Council axes student work experience
March 22, 2010 10:46 AM
Jo has criticised the Council's decision to do away with work experience for S4 year pupils in East Dunbartonshire.
Secondary school pupils in East Dunbartonshire will miss out on doing work experience placements due to cuts in funding from East Dunbartonshire Council. The cuts will come into effect for the 2010/2011 school year, affecting pupils currently in S2 and S3 classes.
Bearsden Academy student Ewan McAleer is among the first students set to miss out on a service that has been an important part of school life for many teenagers.
Ewan had this to say:
"The current third and second years will no longer be able to take part in work experience due to cuts being made by the Council. This is totally wrong. Work experience is a valuable part of the curriculum and should not just be forgotten."
"Work experience provides a valuable insight into the incredibly tough world of work that students need to have some sort of grasp of. Just to cut it out of the curriculum is not only another huge mistake by the Council but one that will compromise the education and learning of a generation to come."
Commenting, Jo said:
"Work experience is vitally important in showing young people the world that awaits them after completing their studies. It is a very different environment to school and has for many years been seen as an integral part of preparing young people for adulthood."
"Of course, there have to be Council budget cuts in the current economic climate, but the Council must realise how valuable work experience is and how many young people will be negatively affected by this decision. It is a false economy, as the small amounts spent on work experience reap big rewards in the confidence, CVs and career choices of young people. I have therefore written to the Council, to ask why work experience has been withdrawn for students like Ewan. I sincerely hope the Council will reconsider its position."
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