Liverpool City Region launches national pilot to radically shake-up work experience for school children
28 Feb 2025
- Equalex pilot guarantees 10 days鈥 worth of modern work experience for every child鈥
- Liverpool City Region chosen as one of four national pilots鈥
- Project to drive high-quality, modern work experience for all in key skills sectors鈥
- Target sectors include Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Creative, and Health and Life Sciences
- Aims to break down social barriers with high-quality provision for all.
An ambitious national plan to reinvent work experience for schoolchildren is to be tested in the Liverpool City Region.鈥
The equalex pilot will test a new framework to improve work experience for every pupil. It replaces the traditional two-week block with multiple experiences totalling 10 days throughout secondary education.
Several prominent city region employers 鈥 including Jaguar Land Rover, Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, NHS England, Atkins Realis, Keepmoat, Kimpton and Unilever 鈥 interested in supporting the pilot,鈥 along with small and medium-sized businesses, and鈥 ten schools.鈥
The work experiences will be aimed at filling skills gaps and equipping local children for tech jobs in the city region天美影音视频 pioneering Life Sciences Innovation Zone.鈥
The pilot is one of four across England, each testing a different part of the new model, before the project is scaled up to allow for national roll-out.鈥
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region Steve Rotheram said:鈥
鈥淲ork experience is a vital part of a young person天美影音视频 education, helping to equip them with the knowledge, confidence, and skills they need for their future careers.鈥
鈥淏ut for too long, too many pupils have missed out on meaningful opportunities 鈥 leaving them at a disadvantage when they take their first steps into the world of work. That has to change.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 delighted that our region has been chosen to help lead the way on this innovative pilot. By giving schoolchildren real experience in some of our fastest-growing industries 鈥 like tech and our expanding Life Sciences Innovation Zone 鈥 we鈥檙e not just equipping them with the skills for the jobs of the future, we鈥檙e making sure those opportunities are open to everyone, no matter their background.鈥濃
It is accepted across the sector that only about 50% of young people have work experience.鈥
The equalex pilot has been developed by The Careers and Enterprise Company (CEC), the national body for careers education, and supported by Careers Hubs. It is a multi-year, multi-experience model supported by the curriculum and open to all learners.鈥
The tiered approach provides a breadth and depth of workplace experiences totalling ten days throughout secondary education. The pilot is one of four national trials 鈥 including Greater Manchester, West Midlands and West Yorkshire 鈥 with each testing a separate aspect.鈥
In the city region, the initiative will target the key growth sectors of Advanced Manufacturing, Digital and Creative, and Health and Life Sciences.鈥
It will run in partnership with the LCR Careers Hub at no cost to the schools involved.鈥
Modern work experience should be鈥 flexible in terms of length and will run across Key Stage 3 and 4. Key stage 3 covers the first three years of secondary school, while Key Stage 4 covers the final two years.鈥
This will give students the chance to make informed choices and gain鈥 work experience before and after making GCSE options鈥
The project will also examine the challenges faced by employers in providing work experience and look for ways to support and inspire businesses to take part.鈥
Oli de Botton, CEO of The Careers & Education Company said:鈥
鈥淲e are thrilled to be working with the Liverpool City Region to launch a new work experience pilot for young people in the area. The approach means that learners from ages 11-14 will access the region's fast-growing industries over 10 days鈥 worth of high-quality experiences. Our goal is to ensure that all young people, particularly those who are currently missing out, can gain the experiences that help them get ready to thrive in the future.鈥濃
Modern Work Experience
Modern work experience will help young people to make informed choices and improve career readiness and employability by offering multiple, variable and targeted experiences throughout their education journey.
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