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Government under fire for work experience cuts

Government plans to end enterprise education for 14 -16 year olds are abolishing “a key legal right”, according to the chief executive of Young Enterprise.

Catherine Marchant chief executive of Young Enterprise, has damned the proposals, which would abolish work-related learning as part of the key stage 4 curriculum. This news comes just weeks after it was announced that more than one million 18-24 year olds are out of work.

She commented: “Our distinguished Education Secretary, Michael Gove, is about to do something so apparently odd that it makes one gasp just to think of it.

“It means he is set to abolish a key legal right that young people currently have. This is for a few hours of the curriculum to be devoted to helping develop knowledge, skills and understanding that might be useful in work.”

The Forum of Private Business echoed Ms Marchant’s sentiments in a letter to the Department of Education, which stated that the removal of at least 2 weeks work experience would further reduce the number of work-ready youngsters entering the jobs market. The are now encouraging the government to look further into expanding work experience placements, where young people can learn the skills critical to success.

The Forum’s head of campaigns Jane Bennett believes there is no better place than a real work environment for young people to test out career choices, and develop knowledge vital to the economy.

“If small businesses in the private sector are to lead job creation and tackle unemployment, they need a better labour force that includes young, ambitious and talented individuals who know what it takes to thrive in the workplace,” she explained. “Our training and skills panel research shows our members already believe young people in the UK are largely unprepared for the workplace.

`’New starters frequently arrive with few or no basic skills, and need guidance on even simple things such as appropriate dress code and punctuality – the very basics of a work ethic.“

Research by the Forum of Private Business also shows that many young people have a poor attitude to work, with many new starters unwilling to work antisocial hours or complete tasks they think are beneath them.

Jane continued: “Quite frankly, we need more work experience, not less, to help break down these types of immature mindsets and attitudes.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .