This month the government has promised to take steps to improve the skills of workers in Britain, with skills secretary John Denham pledging £1 billion in order to create more apprenticeships in the UK. The announcement comes after Gordon Brown's highly controversial comments earlier this year in which he proclaimed that there should be "British jobs for British workers".

Whilst Gordon Brown’s comments have come under attack and many have pointed out that jobs cannot be created solely for British workers to the exclusion of EU workers, it represents a push from the government in increasing training and skills in Britain.

We have recently launched a new document, our Work experience agreement, for employers wishing to offer work experience, within their own organisation, to a young person. There are many benefits to offering voluntary work experience within your business, both for yourself and also for the young person. The person on work experience can gain valuable insight into your organisation, which they could possibly use later to choose their own career; whilst the young person often brings the latest knowledge and technical expertise to the projects on which they work and are often highly motivated.

Our new Work experience agreement has been designed specifically for employers who wish to take on a young person who is no longer in school and is over the mandatory school leaving age of 16, on a voluntary basis as work experience. This agreement should only be used for periods of four weeks or less, so that the young person does not fall within the scope of National Minimum Wage legislation.

In preparation for the young person's work experience, you should also use our Risk assessment for a young person on work experience to undertake a risk assessment in your workplace. You must carry out a risk assessment before taking on a young person for work experience.