It's no secret that these days graduates need an array of work experience to adorn their CVs if they want to show that they really have gained the transferable skills employers seek. Work experience has become a necessity in ensnaring that graduate job, especially in times of such high levels of competition for positions - often with hundreds of applicants for a single role - but what makes a work experience placement so valuable? I would argue that to get the most out of work experience, a placement truly has to provide the opportunity to let its interns gain proper first-hand experience as opposed to merely allowing them to watch over shoulders; thus, actually giving them such transferable skills specific to the job and the employment sector that really will demonstrate the merit of the placement when translated onto the CV.
However, many work experience placements out there do not offer such valuable opportunities, with interns left to take on menial tasks which teach them little of the industry. So how can students know which companies offer work experience that is a true definition of the phrase? The National Council for Work Experience (NCWE)'s 2011 awards which took place last week can go a long way in aiding students to answer that question. Key winners for placements of the year included LIDL (long term placements employing less than 20 students), PSA Peugeot Citroen (long term placements employing 20 students or more) and BP (short term placements). We might not consider the former, LIDL, as the most glamorous-sounding of placements, but it is worth looking beyond the surface level when it comes to work experience; Mike Hill, chief executive of the Higher Education Careers Services Unit, has described the supermarket chain as having "excelled in its category, offering unique experiences that equip interns with invaluable knowledge of the supermarket sector". A placement offering an intern diversity and a real insight into the industry is certainly not to be sniffed at.
Emily Hickman, recruitment manager at LIDL, expressed her delight at the company's awards success: "Our placement provides students with an overall taste of discount retailing, actively exposing them to the wide range of career opportunities available, from sales and distribution to head office and administration. Interns leave the business more confident, with transferable skills and experiences. It's great that our commitment has been recognised with an NCWE Award."
Students looking for work experience should look to placements which offer, as LIDL does, variety and a real chance to gain true knowledge and understanding within their chosen field, things which will resonate with potential employers when read about on candidates' CVs. If you're going to commit time and effort into a placement (and let's face it, we all should be), make it a good one.
Louise, GRB Journalist
