Using Modern Work Experience to Inspire the Next Generation
Description
Work experience is changing, and education professionals have a critical role to play in ensuring young people are prepared for the realities of modern work. Traditional work experience models have provided valuable opportunities for many students, but today's rapidly evolving labour market calls for broader, more flexible approaches that better reflect contemporary workplaces and career pathways.
This presentation is designed for career advisers, career development practitioners, teachers, and educators who support young people in exploring their future pathways. Drawing on more than a decade of experience connecting employers, schools, families, and young people across Cheshire and Warrington in the United Kingdom, the session explores the principles and practical strategies outlined in the Modern Work Experience Guide.
Participants will discover how modern approaches to work experience can help students build confidence, develop employability skills, explore career opportunities, and gain meaningful insights into the world of work. The session will also highlight how employers benefit through stronger talent pipelines, improved community engagement, and opportunities to connect with future generations of workers.
The presentation showcases a range of innovative models that extend beyond the traditional one week placement, including:
• Employer led projects
• Virtual and hybrid work experiences
• Workplace safaris
• Industry exploration programs
• Mentoring initiatives
• Workplace visits
• Sector based collaborations
• Structured industry placements
• Progressive employer engagement throughout a student's educational journey
Participants will explore how schools, teachers, career practitioners, employers, and families can work together to create work experience opportunities that are accessible, inclusive, and meaningful for all students.
Through practical examples, case studies, and proven approaches, the session will encourage participants to reflect on what high quality modern work experience looks like and how it can be embedded within career education and career development programs. Attendees will leave with practical ideas that can be adapted to their own school, organisation, or educational context.
Ultimately, this session is about opening doors, broadening horizons, and ensuring every young person has access to experiences that help them connect learning with future opportunities. It offers educators and career practitioners practical strategies to support informed career decision making and successful transitions into further education, training, and employment.
CICA Core Competencies:
• Career Development Theory
• Labour Market Information
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills
• Professional Practice Application
Lineup
Trevor Langston
Trevor Langston spent over 20 years as a teacher, 10 of those in senior leadership and 5 as a headteacher. He worked in 4 different secondary schools across the North-West of England, 3 of them with a Business and Enterprise Specialism. Ten years ago he left to lead the set-up of the Cheshire and Warrington Pledge which has developed a partnership of over 500 organisations including employers, schools, colleges, professional bodies, local authorities and the third sector. Last year the Pledge, homed in the youth charity Youthfed, ran over 100 events, supporting over 17,000 young people, 114 schools/colleges and 368 employers. Trevor was asked by the Westminster Foundation to capture his learning about Modern Work Experience by creation of a Guide and supporting videos. Trevor is passionate about levelling the playing field so all young people can make the connections to secure a successful transition into a successful career.
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