A new guide specially designed to help employers improve the quality of work experience they offer to young people has been launched by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
Published in collaboration with Jobcentre Plus, the Work Experience Placements that Work guide is expected to encourage organisations to provide meaningful work experience.
This comes after a study indicated a rise in negative perceptions towards placements, as many candidates feel work experience is not helping them to gain enough industry knowledge.
The CIPD is hoping that the new guide will be particularly helpful for those in the 18–24 age group. It will boost the employability of the young job seekers and give them a foothold in the labour market.
The publication offers guidance on how to structure the work experience and develop a work plan, together with offering adequate support and supervision.
It also includes recommendations on how to provide constructive feedback and help the candidate enter working life.
Katerina Rüdiger, Skills Policy Adviser for the CIPD, said: “This guide will be a great tool for employers wishing to run quality work experience programmes, which in the long run should go a long way in dispelling any negative perceptions.”
Copyright © Press Association 2011