Businesses claim offering school children work experience is too time consuming'

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"Two in five (41 per cent) of companies that do not provide such opportunities cited the process as too time-consuming. The research, conducted by The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), found that a third of senior business leaders not offering placements also reported a lack of staff capacity to supervise young people (33 per cent), while 34 per cent struggled to identify suitable tasks. Of the 750 business leaders surveyed in total, just over half (52 per cent) currently offer work experience."

A survey by The Careers & Enterprise Company found many businesses deterred from offering work experience placements to school pupils because of time constraints and staffing challenges. Two in five companies that do not provide placements said the process is too time-consuming. A third of senior business leaders not offering placements reported a lack of staff capacity to supervise young people, while 34 per cent struggled to identify suitable tasks. Of 750 business leaders surveyed, just over half currently offer work experience, and 58 per cent indicated the traditional two-week block is too time-consuming. The government's post-16 education and skills white paper promised at least two weeks of work experience, with a goal to split at least one week's worth into years seven to nine.

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