Heart of Worcestershire College (HoW College) is calling on local businesses to support the next generation of workers, by offering meaningful work placements for students. With increasing challenges in securing placements across various industries, HoW College is appealing to companies to help bridge the gap between education and employment.
Students without work placements can struggle to secure employment, lack essential soft skills such as communication and teamwork, and may face barriers to completing their courses. Without real-world exposure, many students enter industries that don’t align with their skills or interests, impacting their long-term career prospects.
Jodie Taylor, Work Experience and Job Coach at HoW College, said:
“Different sectors face unique challenges. In construction, for example, health and safety regulations and remote site locations can make it difficult for students to access placements. Meanwhile, in computing and digital media, remote working has reduced access to traditional office environments, limiting students’ chances to develop professional skills.”
Despite these challenges, work placements continue to transform students’ career prospects. Many students secure apprenticeships or full-time jobs as a direct result of their placements, while others gain part-time employment. Those completing T Level courses—requiring at least 315 hours of work experience—show significant improvements in both technical and interpersonal skills.
To help students become work-ready, HoW College has introduced its 5Cs initiative, focusing on: Critical Thinking, Creativity, Communication, Collaboration, and Company Behaviours. This initiative ensures that students develop key competencies that make them valuable assets to employers.
HoW College is particularly keen to hear about placement opportunities in sectors such as health and social care; early years; construction; electrical installation; engineering; business; computing and digital media; beauty; travel and tourism.
Many businesses have already seen the advantages of engaging with student placements. Megan Browne, Social Value Co-ordinator at Arcus FM Redditch, said:
“Supporting work experiences has been extremely beneficial to us. Facilities management is an unknown industry, and we hope that by supporting placements, we inspire attendees to pursue a career in FM. When placements last several weeks, we often gain fresh perspectives on our processes.”
Paul Hawkes from Rubicon Leisure, Redditch, adds:
“Offering work placements has been a fantastic opportunity to work closely with HoW College, and has even helped us fill skill gaps within our organisation. This mutually beneficial arrangement not only enhances our team’s capabilities but provides students with invaluable hands-on experience, preparing them for successful careers in the industry.”
HoW College is committed to bridging the gap between education and employment, with the support of local businesses. To find out more about HoW College, visit https://www.howcollege.ac.uk/