To many, networking has been viewed as a mandatory activity for sales people but perhaps as an extracurricular option for others, or an activity only to be pursued when a person is in between jobs.

FORBES: Networking- Have you made it part of your job?

Gary Parker, from Allenton in Derby, is among those taking part in the trial, called the Derbyshire Mandatory Youth Activity Programme (DMYAP).

BBC: Derby

As a result, the department has concluded that continuing with this contract presents too great a risk and we have terminated the Mandatory Work Activity contract with A4e for the South East.

BBC: Ministers end A4e contract for welfare-to-work scheme

The committee said they expected the Department for Work and Pensions to "urgently" publish the results of its investigation into allegations against the firm regarding the Mandatory Work Activity work experience scheme, adding that Parliament had "significant interest" in the firm's financial affairs.

BBC: Job centre

More importantly, a successful voluntary carbon market moves green low carbon economic activity into the free market domain, rather than the mandatory one we currently find ourselves in.

FORBES: BY DENNIS POSADAS