Gatsby Benchmark Six

Experiences of the workplace

The Leicester, Leicestershire, and Rutland Careers Hub want to work with you to set your strategic plan for work experience moving forward.

Every learner should have first-hand experiences of workplaces to help their exploration of career opportunities and expand their networks.

For 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.

For colleges and ITPs:

• 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.

From September 2025, all institutions should adopt the strengthened benchmark. Schools should ensure that every pupil has multiple first-hand experiences of workplaces by the age of 16 and at least one further such experience by age 18. Colleges and ITPs should ensure that every learner has had at least one experience of a workplace during their programme of study. High quality and meaningful experiences of workplaces are a key component of 16 to 19 study programmes.

The benchmark places a much stronger emphasis on ensuring that all learners have multiple, meaningful and varied workplace experiences. The increased flexibility in this model is also intended to reduce barriers for both young people and employers. The approach will support schools with strategic planning working towards the government’s guarantee of work experience.

CEC have published a list of frequently asked questions to support with understanding the requirements of Benchmark 6. They have also published a detailed, comprehensive guide for how to meet Gatsby Benchmark 6 more meaningfully and deliver positive student outcomes

Making it meaningful

A meaningful experience of the workplace 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 or work experience. 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.

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. Part-time work can contribute to Benchmark 6 but should not replace the need for other meaningful experiences of workplaces.

The Work Experience Guarantee

Implementing 2 weeks’ worth of work experience

Our vision is that 2 weeks’ worth of work experience will be based on the following set of principles, building on the Benchmark 6 definition of meaningful.

Two weeks’ worth of work experience should be broken down into:

• One weeks’ worth of work experience activities in years 7 to 9.
• One weeks’ worth of work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11.

Experiences should be aspirational and inspirational, giving young people the opportunity to access a wide range of career opportunities, aligned to their interests and talents, local skills needs and national growth sectors. Opportunity should go beyond the horizons of their immediate friends and family.

They should be co-designed and delivered in partnership with schools and involve two-way employer-pupil interaction.

Work experience activities in years 7 to 9

Work experience activities in years 7 to 9 should consist of multiple, varied and meaningful employer-led activities to explore different industries and careers and involve active engagement with a diverse range of employers, including small and medium sized enterprises. Activities could include:

• Multi-day work visits involving employer-set tasks or projects.
• Work shadowing.
• In-person or virtual employer talks in the workplace, including technical demonstrations or tours of working premises.

These could be undertaken individually or as part of a group or class-based activity. Some or all of the activities can be in person, with virtual activities contributing but not replacing in person.

Work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11

Work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11 should allow pupils to experience a real working environment and begin to develop work-based skills and behaviours.

Pupils should be free to undertake their 5 days’ worth of work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11 with more than one employer, irrespective of sector, and be able to spread their placement time across a number of days or weeks at any point during the year 10 to 11 curriculum. This might be advantageous to young people who are undecided on their careers interests, by offering scope to try more employers and sectors.

We expect that the work experience placement(s) in years 10 to 11 be in-person, but acknowledge that in exceptional circumstances meaningful hybrid or virtual approaches may be impactful in removing barriers to access. In those circumstances, we would expect best endeavours to use remote engagement alongside, but not instead of, in-person activity.

For Colleges

Colleges should ensure that every learner has had at least one experience of a workplace during their programme of study. High-quality and meaningful experiences of workplaces are a key component of 16 to 19 study programmes.

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.

DBS’s and Health & Safety in the workplace

Schools and Colleges must decide whether adults working with pre-16 work experience learners need to obtain a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) certificate by consulting the regulated activity section in part three of the statutory guidance, Keeping children safe in education. The statutory guidance points to the Keeping Children Safe in Education and to Health and Safety Executive Guidance

Equalex

The equalex framework, developed by The Careers & Enterprise Company, plays a vital role in supporting the government's commitment to introduce 10 days' worth of modern work experience for every young person.

Designed to meet the needs of young people, educators, employers, and providers, the framework enables a wide range of high-quality activities through a whole-school approach, effectively bridging the gap between the curriculum and the world of work.

What is equalex?

• A framework of structured, progressive learning outcomes to raise the quality of work experience for learners.
• A multi-year, multi-experience model supported by the curriculum and accessible to ALL learners.
• A tiered approach providing a structure offering breadth and depth of workplace experiences.

The equalex learning outcomes

To meet the equalex quality standard for experiences of the workplace, learners must have the opportunity to meet and evidence the learning outcomes across all 3 core themes.

We encourage innovation regarding delivery of this framework and have not provided guidelines on how the outcomes must be achieved. Each of these learning aims and outcomes could be achieved via experiences of the workplace, but some can be mapped against other areas of a progressive careers programme.

Find out more about the equalex learning outcomes and objectives framework

Resources

The Careers Hub have designed a planning document for mainstream 11-18 provision and colleges, SEND, and AP provisions to help map out how your institution can deliver modern work experience.

We've created a list of providers and organisations that can support you with Benchmark 6.

Note, all links and resources provided are for general informational purposes only. Links to external websites and resources are provided for convenience and do not imply endorsement. Please investigate and judge independently whether appropriate for your institution.

Unbox Your Future

A creative look at modern work experience...

Unbox Your Future is a progressive careers programme that gives groups of students from Years 7–11 early, inclusive experiences of the workplace. The model is structured around short, hourly sessions spread over several weeks, with three sessions in school and one at the employer’s workplace. This reduces time pressure on schools and employers, while helping students to build relationships and develop confidence over time. Through employer encounters, workplace visits, and practical activities, students gain a stronger understanding of career pathways and the skills required in the world of work. The programme supports schools in meeting the Gatsby Benchmarks and is particularly effective in ensuring disadvantaged students with are actively included in meaningful opportunities.

To arrange a conversation about Unbox Your Future at your institution, contact your Enterprise Coordinator.