If the Job Centre is capable of getting someone a “work experience” placement, then it is clearly capable of getting a proper job placement for someone. The issue here is the never ending revolving door of “work experience” people who walk through the door of (for want of another example) Poundland, with a payment of a couple of thousand pounds to that company for the privilege. In a few week’s time, that person’s experience ends, and another turns up, with another payment. I expect you can see a problem with that, but here are the ones I see:
1 - There is clearly a job in that company. Instead of making a difference by employing the person the Job Centre sends round, the job is kept open constantly, and is refilled every few weeks. This does not take anyone off the unemployment books.
2 - There is a payment of a couple of thousand pounds per person given experience. Where is the incentive for the employer to keep that person? Why isn’t there a grant to ensure that that person is kept on?
3 - The money spent on keeping a person in employment does not go to that person. There is no provision to ensure that that money is used in training, development, or even as pay for that person. It goers straight into the bank account.
4 - Work experience is supposed to be an experience. Part of that would surely be being paid wages during that time. That should be an incentive to stay on, try harder to get a job, etc..
So, I see plenty of incentives for an employee looking for disposable free dogsbody workers and getting paid to take them on for a few weeks. I see little or no benefits to the jobseeker. The absence of pay for the job is an insult.
This system is unnecessarily punitive.