DS doesn't want to do work experience

[housebarrassment]

My DS is 17, in year 12 at sixth form. He has to do work experience in May and they are supposed to organise it all themselves. So far DS hasn't shown any interest in sorting it out, when I have asked if he'd like help with it he has declined. I think he is a bit anxious about having to make the call and then obviously go along and do the weeks work experience. Any ideas on how to encourage him without taking over?

Emails are easier than phone calls. Maybe suggest that instead?
Can it be any work experience? Can he go somewhere that a family member works to alleviate the anxiety a bit?

I think surely he needs to face his fear of calling! Please do not send teenagers into the workplace at 18/ 19 years old and teach them to avoid phoning. I was talking to a very senior editor/ manager the other day (I work in the media) - this is someone in a very high profile organisation and the young people working for them would have had to go through an extremely competitive process - she said that she is horrified by the fact that young employees avoid phone calls - she said she can tell when their written work/ reports/ articles have relied on emails - this is going a step beyond not wanting to leave the office (she said they all avoid leaving the office to do anything in person) - but they are scared of making phone calls.

A bit anxious is the level of fear he should be overcoming not giving in to - I would step in and do it alongside him just to be sure it happens - far better now at 17 that you are holding his hand and helping him step outside his comfort zone than he avoids the challenge and then at 20/ 21/ 22 he still can't face it.

THings like work experience are literally there to push kids out into the world a bit - it's natural to feel a bit uncomfortable about it but I think taking over is probably not the worst option here. He needs to know he has to do this.