work placements for young people with benefits that include improved learner motivation and work destinations but with government focusing on apprentices and the introduction of the new T Level qualifications, will this just add too much burden for many smaller businesses?

“Employers are most likely to be motivated to offer work placements as a way to invest in future talent pipeline and fulfilling their corporate social responsibility,” the recent report states. “In addition, employers also benefit from work placements as a way to upskill and develop existing staff, which can support them to address existing skills gaps.”

Caroline Wood, Director of the Coastal West Sussex Partnership adds: “We’re passionate about enhancing work opportunities and the skills levels of local people here in the Coastal West Sussex area. Our local economy will improve through growth in higher value added sectors but that must be supported by an improvement in skill level.   Our Coastal West Sussex Skills and Enterprise Group brings together key stakeholders and organisations to influence, co-ordinate and lobby for actions that will help raise the skills level across the area, ensure a more effective business support environment and by creating a more enterprising culture –  strong business engagement and support through apprenticeships and work placements is a key part of this.”

“We’d love for more local businesses to get involved and offer both apprenticeships and work placements to our young people – there’s so many benefits for all involved but I also recognise the time burden this can create for employers.”

Find out more about the Coastal West Sussex Skills and Enterprise Group and how your business can get involved here.

To read the full report visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/625526/Work_placements_-_a_call_for_evidence.pdf