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Why Virtual Work Experience Matters for Gatwick Airport

28th March 2023

 

Speakers for Schools is a youth social mobility charity that connects 14-19-year-olds from thousands of state schools and colleges with employers so that they can learn more about careers and explore the world of work.

Since the launch of its virtual work experience offering in early 2020, the charity’s employer network has grown rapidly – from 70 to 1,200. More than just a temporary fix to counter challenges posed by the pandemic, companies like British Airways, Bentley Motors, the Bank of England, Virgin Atlantic and VisitBritain continue to find virtual work experience to be particularly effective at helping them improve the inclusivity and geographical reach of their early talent outreach activities.

Gatwick Airport have also recently come to see the myriad benefits of virtual delivery over in-person. Since September 2022, they have already supported over 100 young people through online placements, and student feedback has been hugely positive.

85% of participants said they felt more informed about careers in this industry following their placement and many chose to comment on how valuable they had found the sessions:

“I really enjoyed my time on the call, very engaging from all presenters and really informative. Will definitely look more into a career with Gatwick and what opportunities it has to offer.”

“The cyber security section was especially interesting; it’s not a sector I know much about. I also received more information on apprenticeships at Gatwick.” 

The combined challenges of the pandemic, growing economic pressures and skill shortages mean that there are now even more reasons for employers to consider strengthening their early talent pipelines through virtual work experience.

If your company wants to attract a more diverse group of young people, including those from lower socio-economic backgrounds, please register to host virtual work experience with Speakers for Schools today.