Nine in ten employers say work experience is important
21-12-2006
Thirteen per cent of employers would not offer an interview to a candidate that did not have relevant work experience, new research shows.
Almost nine in ten of employers questioned by the Learning and Skills Council said that they regarded relevant work experience to be an important part of an applicant's CV.
More than half of employers said that in the future candidates without work experience would find it even harder to find a job, with school-leavers currently likely to earn £87 a month more in their first job if they have gained relevant work experience at college or school.
The organisation has called on employers to offer more aspirational work placements to teenagers, with just 31 per cent currently offering paid work experience and 45 per cent offering unpaid placements.
Julia Dowd, director of learning at the Learning and Skills Council, said: "Work experience is absolutely crucial in today's competitive job market.
"Not only does gaining practical work-based experience give young people an opportunity to see whether they are suited to a job, it also means a bigger pay packet when they enter the world of work full-time."
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