Giving more insight for National Careers Week, Simon Chapman, Work Experience and Next Steps Coordinator here at EMA, talks about the importance of work experience, and the benefits it gives both students, and the employers.
“I’ve been at EMA since September 2016 and the time has really flown! A large part of my role is to speak with students about what they enjoy doing at college and how I can advocate on their behalf to find an external work experience placement for them in order to gain new skills and confidence.
Most placements run for one day a week so the students can work towards goals set by themselves and the employer to push on with learning new skills, and to get them ready for independent working. The benefits for our students are huge. It enables them to get a real flavour of what work in their chosen sector will be like and it makes a great addition to their CVs, along with boosting their confidence and self-esteem. On a personal note, it’s rewarding for me to continuously see them thrive in the workplace within a new team. I’m always rooting for them, and love seeing them do so well.
The employers are helping young people get a great start in life, and they should all take such pride in that. Often their staff teams benefit from having a young person with SEND working with them so they can gain insight into the challenges that young people with SEND face. It’s a learning experience for everyone involved.
We are so thankful to have many work experience partners who sign up to the programme with us, the employers are a key part in the journey of our students. It wouldn’t be possible for our young people to gain the skills they need to progress towards work after leaving college if not for them. Thank you!”
