Throughout the pandemic, nearly a quarter of young people expressed their biggest concern was the negative impact the lockdown had on their education. With the same number of 18-year-olds unemployed at the end of 2020, this is no surprise.
The professional organization Speakers for Schools has been matching students with employers for work placements since 2010. Before the pandemic, virtual work experience (VWEX) was a relatively new and unheard of concept. Now, thanks to new data released by Speakers for Schools, we can see how young people and organizations have adapted during the 'new normal' to meet the restrictions.
Many opportunities for young people have been taken away due to COVID-19, from important social milestones to being able to sit their exams. Pupils from disadvantaged areas have been hardest hit, with 10% having their results downgraded due to the interim grade prediction scheme.
Between April 2020 and March 2021, data was collected to understand the impact virtual work experience has had on work placements across the UK. During that 12 months, an extra 2,319 job placements were completed in England, despite the country being in lockdown for much of that time. 100% of these placements were virtual.
Northern Ireland increased its places on offer by 150, Scotland by 119 and Wales secured an additional 121 places.
While England typically offers the highest rate of placements, VWEX has enabled students from any location across the UK to access these opportunities. One of the most notable findings from this study was that 100% of those undertaking virtual work experience were students from public schools.
Virtual work experience helps to bridge the gap between more affluent families and those from disadvantaged backgrounds, providing equal opportunities for all.
Well-known organizations have jumped at the chance to access the best possible young minds. Spotify has increased placements from its London office by +4,168% and, using the virtual work experience, more young people are accessing them than ever before.
Alongside Spotify, big names Severn Trent Water and Cisco Systems increased placement opportunities by +525% and +39%. Again, choosing to have most of these work experience placements completed virtually.
Technology has proven to be one of the most valuable assets during the pandemic. The use of the internet, along with video calling and cloud software, has allowed many businesses to operate remotely and minimize the damage to organizations.
At the same time, schools and universities have been able to continue distance learning to ensure students are still learning. But one aspect that hasn't been talked about as much is the virtual work experience. Young people leaving school and entering the professional world rely heavily on work experience.
Work experience not only gives young people a feel for the industry and allows them to spark their passion or avoid making the wrong choice in life, it also helps them get ahead of the competition when it comes to applying for that dream role.
Additionally, valuable lessons can be learned during school work experience. From workplace etiquette, job interview skills, while growing personally and professionally while interacting with professionals.
Work experience in a pandemic
For obvious reasons, this valuable free work experience has been put on hold for so many across the country. To make matters worse for school leavers, the job market is becoming increasingly competitive.
Even the highest rated students may struggle to secure a role without relevant experience at this time. At the same time, many young people are starting their working lives with part-time jobs in retail and hospitality. This area has been closed for much of the last year and cannot offer these opportunities to so many young adults.
But thanks to technology, the work experience has been able to quickly adapt to address these issues. Virtual work experience has grown in popularity not only for students but also for employers. More and more organizations are looking to acquire new talent for free or at a nominal cost, without having to physically host them in the workplace.
Removal of obstacles
Perhaps the greatest benefit of the “new normal” to the work experience is the removal of the common barrier of location. For young people living in remote areas or without access to transport, the thought of being able to work in certain industries or companies was seemingly impossible.
Now with the ability to participate in these weeks or months of work experience from your home, these limitations have been removed.
London has particularly benefited from this. In a city where accommodation is notoriously expensive, it was previously highly unlikely that a school leaver would have the money to travel and stay there.
The obvious issue with this is that some of the UK's biggest businesses operate from the capital. These organizations can provide some of the best experiences while looking impressive on a resume. They are also more likely to have the resources for appropriate training for those participating in work experience.
They can now take on anyone in the UK and some even offer international placements. This gives access to so many more while allowing organizations to take on the best candidates.
Work Experience Vs Training & Education
One of the most important benefits of work experience is simply a better insight into a particular industry.
In a world where many of us need to choose our career paths in our teens, the decision can seem daunting and a significant waste of time, money and effort if the wrong choice is made.
Before choosing a career, pursuing an apprenticeship, college training, university degrees or any other form of formal education, work experience, careful consideration should be taken.
There is no better insight into a career path than experiencing it first hand. Therefore, undertaking work experience is one of the most important decisions an aspiring professional can make.
It can help avoid disaster or inspire confidence in a decision.
So what's next?
As the UK begins to ease lockdown restrictions, many aspects of our lives are expected to return to normal.
Before the pandemic, there was only a small percentage of virtual work experience available. Little practice in this area has led to preconceptions that it may not be useful to employers or students.
However, the success of these virtual placements and barriers removed to allow access for all has proven successful across the country. Job placements open for the period when the lockdown is expected to end completely are still being advertised as virtual by over a third.
It seems that the virtual work experience is here to stay. The situation that the pandemic has forced young people into has created a new way to experience the world of work without restrictions.