Work Experience Guarantee
Modern work experience should guarantee every young person access to high-quality, multiple workplace experiences, totalling 10 days’ worth throughout secondary education.
The guarantee will help young people to make informed choices and improve career readiness and employability by offering multiple, variable and targeted experiences throughout their education journey.
A meaningful experience gives the young person the opportunity to explore what it is like to work in that environment, what skills are valued in the workplace, their recruitment processes and what it takes to be successful. This could be achieved through visits to workplaces, work shadowing and/or work experience.
Throughout the careers programme these experiences could be in person or a combination of in person and virtual, where appropriate. Both the young person and employers should be supported to prepare for the experience. Additional or different support may be needed for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people and for young people with SEND.
A meaningful experience will:
• have a clear purpose, which is shared with the employer and the young person
• be underpinned by learning outcomes that are appropriate to the needs of the young person
• involve extensive two-way interactions between the young person and employees
• include opportunities for young people to meet a range of different people from the workplace
• include opportunities for young people to perform a task set by the employer or to produce a piece of work relevant to that workplace
• include the employer providing feedback to the young person about their work
• be followed by opportunities for the young person to reflect on the insights, knowledge or skills gained through their experience
The equalex framework, defines learning outcomes and objectives and allows educators to embed meaningful workplace experiences within a progressive whole school careers programme.
This approach, designed by The Careers & Enterprise Company, aligns with the recent updates to Gatsby Benchmark 6 (Experiences of the Workplace) to ensure experiences have a clear purpose, there are opportunities to meet a variety of people, perform work-relevant tasks, receive feedback on them, with time for preparation and reflection.
equalex is an equitable, high-quality approach to work experience – helping young people gain the skills, knowledge, and behaviours they need to make informed decisions to take their best next step.
The equalex framework can be accessed using this link.
Use these outcomes to support you in tweaking your current employer engagement model to convert these into meaningful workplace experiences.
| Feature | Traditional Work Experience | Modern Methods (using equalex) | |
| Structure | Typically, a single, one or two-week block placement for older students (Year 10+). | A series of multiple, varied experiences (afternoons, days, projects, placements) integrated throughout the secondary education journey (from Year 7 onwards). | |
| Focus | Often focused on simply attending a workplace, with quality and learning outcomes varying widely. | Outcomes-based, using the equalex framework’s defined learning objectives to ensure every experience is purposeful, structured, and linked to specific knowledge, skills, and behaviours. | |
| Accessibility & Equity | Placements could be limited and often depended on personal/family connections, potentially excluding some students. | Designed to be equitable and inclusive, guaranteeing all learners access to high-quality experiences, with flexibility for different needs and settings (including virtual or hybrid models). | |
| Flexibility | Rigid in terms of length and timing, often delivered at a fixed point in the school year. | Highly flexible in format, length, and timing, allowing for a blend of in-person, virtual, and hybrid encounters that fit employer and school schedules. | |
| Progression | Often a one-off event with little connection to prior learning or future steps. | Progressive and developmental, building knowledge and confidence over time so students are better prepared for longer, more targeted placements later on. | |
| Tracking & Evidence | Tracking of learning and impact was often anecdotal or informal. | Experiences are tracked and reflected upon to demonstrate impact and evidence progress against frameworks like the Gatsby Benchmarks for Ofsted and other stakeholders. |
