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The Big Conversation
Work experience into work inspiration
The Big Conversation
Status: Live
In Brief: The Big Conversation mobilises businesses to turn work experience into work inspiration, to bridge the gap that exists between the classroom and the world of work.

What is The Big Conversation?

This Big Conversation is a national call to action, launched by Sir Stuart Rose (Chairman of Business in the Community) on the 15th September, to businesses to improve work experience for young people. It is a business-led movement, business talking to business across the country to improve the work experience they offer, convened and supported by BITC. The goal is to improve work experience for the 500,000 students entering placements in June 2010.

How can The Big Conversation help you?

High quality work experience can help you widen your options by introducing you to some of the great variety of ways to get in to work. You can learn more about roles in the working world that you might not have previously considered, and even gain a better understanding of your own skills, helping you make more informed choices about your options.

The Benefits

The Big Conversation – Turning Work Experience into Work Inspiration addresses two critical needs:
-The business need for employable recruits, the standard of which is improved by engaging earlier with the future workforce;
-The social need to provide young people with a clearer picture of work, to equip them to make decisions about their future career paths, and increase their employability.

By making work experience more inspiring, interesting and insightful, young people will have access to practical opportunities to develop business relevant skills before they leave school. Now more than ever, it is an essential preparation for their future employment opportunities. Positive experiences of work can demonstrate to young people there are many paths to success, enhancing their life and career aspirations. Businesses also benefit from an increase in future recruits with greater business awareness, and, at the same time, develop the leadership and management skills of their staff.

Andy Powell, Chief Executive of Edge, said: "Edge is calling for a revolution in the education system where young people have greater choice and practical and vocational learning sits alongside academic study. Young people need an exciting and meaningful experience of the workplace, which helps nurture their talent and unleash their aspirations. High-quality work experience will develop a workforce of the future that is more confident and job-ready, benefiting business and society alike."

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What's your view
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sophia
I think its a really great idea but what if you live somewhere with no acess to these places? where i live if you want to do anything you really want to be you ether have to be a doctor want to work in a shop cafe school ect. all the normal jobs i want to be in media or acting and becuase i only live in a small town and any city with a tv studio ect. is atleast 2hours away by train i have to work in one of the above places and i really wish there was a program that i could go and stay in london or somewhere for 2 weeks and help out in a tv studio our work experiance is in febuary could you help?

rachel
i really think sophia has a great point i would love to have the chance to work somewhere which i would normally not have the chance such as a tv studio my career path is simple i want to act and work on the directing side of acting and having the chance to do something about it would mean the world to me

Jessica C
I took part in the big conversation on the 12th febuary 2010 as one of the young persons attending, it was an amazing evening to see how many people actually took part in this was quite extreme, its an excellent idea and i even had the oppotunity to stand on the stage in front of everybody attending and voice my opinion of what employee's should change to inspire young people to work rather then give them a low standard job on a work experience.

Jane
I work in a school along side the work placement co-ordinator. I think there are two main issues. The first is that schools tend to have their work placement at the end of the summer term, leading to thousand of students competing for a 'work inspiring' placement at the same time. It is often the case that parents contacts get the placement, which can disadvantage some students. Education Departments need to work with schools to spread out placement times through out the year so there can be more opportunity for students to be inspired. Secondly large employers (NHS, Councils, media groups, etc) tend to select two weeks in the year where they will offer work experience. If these two weeks do not tie in with the schools work experience dates, students do not have a chance to get that opportunity. With the development of diplomas and BTECs there is even more demand on employers to offer a range of placements for students. I believe that large companies need to have an Education Liason team that works with local schools (not just their nearest one but throughout the local city). They should work with the council on placement dates, the aims and objectives of the work placement and visit schools to teach interview skills and carry out a selection process that teaches students how to apply for a job. Work placements should not be a two week event in a company, they should have students in all the time.

Jane
I work in a school along side the work placement co-ordinator. I think there are two main issues. The first is that schools tend to have their work placement at the end of the summer term, leading to thousand of students competing for a 'work inspiring' placement at the same time. It is often the case that parents contacts get the placement, which can disadvantage some students. Education Departments need to work with schools to spread out placement times through out the year so there can be more opportunity for students to be inspired. Secondly large employers (NHS, Councils, media groups, etc) tend to select two weeks in the year where they will offer work experience. If these two weeks do not tie in with the schools work experience dates, students do not have a chance to get that opportunity. With the development of diplomas and BTECs there is even more demand on employers to offer a range of placements for students. I believe that large companies need to have an Education Liason team that works with local schools (not just their nearest one but throughout the local city). They should work with the council on placement dates, the aims and objectives of the work placement and visit schools to teach interview skills and carry out a selection process that teaches students how to apply for a job. Work placements should not be a two week event in a company, they should have students in all the time.

Jane
I work in a school along side the work placement co-ordinator. I think there are two main issues. The first is that schools tend to have their work placement at the end of the summer term, leading to thousand of students competing for a 'work inspiring' placement at the same time. It is often the case that parents contacts get the placement, which can disadvantage some students. Education Departments need to work with schools to spread out placement times through out the year so there can be more opportunity for students to be inspired. Secondly large employers (NHS, Councils, media groups, etc) tend to select two weeks in the year where they will offer work experience. If these two weeks do not tie in with the schools work experience dates, students do not have a chance to get that opportunity. With the development of diplomas and BTECs there is even more demand on employers to offer a range of placements for students. I believe that large companies need to have an Education Liason team that works with local schools (not just their nearest one but throughout the local city). They should work with the council on placement dates, the aims and objectives of the work placement and visit schools to teach interview skills and carry out a selection process that teaches students how to apply for a job. Work placements should not be a two week event in a company, they should have students in all the time.

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