Find out about the 7 essential things organisations should include in their virtual work experience programme.
The world of work has been adapting to the digital-first age for some time, and the COVID-19 pandemic only expedited this process. With remote work now a norm in many industries, it makes sense that work experience would follow suit. That’s why more and more organisations are now offering virtual work experience alongside, or instead of, its in-person counterpart.
But there is an art to running a great virtual work experience programme that offers a positive experience for the participants and also brings value to your business. If you are just starting to develop your virtual work experience proposition, it can be challenging to know where to start.
Here are seven things you absolutely must include.
A comprehensive onboarding process
For many young people, work experience (whether virtual or physical) will be their first introduction to the world of work. This can be daunting. Even if they are not completely new to the workplace, they are new to your organisation.
This is why it is essential to begin your virtual work experience with a detailed onboarding process. This might include introductions to key personnel, information and training on how to use any technology that will be required, an outline of what will happen throughout the programme, and a clear explanation of any rules or guidelines participants will be expected to follow.
Onboarding can make or break a young person’s experience with you, so do not skip or rush through this step.
Clear objectives and expectations
Your virtual work experience can only be successful if everyone is clear on their goals, objectives, and parameters for success. Before you launch your programme, ensure that you have clear organisational goals in place. What is it designed to achieve and how will success or failure be measured?
Participants will also need a clear understanding of their objectives for the experience and your expectations of them while they are with you. What skills should they acquire during their time with your company? What tasks are they expected to complete, and when? Offering a roadmap at the beginning reduces anxiety and allows young people to understand exactly what is expected of them.
Structured virtual training modules
During in-person work experience, young people can learn by job-shadowing and observing more experienced colleagues and then having a go at tasks under supervision. You will need to offer an alternative in the form of structured training modules.
These can take a variety of formats and should be as engaging and interactive as possible. Webinars, video and audio content, and interactive slides are great options alongside traditional written content.
Ensure that each module has a clear purpose and structure, with goals identified at the beginning and an opportunity for participants to test their knowledge at the end.
Regular feedback and check-ins
In-person work experience students have the luxury of receiving immediate feedback and to ask questions on an ad hoc basis. In a virtual setting, the same is not always possible. Therefore, it’s crucial to set up regular check-ins and reviews to give participants feedback on their performance and output, as well as allowing them to raise any issues and ask questions.
How often you check in will depend upon the length of your virtual work experience programme. If participants are only with you for a week, you might check in briefly every day. If they are completing a 3-month summer virtual internship, however, then once per week might be sufficient once they have settled in.
Mentorship opportunities
Mentorship can be tremendously valuable for virtual work experience students. A mentor is an experienced person who can offer advice, guidance, and a friendly face for the participant to go to in the event of any problems.
We highly recommend assigning each virtual work experience participant a mentor if you can. Set out clear guidelines with mentors as to how often and in what ways they are expected to interact with their mentees.
Collaborative tools and platforms
To succeed in a remote work environment, a good knowledge of the various collaborative tools and platforms on the market is essential. This might include video conferencing software such as Zoom, project management tools such as Trello or Asana, and collaboration platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams.
Where possible, give your virtual work experience students access to the same tools and platforms as your staff and take the time to offer training on how to use them properly. This allows your participants the chance to engage with your wider team and immerse themselves in the daily flow of tasks and communications.
Real projects and tasks
The purpose of work experience, whether virtual or in-person, is to allow the participant to experience what the world of work is actually like. The best way to do this is to involve them by giving them real tasks and projects to work on.
Therefore, allow your work experience students to produce work that will actually be used by your organisation. Even if they only work on a small component of a much larger project, this can be tremendously valuable. This gives them a sense of accomplishment and helps them to feel like part of the team as well as showing them what it’s really like to work in your industry.
Learn more about creating a great virtual work experience programme
Here at Youth Employment UK, we have helped numerous employers to set up and run virtual work experience programmes that benefit both participants and employers. If you are ready to get started, contact us today to learn how we can support you.
Simply email members@youthemployment.org.uk or complete the enquiry form.
