GDST and Bright Network Virtual Work Experience programme

The GDST collaborates with Bright Network to offer a virtual work experience placement to all Year 11 students

The past year of remote working, Guided Home Learning and nationwide lockdowns has taken its toll on us all in multiple ways. For students across the country looking to gain insights into the workplace through on site work experience, this meant a sudden loss of opportunity. Many young people improvised, completing Futurelearn courses or attending employer insight events online, and gaining a better understanding about the jobs their parents did after months of working in close proximity. However, the lack of placements has caused some anxiety to both students and employers, who rely on these connections to build a recruitment pipeline.

As ever, the GDST seeks to be forward-thinking and innovative, pioneering new approaches to overcome obstacles. This summer, with workplaces only just starting to reopen, we are collaborating with Bright Network to offer a virtual work experience placement to every single Year 11 student.

This programme will give our students the opportunity to hear directly from employers, ask questions to GDST alumnae about their experiences of the workplace, attend employability skills workshops and, importantly, work in a small team on a business task. Students also receive a certificate on completion which can be added to their CV and LinkedIn.

Karen Kimura, Learning & Development Manager, explains why such programmes are essential in giving GDST girls the edge when it comes to being future-ready:

“Work experience gives young people the opportunity to explore sectors and careers they know little or nothing about to find out if they are a match for their own skills and careers aspirations,” Karen explains. “Many graduates have completed work experience in their future workplace whilst at university, with many receiving – and accepting – job offers at the end of their work placements or internships. Competition to get on to these schemes can be fierce, so younger students will need to show evidence of skills developed during their own placements, volunteering or extra-curricular activities.”

Our partners on this initiative, Bright Network, were established in 2008 with a mission to connect the next generation with the opportunities, insights and advice to succeed as the workforce of tomorrow. It links the brightest of talents with top employers across a large number of sectors, and we are delighted to count British Airways and The Transform Society amongst the organisations with whom our students will be working. Last year, Bright Network created a virtual work experience programme as a practical response to Coronavirus concerns by educational institutions, university career services and businesses. Partnering with us at the GDST, the programme was promoted to Year 13 students, who took part before heading to university, work or gap years. Increasing diversity and equality in the workplace is vital to Bright Network, and this led to a female participation rate of over 50 per cent.

As for whether work experience can be replicated online, it’s a resounding yes from Karen. “Employers want to see that students have been proactive, developed their skills and completed projects based on real work scenarios. This virtual work experience placement ticks all these boxes,” she explains, “and let’s not forget that companies such as HSBC and Twitter have announced big changes to work patterns, suggesting the future of work will include more flexibility and more WFH, so this experience gives our students the opportunity to learn how to approach this style of working, developing skills such as time management and presenting ideas virtually.”

The GDST family has a reach from Brighton to Newcastle and from Cardiff to Norwich, and we’re also excited that the virtual work experience programme helps our students to overcome geographical constraints, too. Living outside of the capital will no longer be an impediment to working in investment banking, for example, with students accessing experiences with global firms, without the additional costs associated with travel and accommodation in Canary Wharf.

We are confident that this virtual work experience placement, which will take place on 9th and 10th June, will give our students a boost in confidence and self-knowledge before they embark upon sixth form, and we look forward to continuing to support their careers exploration and research as they pursue their dreams and ambitions in Year 12 and beyond.