Sussex students finally attend their first in-person work experience after lockdown interruptions
Two students from The Weald School, Billingshurst, recently attended a week of in-person work experience with local marketing agency PMW.
Since the pandemic hit in 2019, students have found it increasingly difficult to secure a valuable work experience placement and, according to a study by YouGov for The Sutton Trust, over 60% of employers have cancelled their work experience opportunities. PMW recognises that it is still important for students under the age of 18 to have the opportunity to benefit from a productive placement.
After missing out on the chance to partake in previous work experience opportunities due to Covid-19, Year 12 students Laura Sawyer and Sarah Graham spent the week learning about the world of marketing.
Spending each day with a different department, Laura and Sarah were able to gain a practical insight into the inner workings of the full-service marketing agency. The week began with a quick tour of the newly-expanded office, before five days of being mentored by the staff in PMW’s social media, public relations and copywriting, account management, digital marketing, and graphic design departments.
Laura commented:
“I was hoping in Year 10 to come to PMW for work experience, but after all the interruptions with the pandemic and lockdown I wasn’t able to. That’s why I appreciate it even more now. It’s great to get the chance to be in the office and get the full in-person experience.”
Sarah added:
“I am so happy that PMW has been able to offer such a valuable placement to help me gain the experience I need – it has been such a rewarding experience. Lots of students have gone for work experience and been given the job of drinks-making or filing, so I feel really lucky to have been able to work in so many departments.”
Peter Sutton, Managing Director of PMW, said:
“Last year we were able to provide a virtual work experience opportunity for local students, but welcoming Laura and Sarah to the office for an in-person placement has been fantastic. We have staff members who had terrible work experiences when they were younger, so we ensure the time students spend with us is valuable, and I hope that our guidance has inspired an interest in a future in the marketing industry.”
