STUDENTS are being offered the chance to experience the world of work remotely thanks to an innovative virtual work-experience project.

The Cumbria Summer Term Insight Festival launches soon with 13 organisations including some based in the county, volunteering to take part and offer 1,600 places to young people, aged 14 to 19, to help them shape their career choices.

Young people are able to book on to a number of one-day virtual work-experience slots throughout June with some employers offering up to 250 places per session as schools and colleges look to overcome the impact of Covid-19 restrictions.

The organisations taking part include University of Cumbria, NHS, Health Education England and Morgan Sindall.

Cumbria-based businesses are getting involved, including The Entrepreneurs Group and Kaefer. The scheme is being organised by Speakers for Schools, founded in 2010 by ITV’s Political Editor Robert Peston. One of its aims is to end educational inequality by giving all young people access to the same prestigious networks and opportunities available to the top fee-paying schools in the UK.

It says that young people from the most advantaged backgrounds are 10 times more likely to go to a top university. Of state school students, 47 per cent said they would lack the confidence to be successful in applying for a top university.

Speakers for Schools has also said that just seven per cent of the UK population go to an independent school but but their alumni continue to dominate the leading professions.

Its mission statement is: “Our aspirational engagements, put young people in touch with the very best, to spark their ambitions and the belief in what is possible for the future. Speakers for Schools brings together eminent figures of today, from FTSE 100s and arts leaders to CEOs and tenured professors, creating a dynamic network of thousands of school talks and esteemed work experience placements – all for free.”

Working alongside the Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership and the Careers and Enterprise Company, the Hub brings together employers with schools and Colleges to support high quality careers education and enable young people to engage with employers and experience the world of work.

Cath Dutton, Cumbria Careers Hub Manager, said: “This is an incredible opportunity for so many of our young people to experience what it is like to be involved in a range of careers in Cumbria and beyond.

“Covid-19 has brought many challenges, but it has also encouraged us to look creatively at how young people can meet with employers across the county and nationally to understand what it would be like to work in many sectors through virtual insight days.

“Places are limited, so I would encourage any young person to take a look and apply for as many of the days they are interested in.

"Whether it is in photography, theatre, nuclear transport, cyber security, clean energy, NextGen Nurses or becoming a doctor, each of these interactive virtual insight days will help inform future career decisions and develop key employability skills.”

Jason Elsom, chief executive officer of Speakers for Schools, said: “All we ask is that schools in Cumbria get involved to give youngsters a helping hand on the careers ladder.

“Our team is delighted to support schools every step of the way to create and deliver quality experiences that will inspire and inform career ambitions for the young people of Cumbria.”

Schools and colleges that feel the scheme might benefit their pupils can register their interest at: https://www.s4snextgen.org/Sign-Up/Schools

Pupils in Year 10, 12 and 11 are being asked to register their interest directly at: https://www.s4snextgen.org/students/Take-Part