Virtual work experience booms during pandemic

A boom in virtual work experience opportunities during the Covid-19 pandemic has made sure young people across the country have not missed out on workplace and careers-related learning.

Young people have been disproportionately affected by the Covid-19 restrictions, which has caused major disruption to their education; government advice to work from home has also reduced opportunities for in-person extra-curricular activities with employers. However, since the pandemic began, Virtual Work Experience (VWEX) has become a lifeline to those looking for involvement in the professional world and for businesses wishing to continue education outreach, all while adhering to guidelines and staying safe.

Of the new placements created, 71% were virtual work experience, according to new figures from Speakers for Schools. The education charity run by ITV political journalist, Robert Peston, reported that the number of work experience placements rose by 5,890 in the year April 2020 to March 2021 despite the pandemic.

With many businesses obliged to furlough staff between April 2020 and March 2021, some industries were better placed than others to make the shift towards virtual outreach activities and pave the way for others to follow. Construction was one such industry, which not only continued to operate, but also embraced the potential of Virtual Work Experience to raise awareness among young people about the range of careers on offer, with a total of over 1,800 work experience placements delivered during the height of the pandemic.

In many locations and industries, the new virtual delivery model for work experience has transformed early outreach programmes for companies. VWEX has allowed employers to substantially increase the number of placements delivered and significantly improve their geographical reach, providing greater opportunities to learners regardless of their location. For example, music streaming service Spotify, which has its UK base in London, was able to increase its work placements opportunities by over 40 times the previous year’s total.

Despite an end to government guidance to work from home coming on 19th July, Speakers for Schools anticipate that virtual work experience will continue beyond the pandemic.

All the employers who hosted VWEX placements through the charity over the course of the pandemic have indicated that Virtual Work Experience will form a core part of their outreach activities going forwards, with most anticipating they will adopt a hybrid approach post-pandemic.