Our work

CRAC has a firm belief that work experience, whether paid or voluntary, gained in any context, can play a vital role in supporting an individual's understanding of their own abilities and professional competencies. More traditionally, it allows individuals to gain a sense of an industry sector or of a particular working environment, and it can raise or change aspirations. When delivered well, work experience can give organisations the opportunity to bring in new and different talent on a temporary basis, allowing them to benefit from useful insights from a fresh perspective.

European Framework for Work Experience

The European Framework for Work Experience (EFWE) is a European standard for the assessment of students' employability skills developed through paid, unpaid and voluntary work experience undertaken whilst studying.

The project was initially funded by the European Commission's Leonardo da Vinci programme, and co-ordinated by CRAC. CRAC's partners in the EFWE project come from across the UK, Germany, Finland, Belgium, Spain and Romania.

The framework itself indicates the key stages of work experience, from preparation through to doing and finally to reflection. It is based on the perspectives of the student, the careers practitioner and the employer.

A comprehensive range of supporting materials are available, including:

  • Employer Survey and Report on work experience and employability skills
  • Glossary of commonly used competency and work experience terms
  • Student and Employer Case Studies of work experience
  • Guides of good practice for Employers, Students and Work Experience Practitioners
  • 12 Competency Units and a guide for their use for students to self-evidence and reflect on their skills and work experience
  • A guide to the using the Competency Units for employers.

These resources are freely available to download from our Publications page.

The European Framework aims to help establish work experience as a basis to develop key skills and student employability. The tools developed through this project help students to understand what employers are looking for, reflect on their work experience and to translate the skills they gain into sellable attributes by evidencing against a set of core generic competencies that employers have identified (through our research) that they need.

The project, through the development of a best practice framework, also supports and highlights to those participating in, or supporting, work experience what a programme should involve in terms of it being a positive, valuable and lasting learning experience for both the employer and student.

More information is also available at the EFWE website.

Experience Works

Experience Works is a programme which aims to accredit the learning gained by students whilst undertaking work experience or voluntary work. Developed as part of the European Framework for Work Experience, it was initially funded by the European Commission and has been delivered across Europe to a range of participants including undergraduates and MBA students.

The learning outcomes for the programme are:

  • an understanding how organisations function, and how to articulate relevant experiences to future employers through current paid/unpaid work
  • recognition of strengths and areas for development in relation to work-related skills
  • identified career goals, and knowing how to plan to achieve them
  • an understanding of the skills and competencies required by employers in the workplace.

The programme is flexible and can be delivered over a 4-6 month period, face to face or by distance learning.

The core components of the programme are:

  • 3 workshops which support participants' understanding of the programme and key areas to pursue in self study
  • 2 Work-Based Assignments
  • a 10 minute presentation or a 10 minute competency-based interview.

Workshop 1 enables participants to:

  • have an awareness of the skills and competencies required by employers in the workplace
  • effectively use and apply some tools in the context of self-development
  • understand the process and requirements of the programme
  • have an awareness of the skills and competencies required by employers in the workplace
  • effectively use and apply some tools in the context of self-development.

Workshop 2 enables participants to:

  • understand the importance of the Work-Based Assignment and assessment requirements
  • understand the importance of the Work-Based Assignment and assessment requirements
  • effectively apply and use tools in Customer Awareness, Networking, Teamworking, Problem Solving and Creative Thinking.

Workshop 3 enables participants to:

  • verbally articulate the skills developed during work experience
  • increase self-awareness of skills and competencies
  • review and re-evaluate career objectives
  • verbally articulate the skills developed during work experience
  • increase self-awareness of skills and competencies
  • review and re-evaluate career objectives.

The programme is endorsed by the Institute of Leadership Management (ILM) and participants receive the European Management Skills Award on successful completion of the programme.

National Trust Young Heritage Leaders Award

CRAC has worked in partnership with the National Trust to develop the Young Heritage Leaders Award - an accredited award to develop the leadership skills of young volunteers working within the National Trust. This award incorporates leadership training, volunteering, coursework, mentoring and residential challenges. Young people from throughout the UK have participated in the programme drawn from a variety of backgrounds. One participant was awarded the runner up prize in the Daily Mirror and Princes Trust Young Achiever of the Year Award. The next step for the Young Heritage Leaders Award is to create a regional derivative which can operate in properties and locations throughout the UK and make a real difference to both communities and the volunteers who work with the National Trust.