Work experience isn’t just a tick-box exercise — it’s a chance for young people to step into the real world of work, build confidence, and discover what excites them. The latest statutory guidance makes expectations clear:
- Years 7 –9: one week of structured workplace-experience activities (in person or virtual).
- Years 10 – 11: one week of real work placements, organised and supported by the school.
Placements should ideally be in person, but there’s room for online or hybrid options if needed. The key is making sure students get stuck into real tasks, connect with employers, and reflect on what they’ve learned. That’s how Gatsby Benchmark 6 comes alive.
Start early
Don’t wait until Year 10 to start the conversation. The earlier students explore sectors and roles, the easier it is to match them with meaningful placements. UCAS has lots of subject-specific resources — perfect for sparking ideas (for example, medicine applicants can find tailored guidance).
Coach them through the process:
- How to pick up the phone and ask about placements.
- What to wear on their first day.
- How to shake off nerves and step into the workplace with confidence.
The sooner those fears are tackled, the sooner students take ownership of their journey.
Help students find meaningful placements with early career conversations so they can identify sectors, roles, or experiences, they want to explore. UCAS has a range of subject-specific information that may help them identify key opportunities, like this one for medicine applicants.
Work on coaching them through the process, from being brave enough to call employers about placements, to advice on what to wear when they get there. The sooner you remove fears, the sooner the student will take control.
Know your stakeholders
A huge part of your role is to develop relationships with other members of staff, with parents, and with employers. This will not only help students get placements, but have meaningful ones relating to other parts of the curriculum and careers programmes. Check out James Willmot’s blog on how to engage employers.
Encourage diversity
Encourage students to work with a broad range of employers, including SMEs. The duty expects schools to source placements from a variety of organisations, and SMEs are often particularly willing to offer work experience. Traditionally, Education Business Partnerships (EBPs) targeted SMEs for this reason and achieved excellent results.
Keep student diversity in mind. Offer additional support and workshops for those who may not have families able to arrange meaningful placements. You can also signpost UCAS' Virtual Work Experience programmes, eight – 10 hour simulated workplace projects, for students who may struggle to access in-person opportunities.
Work closely with your SENCO and staff supporting disadvantaged students to ensure the right guidance, tailored support, and specialist opportunities are in place for everyone.
Remove barriers
It’s essential to keep your students safe, but the duty stresses this should not become a barrier to good work experience. It signposts the Health & Safety Executive Guidance as your go-to document for advising employers on their responsibilities and managing risk. It’s the school's responsibility to check risk assessments are in place and to make a judgement call on whether DBS checks are required.
Schools also need to make a judgement on the level of risk of each placement, based around the employer and the needs of the student.
Be sure to document all decisions, processes, and paperwork.
Ace your admin
Not only is finding placements stressful, practical implications like designing work experience forms and getting them back from the students can add to this. Link with fellow careers professionals in the area or online, to share resources and tips for good forms. Make it fun for students, with competitions and prizes to get the forms back and provide additional support for those who struggle to complete them.
