Efforts to encourage work placements for school students, such as the Yes to Work initiative, will be of great benefit to young people. As The National reported yesterday, the Abu Dhabi Centre for Technology and Vocational Education and Training has helped hundreds of school pupils and university students get first-hand experience of the retail industry as part of a three-week programme targeting Emiratis ages 15 to 18 during the winter and summer school breaks.
These youngsters will have a clear advantage over their peers as they return to school and seek careers. The competitive nature of today’s workforce means that employers are increasingly looking for experience as well as academic achievement in job candidates.
Undertaking a work placement can provide young people with many valuable skills. Even if they have no interest in retailing, having a holiday job at a shop will teach young people discipline, an understanding of and respect for procedures, and the ability to communicate easily with fellow workers and the general public. Young people who have a job tend to be more independent, more decisive, more open-minded, more tolerant, more organised, and more aware of deadlines and other workplace demands.
A shop worker, for example, will learn more than just how to sell products, update inventory records or ring up a cash register. They will become more confident, more focused and more willing to learn, which will help boost their performance in school and improve their grades. Engaging in practical experience can also help young people develop social skills that they can carry through to adult life.
Across the world, young people develop a strong work ethic through holiday jobs and internships. It’s not about the money earned – which will be basic. It’s about setting up a foundation for future work and life.
While some parents may have reservations about letting their child take-up a summer job, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks. Young people need to get out of their comfort zones if they are to be prepared to face life’s many challenges. The best education is not attained by just learning about something, but by doing it.
