What good looks like
Every student should have first-hand experiences of the workplace through work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and expand their networks.
- By the age of 16, every pupil should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have.
- By the age of 18, or before the end of their study programme, every student should have had at least one experience of a workplace, additional to any part-time jobs they may have
Why this matters
- Experiences of the workplace can create social capital for young people with more limited networks
- Experiences of the workplace give students the opportunity to develop essential skills
- 8.2 per cent of people aged 16-64 in the UK today (3.4 million people in total) have never had a paid job (besides casual and holiday work). Never ever report 2020, Resolution Foundation
“People who are literate and numerate have greater chances of success in employment and in life, but what we are increasingly understanding is that essential skills are also critical to these life chances.”
(Sir John Holman)
Careers Leaders:
Getting started with BM6
- Be clear about priority careers knowledge, understanding and application based on student needs and school priorities. Use this to shape and communicate planned intent for all experiences of the workplace.
- Gatsby Benchmark 6 describes experiences of workplaces as: “work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience”. It is important to approach this Benchmark with the understanding that work experience is not synonymous with experiences of the workplace. Remember that there is no blue print for age/key stage and format for experiences of the workplace. They should be planned for impact and implemented around what students need to know, understand and be able to do linked to a high level aim for the experience.
- Use the BM6 Careers Leader Guide to set learning aims and outcomes for experiences of work and reflect on most appropriate implementation type and time for your students based on their needs and aligned to school priorities.
- For further resources check out this page Reimagining Experiences of the Workplace.
Training
All Careers Leaders require Outstanding training
For further support with Benchmark 1 register for our fully funded Careers Leader training
Download our Training Catalogue which includes all the information you need and a helpful comparison guide on the 11 high-quality Training Providers we work with. Here you will be able to choose the right course to suit you and your development, so that you can embed a successful careers programme in your school/college.
Once you have chosen the right course and Training Provider for you, you are all set to register!
Careers in Context: Can Do Approaches
Experiences of workplaces allow students to have first-hand experiences of the workplace through online or face to face work visits, work shadowing and/or work experience to help their exploration of career opportunities, and to expand networks. Experiences of the workplace could and should reflect the fastchanging nature of work, including remote working. The Gatsby Benchmarks hold the same level of relevance in an online world and continue to work as a framework for quality careers guidance. All experiences of workplaces should sit within a progressive careers programme that have clear learning outcomes and that supports positive student outcomes.
To include an activity under Benchmark 6, it must meet the following minimum requirements:
- Learning outcomes are defined, based on the age and needs of students
- Student meets a range of people from the workplace
- There is extensive two-way interaction between the student and employees
- Student must perform a task or produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace and receive feedback on it from the employer.
Opportunity:
- The current context allows us to re-evaluate and take a fresh look at the aims and value of experiences of work.
- Consider school/college priorities and key learning outcomes to shape the aims, content and format of any experiences of work.
- Schools, special schools and colleges were already exploring innovative alternatives to the traditional model of 1- or 2-week placements, including blended approaches.
- Experiences and encounters can also teach young people about digital skills, teamwork and communication in an online environment which has increasing relevance for workplaces.
How:
1. Identify relevant learning outcomes and aims for any experience of work and consider opportunities for implementation to deliver in those learning outcomes.
2. Consider how learning at school/home can be blended with structured experiences of work (online or face to face) to ensure that students access meaningful experiences of the workplace.
3. Whether face-to-face or online, work with employer partners to incorporate skills development that is up-to-date and relevant to the fast-changing world of work.
4. Consider developing workplace skills such as joining online meetings, independent working (e.g. research) and online professional etiquette to meet the changing requirements of the workplace.
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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Passport to Digital
Developed by Inspiring Worcestershire.
Passport to Digital has been designed with the student’s progression at the forefront. This brilliant project will take students on a tour around the digital industry, learning about key areas from digital communication to cyber security to build their knowledge and skill in preparation for the workplace.
My Week of Work: Wednesday
Introducing the world of Marketing. These lessons cover innovative thinking, creativity, marketing campaigns and promoting yourself as a brand.
My Week of Work: Tuesday
Introducing the world of Human Resources. These lessons cover work/life balance, dealing with stress at work and self-reflection, considering which careers options would suit you.
How to ask for Works Experience SEND activity
Developed by the Careers Hub Inspiring Worcestershire this resource is designed to support young people with SEND to think about the Work Experience process.
SEND Careers Health Checklist
This interactive checklist will support you to think about the Careers provision you have within your SEND setting.
Virtual Work Experience – Barclays
Barclays virtual work experience gives students the opportunity to find out what it is like to work in financial services and the range of job roles and core transferable skills which are used within a bank. LifeSkills also has a range of virtual work experience resources for students to use within a classroom environment to help upskill them for jobs across any industry.
Speakers for Schools: Virtual and onsite work experiences
We connect young people with inspirational, eye opening virtual work experience opportunities with some of the largest employers both locally and nationally.
Skills Builder Partnership Impact Directory
The Skills Builder Partnership brings together educators, employers and organisations around a common approach and mission: to support everyone to build the essential skills to succeed. The Impact Directory celebrates and shares the fantastic work of Skills Builder’s partners.
Virtual work experience programme Kennedys Law
Kennedys virtual work experience will allow students to take the first step of their legal career with a global law firm that does things differently. The programme gives students the opportunity to complete legal work experience virtually, completing real life tasks created by Kennedys trainees and apprentices.
Work experience, job shadowing and workplace visits. What works?
This paper summarises the research on three forms of work related learning: work experience placements, job shadowing and workplace visits, showcasing the effectiveness of these activities and highlighting examples of best practice.
Work experience toolkit
Prepare for a student’s work experience placement with these easily adaptable templates and example paperwork – developed by the Tees Valley Combined Authority.
BM6 How to meet Gatsby Benchmark 6 more meaningfully and deliver positive student outcomes
Watch this webinar and accompanying resource to support planning and delivery of meaningful experiences of the workplace.