What is the impact of work experience on young people affected by the pandemic? Q&A

The impact of work experience on young people

Short film by Stanley (15)

Stanley’s insights:

Some students stuck in lockdown during a crucial developmental period for their social skills are now facing extra barriers to finding placements and employment. This is due to reduced communication skills and confidence.

Communication skills and confidence adversely affected by lockdown can make it harder for young people to:

• Find, ask for, and secure placements
• Interact confidently with experienced employees during a work placement
• Communicate any challenges related to the placement
• Ask questions before or during a placement that could help develop their confidence and understanding.

Film transcript

Many young people are confident about getting jobs in the future. Others have found communicating with employers difficult, such as in the lead-up to work experience. Some people have found finding and securing placements hard, mainly due to a lack of communication skills. Some of those people have ended up doing work they don’t want to be doing, or don’t find interesting, due to a lack of communication between them and employers. Some people find the work itself difficult, because they can’t interact with the people they’re working with.

On the other hand, some people have found it great to work at places similar to places in which they will ppotentially work in the future. They’ve manage to find great places that will give them benefit later in life. They are able to do all this because they have the confidence to ask different places for work experience. And then, when on the work experience, they can ask questions that will benefit them.

Many people who potentially struggle could have had those problems because of the way they were impacted during the Covid-19 pandemic. With lockdown, people were stuck at home during a crucial developmental period for their social skills. I think this has had a severe and lasting impact on these students, and has affected their communication skills as their social growth was stunted during a crucial time in their lives.

For some people, due to lack of confidence, problems with communication will affect them as they move into the real world. Many opportunities will be missed, and this can impact their lives and careers.

Others who do have the ability to communicate with employers will have a much wider range of opportunities available to them.

Stanley’s WEX placement with Mediorite

Work experience matters – to young people and employers.

Employer brand trends for 2025 indicate a need to focus on early careers opportunities – especially since the Government has youth employment high on its agenda, with two weeks’ work experience for all 18 to 21 year olds. Youth Voice Census findings – and Stanley’s own peer research – show that employers need to engage with students who were in lockdown during key stages of their development.

At Mediorite we recognise the challenges for employers in highlighting work experience benefits and case studies, since placements aren’t with the business for long.

We excel at authentic and engaging early careers video campaigns, and can work with you to showcase your WEX provision with employer brand video production that makes an impact.

We walk the walk: With 15 years of film production experience, we also provide work experience placements, training and opportunities for young people as part of our award-winning social impact. We’d love to hear from you.