COVID-19 restrictions have had a massive effect on young people, with many missing out on the opportunity to undertake important work experience placements and gain valuable skills and knowledge during sixth form and university.

These missed work experience opportunities inspired us to launch a series of virtual work experience sessions for sixth form and university students in February 2021.

Following the success of the first workshops, we’re bringing them back this July to offer another opportunity for students to gain valuable experience.

The two sessions, ‘An Introduction to PR’ and ‘An Introduction to Social and Digital’, are endorsed by the Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) and will be hosted virtually by our team members in Birmingham. The team will provide participants with useful career insights; from what it’s like working in communications to how best to improve employability or join the profession.

The sessions will take place on 28^th and 29^th July, between 2pm and 4pm over Zoom, with space for 300 students to join each session to gain insight and to help navigate the challenges of gaining work experience during the current pandemic.

All students taking part will receive a certificate as proof of the experience.

Our CEO, Elisabeth Lewis-Jones, said: “We are very excited to be able to give up to 600 students the opportunity to gain valuable work experience remotely. As a company, we passionately believe in training and development and support school leavers and university students each year, through mentoring, placements and our own graduate recruitment programme, Source.

“We appreciate that the pandemic has made work experience difficult for many young people to develop their skills. This is our way of providing guidance and advice at such a crucial time in their career, as well as something tangible to put on their CV.”