At this year’s Labour Party Conference, the Education Policy Institute (EPI) has partnered with Speakers for Schools to hold an open fringe panel discussion on ‘Work experience revitalised: implications of the mandatory placement for educators’.
Work experience has been shown to have a broad range of benefits to young people aged 14-16 including increasing confidence, learning skills needed for the workplace, motivation towards school and career awareness. For employers, it can also be a useful way of building a diverse pipeline of future talent.
The Labour Party has already committed to reinstating two-week mandatory work experience, which recognises the social and economic benefit of placements for school-age children. However, to achieve the wider goals of providing opportunities for all no matter their background or location, it is critical to consider how the policy of two weeks of compulsory work experience can be implemented equitably without adding further pressure on schools and compromising the quality and impact.
This panel will bring together school leaders, social mobility experts and education stakeholders to discuss the role of work experience in progressing social mobility. The discussion will cover how to ensure work experience is beneficial for both young people and employers; how we can support schools to make space for it within the school calendar; what can be learned from international comparisons and finally, how to ensure equitable access to meaningful experience.
We are delighted to welcome Geoff Barton, ASCL; Nick Brook, Speakers for Schools; Gina Cicerone, Fair Education Alliance; Oliver Coppard, South Yorkshire Mayor and Baroness Twycross. Natalie Perera, EPI’s Chief Executive, will chair the session.
** Note: This event will take place in the conference secure zone. To access the secure zone you will need to obtain a pass directly from the Labour Party.**
