{"id":5859,"date":"2021-05-03T14:41:13","date_gmt":"2021-05-03T13:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=5859"},"modified":"2021-05-03T14:41:13","modified_gmt":"2021-05-03T13:41:13","slug":"leading-coventry-businesswoman-urges-other-businesses-to-think-outside-the-box-and-provide-remote-work-experience-for-school-pupils-during-lockdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gpsj.co.uk\/?p=5859","title":{"rendered":"Leading Coventry businesswoman urges other businesses to \u2018think outside the box\u2019 and provide remote work experience for school pupils during lockdown"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Fleur Sexton<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cGiving the next generation of our workforce an insider view of how our world works is absolute gold\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>With the pandemic sabotaging so many key experiences that should be shaping young people\u2019s lives and aspirations, work experience is one area where businesses can step up their game and provide invaluable support and inspiration to the next generation of our workforce. Coventry-based PET-Xi Training<\/a> – one of the most hard-hitting and dynamic training providers in the UK with a reputation for success with the hardest to reach – is offering school pupils a whole range of remote work experience placements, from marketing to finance and graphic design, and Managing Director Fleur Sexton is urging other businesses to \u2018think outside the box\u2019 and follow suit.<\/p>\n

\u201cLife isn\u2019t perfect, but understanding how to deal with imperfect situations and still<\/em> succeeding is one of the most important lessons young people can learn,\u201d said Fleur Sexton, who is also Deputy Lieutenant, West Midlands and Businesswoman of the Year. \u201cLockdown has put up so many barriers, and businesses may be shying away from offering work experience in such challenging circumstances. But it\u2019s vital that we give the next generation of our workforce an insider\u2019s view of how the career world works – let them see how businesses are keeping going in the hardest of times, how they are adapting and creating positives from difficult situations. It\u2019s more important now than ever to show young people a \u2018warts and all\u2019 view of life.\u201d<\/p>\n

Businesses should look at what insight into the working world they can<\/em> offer work experience students during lockdown instead of what they can\u2019t. While traditional \u2018in-person\u2019 placements are currently not feasible, \u2018remote\u2019 placements are – and they can even offer new advantages.<\/p>\n

For example, young people living in seaside towns with limited job prospects suddenly have a raft of opportunities opened up once work experience moves online – location is taken out of the equation. Similarly, those with physical disabilities, anxiety or who are disadvantaged in other ways may have difficulty accessing work experience via the traditional route \u2013 the playing field is levelled in many ways once it becomes virtual.<\/p>\n

A range of remote or virtual work experience options are on offer at PET-Xi, with packages of support designed around the interests and potential career path of each pupil taking part \u2013 whether they are considering a future job in sales, training, teaching, marketing, graphic design or HR & admin. Reflecting PET-Xi\u2019s commitment to \u2018re-wiring\u2019 communities and creating social equity, these options include:<\/p>\n