Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+

Early careersLatest NewsLearning & developmentPay & benefitsRecruitment & retention

Business groups welcome eight-week work experience plans

by Laura Chamberlain 24 Jan 2011
by Laura Chamberlain 24 Jan 2011

Business groups have welcomed government plans to get more young people into work by extending the length of time they can spend doing work experience without losing benefits.

The aim is to allow unemployed 18- to 21-year-olds the chance to build up valuable experience on their CVs through work experience placements that will be available through Jobcentre Plus. Under the proposals, up to eight weeks of work experience can be undertaken.

Previously, a maximum of two weeks’ work experience could be carried out before the loss of benefits.

Jackie Orme, chief executive of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) welcomed the plans, saying: “Young people have fared poorly in the recent recession and are likely to remain at the back of the hiring queue if they don’t have the opportunities to train and gain work experience.

“Work experience is a perfect way to break the vicious circle of ‘no experience, no job’, and give young people an opportunity to develop and demonstrate the skills and commitment employers need.”

Orme urged CIPD members to make the most of the new work experience matching service, which the Government and Jobcentre Plus have unveiled as part of the plans.

Katja Hall, CBI director of employment policy, also supported the plans. She commented: “No experience is more valuable to a young person looking for a job than real work. Even if the employer who gives you a work placement isn’t hiring, you will gain key skills which boost your employability and raise the chances of you getting a job somewhere else.”

The announcement comes as figures from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation indicate that one 16- to 24-year-old in five is now out of work, the highest rate since records began in 1992.

Announcing the plans today (Monday), employment minister Chris Grayling said: “Our new work experience scheme will give young people the chance to get valuable experience in a business for up to two months, which will make a real difference to their confidence, their employability and their prospects.”

Sign up to our weekly round-up of HR news and guidance

Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday

OptOut
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

The scheme is part of the Government’s Get Britain Working package, which includes the roll-out of work clubs across the country and the introduction of the New Enterprise Allowance, which will support unemployed people looking to start new businesses.

Resources on providing work placements

  • Are employers required to pay school children on work experience the national minimum wage?
  • Legal Q&A: Managing internships
  • Get to grips with internships
  • Opinion: Legal internships requirements for employers

Laura Chamberlain

previous post
Recruitment a top priority for private sector
next post
Graduate vacancies on the rise

You may also like

Number of Neet women rises but figures fall...

23 May 2025

Bank holidays: six things employers need to know

23 May 2025

Unions ponder strike action after public sector pay...

23 May 2025

Personnel Today Awards 2025: Three weeks left to...

23 May 2025

Sighing in frustration at colleague was discriminatory, judge...

23 May 2025

Flexible working for teachers initiative extended

23 May 2025

Fire and rehire: the relocation question

22 May 2025

Public sector workers gain pay rises of up...

22 May 2025

Six ways to kickstart conversations about team stress...

22 May 2025

UK net migration slashed by half in one...

22 May 2025

  • 2025 Employee Communications Report PROMOTED | HR and leadership...Read more
  • The Majority of Employees Have Their Eyes on Their Next Move PROMOTED | A staggering 65%...Read more
  • Prioritising performance management: Strategies for success (webinar) WEBINAR | In today’s fast-paced...Read more
  • Self-Leadership: The Key to Successful Organisations PROMOTED | Eletive is helping businesses...Read more
  • Retaining Female Talent: Four Ways to Reduce Workplace Drop Out PROMOTED | International Women’s Day...Read more

Personnel Today Jobs
 

Search Jobs

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2025

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2025 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • Home
    • All PT content
  • Email sign-up
  • Topics
    • HR Practice
    • Employee relations
    • Learning & training
    • Pay & benefits
    • Wellbeing
    • Recruitment & retention
    • HR strategy
    • HR Tech
    • The HR profession
    • Global
    • All HR topics
  • Legal
    • Case law
    • Commentary
    • Flexible working
    • Legal timetable
    • Maternity & paternity
    • Shared parental leave
    • Redundancy
    • TUPE
    • Disciplinary and grievances
    • Employer’s guides
  • AWARDS
    • Personnel Today Awards
    • The RAD Awards
  • Jobs
    • Find a job
    • Jobs by email
    • Careers advice
    • Post a job
  • Brightmine
    • Learn more
    • Products
    • Free trial
    • Request a quote
  • Webinars
  • Advertise
  • OHW+