Even if you are struggling to find skilled staff and bringing in work experience students may seem a leap too far for you, the National Council for Work Experience (NCWE) shows you how implementing work experience programmes can help bridge the gap. 


Organisations should not underestimate the value of work experience, especially as the skills shortage is a big issue for many businesses, argues David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce, who presented the annual NCWE awards at a ceremony on the 12 March, Cafe Royal, London.

He argues that not enough young people are equipped to meet the modern world of work when they emerge out of education. "A lot of organisations employ huge numbers of migrants and there's been a phenomenal mass migration from Eastern Europe because employers say they have better skills and far better work ethics than locals, but this cannot be the answer to a long-term solution," he states.

However, Frost was encouraged to see that increasingly, employers are introducing structured work experience programmes to engage young people at local level through schools and higher education. "This builds links between employers and education and benefits both the students and employers . More employers need to build better relationships," he urges. "Employers can use work experience to trawl for good quality candidates while helping to progress and shape the perfect employee of the future."

Speaking 'bluntly and frankly' he went on to say that introducing a structured work experience scheme using the NCWE work experience quality mark is paving the way for young people into the world of work and into a successful and globalised economy, which will make the UK a more competitive place to do business.

THIS YEAR'S NCWE AWARD WINNERS

The 2007/08 NCWE Awards span nine categories and this year over 200 entries were received. The winner and highly commended award in each category were chosen following a visit to all the short-listed organisations by NCWE personnel to review and assess the work experience programmes.

Overall winner
Shetland Seafood Auctions

Left: Martin Leyland, auction manager of Shetland Seafood Auctions
Right: David Frost, director general of the British Chambers of Commerce



Heather Collier, manager of the NCWE, comments:

“We are delighted to have presented Shetland Seafood Auctions with the overall 'Award for Best Work Experience' provider. We chose Shetland Seafood Auctions because it provided an outstanding scheme for students that allowed the placement student to develop a varied and impressive skill-set through the one-to-one mentoring provided by the company. Taking place in a comparatively remote geographical location where recruitment and retention of talent is often an extra challenge for employers, the excellent quality of Shetland Seafood Auctions work experience scheme really stood out.”

Over 250 Employees: long-term placements (4-12 months)
Winner: Virgin Atlantic Airways
Highly Commended: Microsoft; HJ Heinz Company Ltd

Over 250 Employees: short-term placements (0-3 months)
Winner: IBM Extreme Blue
Highly Commended: Procter & Gamble

10-250 Employees (sponsored by Centrica)
Winner: Controlled Therapeutics (Scotland) Ltd
Highly Commended: Paradise Park, Cornwall

Under 10 Employees (sponsored by PWC)
Winner: Shetland Seafood Auctions Ltd
Highly Commended: AppSwing Limited

Public Sector
Winner: Yorkshire Forward
Highly Commended: Lancashire County Developments Limited/Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board

Charitable Sector
Winner: Lancaster University Volunteering Unit
Highly Commended: Barnardo’s; Portal Technology Systems Limited

Best Work Experience Provider as Nominated by a Student
Winner: Johnson & Johnson Wound Management
Highly Commended: BBC (Radio Newsroom)

Best Work Experience Provider as Nominated by a Careers Adviser or Placement Tutor
Winner: Xtrac Ltd
Highly Commended: Steve Hughes Car Sales

View the full list of best practice case studies on the 2008 NCWE Awards shortlisted finalists and winners

ABOUT THE NCWE AWARDS

The NCWE Awards, established in 2003, highlight the growing importance of work experience in allowing students to develop transferable skills while also providing companies with an accessible talent pool for recruitment. The awards recognise, encourage and reward employers who take the lead in the provision of valuable work placement opportunities for students; setting high standards for others to follow by offering fulfilling work placements that help students to bridge the gap between education and the world of work.