Experiences of workplaces
Every learner should have first-hand experiences of workplaces to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks
What good looks like
Schools
- By the age of 16, every pupil should have had meaningful experiences of workplaces.
- By the age of 18, every pupil should have had at least one further meaningful experience.
Further Education
- By the end of their programme of study, every learner should have had at least one meaningful experience of a workplace, in addition to any part-time jobs they may have
Gatsby have provided a definition of what constitutes a meaningful experience:
A meaningful experience is one in which the learner has an opportunity to explore what it is like to work in that environment, the skills valued in the workplace, recruitment processes or what it takes to be successful.
A meaningful experience will:
- Have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the learner.
- Be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the learner.
- Involve an extensive two-way interaction between learners and employees.
- Include opportunities for learners to meet a range of different people from the workplace.
- Include opportunities for learners to perform a task set by the employer or produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace.
- Include feedback from the employer to learners on their work.
- Be followed by opportunities for learners to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through their experience.
Schools, colleges and ITPs can take into account any part-time work a young person may have, if it genuinely offers them a meaningful experience.
The resources below are designed to support you with Gatsby Benchmark 6. To explore all of the Gatsby Benchmarks in greater depth, download the toolkit that best aligns with your setting.
Embed experiences of workplaces within progressive careers provision. Define specific, measurable learning outcomes for learners to achieve during their experiences of the workplace. Set clear expectations and reflection milestones for both learners and employers to ensure the experience is mutually beneficial and impactful. Access this resource for support in mapping your entire provision, including a progressive approach to work experience.
Consider your approach to modern work experience. By providing multiple, varied work experiences – encompassing both conventional placements and innovative, non-traditional opportunities – you can create progressive Careers Learning Journeys that equips learners with what they need to make informed and aspirational decisions and to be careers ready. Find out more about modern work experience via the CEC webiste.
Use the checklist in the Understanding how to embed impact driven modern work experience resource when planning all experiences of workplaces.
Education Leaders and Governors:
Education Leaders and Governors: For further information on each Benchmark, to support you in your role, please see the Education Leader, Secondary and College Governor Guides.
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Guide for Education Leaders in schools and colleges
For Education Leaders, highlighting the value of holistic careers education in providing solutions to key leadership challenges including disengagement from learning, falling attendance, and meeting the needs of disadvantaged or vulnerable learners, and young people with SEND.
SEND Careers Health Checklist
This interactive checklist will support you to think about the Careers provision you have within your SEND setting.
Educate the Educators
Tees Valley Careers Hub organised industry insight days for teachers, aligned with the region’s key growth sectors, to help them explore how their subject areas connect to real-world careers and industry demands. A suite of supporting resources is available.
Engaging education leaders in the internal leadership review process
If you are looking to understand why you should take part in an internal leadership review, or you are supporting education leaders and senior staff to engage with the process, this collection of resources will help you get started and ensure the experience is purposeful and impactful.
equalex for SEND: Resources from IncludED Careers
IncludED Careers CIC is a social enterprise dedicated to breaking down barriers to employment for young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
Gatsby Benchmark Toolkit: Colleges and ITPs
The Gatsby Benchmark Toolkit for Colleges and ITPs provides practical information and guidance on the updated Gatsby Benchmarks.
Gatsby Benchmark Toolkit: Schools, Special Schools & AP
The Gatsby Benchmark Toolkit for Schools, Special Schools and Alternative Provisions provides practical information and guidance on the updated Gatsby Benchmarks .
Guidance for Middle Schools
Completing the Compass evaluation and meaningfully achieving the eight Gatsby Benchmarks
This guidance takes Middle School Careers Leaders through how to respond to the sub benchmark questions when completing a Compass evaluation on Compass or Compass+.
Virtual Work Experience – Barclays LifeSkills
Barclays LifeSkills core offer provides students with access to high-quality virtual work experiences to find out about different industries and job options. Also available, are resources for educators to help develop work-based skills and behaviours with their students to support with a multi-year, multi-experience model which is accessible to all learners with a tiered approach to activities.
Ambitious about Autism Toolkits
This resource contains a collection of toolkits to help more autistic young people access sustainable and meaningful employment opportunities.
Get Set Progress - Internship Programme
Get Set Progress run by Thomas Pocklington Trust (TPT), provides paid internships for blind and partially sighted people (over the age of 18) to secure that first run on the career ladder or who are returning to work following a career break.
Prime Video Career Tour
Explore the technology and careers behind Amazon’s Prime Video. From the studio to your living room, discover how computer science and incredible people come together at Prime Video.