Gatsby Benchmark 6

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 within Progressive Careers Provision

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.

Access resource
Modern 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.

Access website
Making it Meaningful

Use the checklist in the Understanding how to embed impact driven modern work experience resource when planning all experiences of workplaces.

Access resource

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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Gatsby BM2, 3, 4, 5, 6
Key stages

Accenture Digital Skills

This resource has been developed by Accenture (national) and is offered on a free learning basis.

A collaborative, peer to peer learning tool building the digital skills needed to stand out in today’s workplace:

  • Bite-sized, animated videos presented by digital experts
  • 110+ animated bitesize videos with content covering 7 digital courses presented by Accenture digital experts
  • Innovative use of social media tools to facilitate peer to peer learning
  • CPD accredited certificate received for completing the modules.
Gatsby BM2, 5, 6, 7
SEND
Key stages

Careermag for Parents, Carers and Guardians

A great resource for your Parents Evenings and Newsletters! Careermag for Parents, Carers and Guardians is a publication with information for parents of school-aged children offering support and information on careers and qualifications. 

It also includes information on how to help support young people with mental health issues, managing the UCAS system, apprenticeships and in-depth features on various sectors and opportunities in them.

 

Gatsby BM2, 5, 6, 7
Key stages

CareermapTV

CareermapTV is a broadcasting channel that runs across several different social media platforms and it is your ultimate destination for all things careers and education. From recorded live webinars from top employers to comedic, relatable career reels, we’ve got everything you need to inspire your students in their career journey.

 

Gatsby BM3, 5, 6
SEND
Key stages

Careers Education Framework

National charity Ambitious about Autism has produced autism-specific resources to help careers leaders and professionals deliver effective careers education programmes for autistic young people. 

The Careers Education Framework has free, easy-to-follow online resources to support autistic young people in mainstream and specialist educational settings successfully transition into adulthood and employment.

Gatsby BM1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8
Key stages

Careerscope - Hospitality Industry Hub

CareerScope is your one-stop-shop for all things careers in the Hospitality, Leisure and Tourism Industry.

Our mission is to support people from all backgrounds and ages, attract talent towards the industry, and ultimately, promote hospitality as a great place to work.

Whether you’re a teacher or careers advisor, a student, or a job seeker, we have resources, programmes and support available to help you reach your full potential.

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