Why Early Work Experience Is Important for Young People — Reflections from Mock Interviews

Earlier this month, I had the privilege of attending a mock interview session at a local school as an Enterprise Adviser for Careers Hub East, alongside other employers. We interviewed both Year 10 and Sixth Form students, giving them the chance to practise and refine vital employability skills in a real interview setting. It was a gratifying experience, but also one that further opened my eyes to the critical importance of exposing our young people to the world of work as early as possible.

The Confidence Gap

One thing stood out starkly during these mock interviews:

• Students with prior work or volunteering experience were confident and articulate. They could discuss the skills they’d developed, how those skills relate to their future plans, and the lessons they’d learned from real-life situations.

• Conversely, many Sixth Form students had little or no workplace experience. This often left them hesitant, uncertain, and struggling to express the skills they have or the ones they know they still need to advance in their work or pursue further studies.

Seeing that confidence gap was, quite honestly, disheartening. It reinforced the message that while academic knowledge is vital, practical exposure to the world of work is equally essential for our young people to flourish.

Why Early Experience Matters

Whether through part-time jobs, volunteering, internships, or even shorter-term opportunities like job shadowing, early work experience offers young people many benefits:

✅ Confidence: They learn how to present themselves professionally, communicate with adults, and navigate new environments.

✅ Skill Development: Practical experiences help build essential skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, time management, and resilience.

✅ Career Clarity: Exposure to different workplaces helps young people discover what they enjoy—and what they don’t—which is invaluable when choosing future paths.

✅ Future Employability: Employers increasingly seek candidates who can demonstrate real-world experience and soft skills alongside academic achievement.

A Collective Responsibility

Creating these opportunities isn’t something schools handle alone. It requires a collaborative effort:

• Employers can offer placements, host workplace visits, or support events like mock interviews.

• Parents and carers can encourage volunteering or part-time work and help young people reflect on what they’re learning.

• Community organisations can create meaningful volunteering roles and mentoring schemes.

We all have a role to play in bridging the gap between education and the world of work.

A Call to Action

I’d encourage employers, educators, and anyone passionate about the future workforce to ask themselves:

How can we help more young people gain practical experience and build the confidence and skills they need to succeed?

Let’s keep the conversation going and share ideas for creating more opportunities. Our young people deserve nothing less.

Have you been involved in initiatives to help young people gain work experience? I’d love to hear your stories and insights!