Work Experience Survey Results

NCWE recently carried out a survey examining employers’ attitudes and practices regarding work experience. The results are encouraging and confirm that where employers do get involved with offering work experience opportunities, there are specific business benefits to them. More and more employers now provide an induction period and on the job training for the students they take on and pay a salary. Finally, when recruiting work placement students, the most important attributes they look for are oral and written communication skills.

Background - A questionnaire examining graduate employers' attitudes and practices regarding work experience was sent out to 800 employers during May 2003. The questionnaire forms the preliminary research of a much wider research project which aims to help the Government and industry benchmark work experience practice. Of the 800 questionnaires distributed, 101 were returned by the closing date giving a response rate of 12.5%.

Typology of respondents - The largest number of respondents were from large private sector companies (56%) followed by small or medium sized private sector employers (19%), charity/voluntary organisations (16%), public sector organisations (10%) and the not for profit industry (2%). Regarding industry sectors, the largest proportion of respondents were from the real estate, renting and business activities sector (24%) followed by the manufacturing industry (20%), the other community, social & personal sector (13%), the wholesale, retail & motor trade (11%) and the construction, mining & quarrying industry (7%). The majority of respondents (97%) offered work experience placements, 2% did not offer placements and 1% used to but do not any longer.

Why employers recruit work placement students - The main reason why employers take on work experience placement students is to find suitable permanent staff (62%). One employer noted that they see work experience as a way to source quality graduates ahead of the milkround. The majority of employers (73%) have recruited students on a permanent basis as a result of work experience placements. Of these employers, the largest proportion (20%) recruit 11-20% of work experience placement students on a permanent basis. One employer noted that

""at least two students in the last three years have gone onto secure senior positions within the company.""

Placement students are also taken on as a gesture to the community/local student population (46%), to undertake a specific project (39%), to cover busy periods (19%) and to meet an immediate need (17%). A small number of employers also take on work placement students to promote the industry sector as a career (5%) and to promote awareness of their companies' opportunities (2%).

Number of work experience placments offered

• 21% of employers offer three to five placements on average per year

• 21% offer in excess of 30 work placements per year

Of those employers who offered in excess of 30 placements, 20% offered 60 to 65 work placements, 10% offered 30 to 40 work placements and 10% offered 90 work placements.

One pattern that emerges is that the larger the company the more likely it is to offer in excess of 30 work expereince placements each year. Over one quarter (28%) of large private sector companies offered in excess of 30 placements compared to 11% of small and medium sized private sector employers. Of charity/voluntary organisations 25% offered in excess of 30 placements and for public sector organisations this figure was 10%.

Type of work experience placements offered - Sandwich placements were the most popular type of work placement offered by employers (63%), followed by vacation work (53%), work-based projects (18%), voluntary work (18%) and 'other' (17%). Where employers specified 'other' for the type of work placement offered this included school work experience placements for 15-16 year olds, gap year placements and funded projects, eg the Leonardo Project.

Average length of work experience placement - Most employers offered work experience placments of less than six months (49%). Of these employers, the largest proportion (27%) provided placements which lasted two weeks. Employers also offered placements of 12 months (28%) and of between six and 11 months in length (18%). Only a small minority (2%) offered placements of more than 12 months.

Starting dates for work experience placements - Most start between May and August (noted by 65% of employers), followed by September to December (17%), all year round (10%) and January to April (4%).

Salaries offered to work experience students - Almost three quarters of employers (74%) offer salaries to work experience placement students. Just over half of all respondents (51%) offer a salary of between £10,000 and 14,999 whilst just less than one fifth offer salaries of less than £10,000 (18%). Only a small minority of employers offer salaries within the range of £15,000 to 19,999 (4%). One employer noted that pay can be performance related, whilst another employer said that they offer a car in addition to a salary of between £10,000 and 14,999.

Training and accreditation - Most employers provide induction training on the company (94%) and induction training on the job (95%). They also provide job related training as required (95%), project work (76%) and mentoring (73%). However, only 26% of employers offer students an award of a credit of certificate.

Skills and qualities important to employers when recruiting work placement students - students' oral and written communication skills are the most important attributes when employters are recruiting work placement students, with 67% of respondents stating this. Following this, the top five factors when recruiting work placement students are degree subject (63%), degree class (48%), other work experience gained (46%), technical skills/foreign language skills (44%) and A levels/UCAS points (43%). Additional qualities that employers look for include a knowledge and interest in the company, a genuine desire to work in the industry, a good understanding of the demands of the job, a long term interest in the post and any extracurricular interests and achievements.

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