"Work experience ‘worth the equivalent of two A Levels’", say employers.
"Better GCSE results, fewer exclusions, better attendance achieved as a direct result of successful work experience placements"
Investor in Young People Ltd writes:
"We are sure all of you are aware of the increasing numbers of NEETS [Not in Education, Employment or Training] as well as the disillusionment being experienced by today's youth, the workforce of the future.
"With the dissolution of compulsory work experience placements following GCSEs, many of our young people may not step foot in a working environment until they get their first job. The impact of work experience cannot be understated. Work experience is the most important factor in shaping young people’s perceptions of the world of work. It helps them to learn about a particular occupation, gain valuable personal skills such as independence and team work, and to understand the expectations of employers. Such lessons cannot be learnt in the classroom.
"Our passion and commitment to producing a website that will be accessible by the public will mean that every young person in Cambridgeshire will be able to go online and search for their chosen work experience. Their parents can participate and work with them in identifying the best opportunity available in the county. This is an innovative initiative enabled by technology and it is only right that Cambridge, the UK's Silicon Valley, should lead the way in producing a unique highly innovative ground-breaking web platform.
"It’s a combination of schools, parents and employers that will make this work. It’s not one of our responsibilities, it’s all of our responsibility to help young people feel valued and respected, and also spend time coaching them in their careers.
"Investor in Young People are therefore asking everyone on the Cambridge Network to sign up to our project. We need to know that the whole community is behind this project in order to gain the necessary funding for this very important initiative to go ahead. To do so, simply go to www.iiyp.co.uk and click on the appropriate registration form 'Companies, Schools, or Individual' and sign up. Even if your business or school already provides work experience opportunities, please be kind enough to sign up. By enabling this project to go ahead all participants will benefit.
"We need you to act now - tomorrow will be too late."