This morning marked the launch of Workfinder, the workplace experience platform that over 20,000 business leaders have pledged to support, and bridges the gap between businesses and young people all over the country.
The launch event discussed how business and education must work together to inspire the next generation by offering young people rewarding and meaningful work experience.
Speaking at the event to support the initiative was Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn, who pledged to offer experience through the app, stating that ‘more companies need to see work experience as important for society, business and the morale of employees’.
He also emphasised the positive impact that this initiative can have on a business, encouraging business leaders in the room to see it as ‘opportunity as well as duty’.
Sherry Coutu CBE, founder of Workfinder and chairman of Founders4Schools, spoke passionately about the platform and the value of work experience; 90% of teachers believe that it is the best way to prepare young people for life after school.
Unruly co-founder Sarah Wood OBE and Babylon CEO and founder Ali Parsa, were among the other speakers to also pledge work experience.
The morning’s event expanded on the ongoing mission of Founders4Schools, to introduce young people to inspiring entrepreneurs and business leaders, and to narrow the gap between education and business.
One of the many current issues that young people face is a lack of opportunities to make themselves seen and heard. Work experience can often go to students from wealthier families or those with existing contacts in the business community.
Workfinder aims to address these issues with a simple platform that students around the country can use to find meaningful experiences of the workplace from companies in their areas – ‘not just copying and coffee’.
The morning finished with a call to action for parents, teachers and businesses alike to support young people with work experience opportunities: ‘It’s up to us as society and individuals to solve… and this is a problem worth solving’.