July is National Work Experience Month and Edge is a key Supporting Partner. In this episode, Edge Executive Director Olly Newton hosts Beryl Henshaw, Managing Director, B&E Together Ltd and Nick Newman, Founder & CEO, National Careers Week CIC, who discuss the importance of work experience for young people, the challenges faced by employers, and the coming month. They share insights, success stories, and strategies to enhance work experience opportunities across the UK.

Evidence shows that when a student gains access to meaningful work experience activity, they not only develop a better understanding of what the world of work looks and feels like — they are also better prepared for the transition from education into employment.

Chapters (timings are approximate)

00:00 Introduction to National Work Experience Month
01:34 The Importance of Work Experience for Young People
03:38 Challenges in Offering Work Experience
06:09 Building on National Careers Week
08:46 Virtual Work Experience and Social Capital
12:13 Collaboration for Effective Work Experience
14:45 Celebrating Best Practices in Work Experience
17:12 The Impact of Work Experience on Young Lives
18:45 Encouraging Employers to Get Involved

In this episode of Insights from the Edge, we’re looking at the findings of the recent first report from the Milburn Review with a particular lens on what young people themselves are telling us.

Hosted by Olly Newton, Executive Director at Edge, with guests Ayesha Baloch, Head of Youth Employment Policy at Impetus and Lauren Mistry, Deputy CEO of Youth Employment UK.

Chapters (timings are approximate)

00:00 Introduction to the Milburn Review and Youth Voice
02:05 Insights from the Breaking Barriers Collective
04:25 Understanding NEAT: Barriers and Success Stories
05:18 Key Messages from the Youth Voice Census
09:25 Employer Perspectives on Youth Employment
14:12 Effective Strategies for Supporting NEAT Young People
19:03 Recommendations for the Milburn Review

A series of 20 minute podcasts from Edge Foundation designed to be heard over coffee or a commute exploring how education and the world of work can better serve young people and meet skills and social needs in an ever-changing world.

What is meaningful modern work experience? How do we re-imagine work experience for the 2020s? In this episode we’re marking The Careers & Enterprise Company’s employer pledge week. How can we encourage employers, including SMEs, to offer work experience placements for young people?

Edge Executive Director Olly Newton is joined by John Yarham, from The Careers & Enterprise Company, the national body for careers education and Chris Mayne from Electech Innovation Cluster, a group of electronic and electrical engineering SMEs based in Lancashire.

Teacher encounters: https://www.edge.co.uk/practice/practice-library/teacher-externships/