What makes work experience work?
LEAD ORGANISATION
ADDITIONAL ORGANISATIONS INVOLVED
Berkshire Skills for Care Group
DATE
2009 & 2011
PROJECT SUMMARY
This research set out to investigate the employer perspective of work experience in order to stimulate the offer of more placements for school/college students undertaking health and social care courses, to meet the anticipated increased demand for work experience for students undertaking courses in the sector, including Young Apprenticeships, BTEC Diplomas and the new Diploma in Society, Health and Development.
The project was led by Bracknell & Wokingham College on behalf of the Berkshire Skills for Care Group. Skills for Care support and promote a range of opportunities for young people to experience working in the sector as part of their commitment to raising the profile of the social care workforce.
The project was in three parts:
- Data was gathered from six Training Providers regarding demand for their courses, their experiences in finding work experience placements and their view on what resources would help. All responded that finding work experience placements was not easy and that demand for them is likely to increase due to the anticipated increased demand for places on courses. Due to a number of factors, the same few 'tried and tested' employers tended to be used. Training Providers were invited to share their views as to the barriers to work placements; these centred around perceived lack of employer awareness and the administration time involved in complying with legislation and carrying out risk assessments. The Training Providers surveyed indicated that they would welcome a resource to support employers so that they understand the requirements and expectations. All felt that more could be done by Skills for Care, as the Sector Skills Council, to foster employer engagement and facilitation.
- Data was gathered from six employers in the care sector regarding their experience of student work experience placements, their perception of the barriers to work experience and the resources that they would like to see available. All of the employers were supportive of work experience providing that there is the level of support, information and matching of student to placement. Employers would welcome a simple guide to school/college-delivered qualifications that require work experience.
An event was held in Reading to bring together employers who had experience of taking on work experience students and employers who wanted to know more about how the process worked. The meeting was very positive. Employers were able to share their experiences, the type of activities they get the student to do and how the student is best supported. However employers are so heavily regulated with CRBs and legislation that they are unclear how this impacts on successful work experiences; there needs to be more clarity and better guidance so that employers are 'not afraid' of taking on a student. Employers felt that there are insufficient resources and guides to help overcome many of the barriers to supporting work placements. - Case studies of three students following Young Apprenticeships in Health and Social Care who had done three-week work placements at Ravenswood Village in Crowthorne, which caters for people with learning disabilities.
IMPACT
The research produced clear guidance on where the barriers are to successful work experience placements and what might be done to address these. The report highlighted the following recommendations and/or requests from training providers and employers alike:
- Clear guidance for employers on curriculum requirements.
- Either guidance or workshops across Berkshire to help employers understand the changing needs of social care qualifications.
- Guidance for employers on how best to support work experience students.
- Practical informative guide for training providers.
- It was suggested that Progress South Central and Skills for Care should work together across the sub-regions promoting work experience with employers. This should be a dedicated 'resource allocation' to enable reaching out to employers and support them in understanding and embracing work experience practice.
Further work was completed in 2011 to develop an online guide for employers and to faciltate some employer events. As a direct result of this work, there are now an additional 20 employers in Berkshire prepared to offer work experience.