Why should you offer work placements?
Employers already offering work placements have identified several key benefits.
These included the following:
- Try before you buy recruitment for future vacancies
Promoting a good public image to the community and other potential employees - Demonstrating a commitment to social responsibility by helping students develop
general employability skills, and specific industry knowledge - Providing current employees with an opportunity to supervise/manage the placement
student and develop their own skills - Bringing new ideas and skills into the business
- Cost-effective, flexible support with:
- Projects
- Day-to-day tasks
- Activities
- Peaks and troughs
Providing placements benefits for wider economy and for society as a whole as it provides people with opportunities to gain a meaningful experience of work, develop skills, and understand specific companies, sectors and industries.
Along with providing both inspiration and aspiration to young people; offering a work placement can be beneficial for you for a number of reasons:
- Reducing the cost of recruitment: providing work placements can be a way to access the local labour market and ‘try before you buy’.
- Staff development: supervising and coaching young people on a work placement offers an excellent opportunity to develop the management capabilities of existing employers, particularly those who may not normally have any line management responsibilities.
- A more engaged workforce: providing a work placement sends a positive message to the wider workforce about the values of the organisation, which can strengthen employee engagement and improve teamwork.
- Supporting the local community (CSR): investors, customers and service users look more favourably on employers who play an active role in society. Work placements provide a valuable means of creating a positive image, where organisations help address social and unemployment issues in the local community.
- Contribution to economic development in the local area: by helping to tackle some of the issues around deprivation, social mobility and youth unemployment.
Want to play your part in developing the workforce of tomorrow?
Contact us on 01254 292327 or email workplacements@blackburn.ac.uk.
