Recommendation 28

HM Government Accepted in Part

The Government partially accepts this recommendation. We recognise the need for schools to have the right infrastructure to support the provision of high-quality work experience. The CEC is working to ensure that all schools and colleges within Careers Hubs can match the requirements of each benchmark, including experiences of workplaces. We have commissioned CEC to review and make recommendations for any enhancements and improvements to the existing national digital infrastructure in England for employers (Employer Standards) and schools (Compass+) which may meaningfully enhance the Careers Hub offer on experiences of the workplace. We agree with the Committee that there is potential for an online platform that promotes a range of work experience placements both locally and across the country. A national platform for work experience placements does have potential to be designed to have a broader reach, that could go beyond supporting schools and colleges to meet benchmark 6. It could also support other government work-based programmes, such as T Levels, traineeships and supported internships. Providing a one-stop-shop for all types of work placement programmes and streamlining the matching process for employers and education providers, could help secure employer engagement to support the government’s reforms to technical education and skills. Creating a national platform is a longer-term aspiration that will require extensive engagement with stakeholders, an understanding of what is already in place and an assessment of the benefits and challenges of a centrally coordinated system. As part of the work to develop our Strategic Action Plan for Careers, we will consider how a digital solution could best support work experience, including the feasibility of including a national platform for work experience placements as part of the single starting point. We will ensure that all of the learning from the Experiences of the Workplace strategy is disseminated widely. In addition to the resource hub, we will continue to share good practice through Careers Hubs, Careers Leaders and other careers and education networks. At our next planned spring 2024 review of the careers statutory guidance and each subsequent annual update, we will consider how we can continue to strengthen the content on work experience, setting clear expectations for schools and colleges.