The Changing Education Group is committed to inspiring future leaders...
We achieve this by helping schools and colleges provide purposeful, planned, safe work experiences and broader career opportunities. We are passionate about work-based learning and understand the enormous leap many students struggle to make from the classroom to the workplace.
We appreciate how difficult it is for a busy educator to find and oversee appropriate, safe, and meaningful work experiences for large cohorts of learners. Gatsby, OFSTED, qualifications, logistics, risk management, and employer engagement make work experience programmes enormously time-consuming and logistically complex.
Many institutions cannot provide a robust delivery model that addresses each in detail. Here at The Changing Education Group, we have blended our two passions – education and technology – to build a solution.
We believe the following four principles must be in place to achieve success
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A robust delivery model
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A web platform for educators
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A mobile app to enable learners
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A portal for employers to access work placement activity
Providing so much experience for many students in this day and age isn't easy
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Networking with vast numbers of employers to offer opportunities
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Arranging the logistics is quite different for an in-person than a virtual work experience.
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Ensuring that regulations and benchmarks are met, including Ofsted and Gatsby
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Knowing where everyone is at all times and recording with reporting on results and performance
We help schools and colleges provide purposeful, planned, safe work experiences and broader career opportunities. We are passionate about work-based learning and understand the enormous leap many students struggle to make from the classroom to the workplace. We appreciate how difficult it is for a busy educator to find and oversee appropriate, safe, and meaningful work experiences for large cohorts of learners. We know that Gatsby, OFSTED, qualifications, logistics, risk management, and, as importantly, employer engagement make work experience programmes enormously time-consuming and logistically complex. We have blended our two passions – education and technology – to build the answer.
We do it by combining our passion for
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Education in its broadest sense
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Local communities and the importance of bringing young people into the workplace
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Technology - and the enormous amount of time and hassle it can save
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Innovation. We constantly look to do things differently and better
Start yourChanging EducationJourney today!
Learn our servicesMeet the Team
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Stephen HackneyDirector and Co-Founder
Stephen is a Co-Founder & Director at Changing Education Limited. He works with a talented development team to create work-related learning and...
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Matthew HodgkinsonDirector and Co-Founder
As a co-founder in 2008, Matthew has overseen the growth of The Changing Education brand, which has led to over 500,000+ active student...
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Manoj KhetiaChief Executive Officer
As the Chief Executive Officer of Changing Education Group, Manoj harnesses his expertise in business and technology across various industries.
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Rennie McFarlaneHead of Delivery
As the Head of Delivery The Changing Education Group, Rennie finds great fulfilment in providing the very best customer service to every one of our clients. He has over 16 years of working as an Account Director and Company Director with diverse business acumen.
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Chris WoodEAP Lead
As the EAP Lead at Changing Education, I oversee the Early Access Programme, providing extended work experience for students who thrive with hands-on learning. I connect with employers to create safe and supportive environments where students can gain real-world industry insights. I joined Changing Education in 2024 after more than a decade in social care, supporting adults with learning disabilities, and earlier roles in childcare. As a parent of two children with support needs, I’m deeply passionate about the impact work experience can have on personal growth and confidence. In my spare time, I enjoy tabletop gaming, playing Magic: The Gathering, and spending quality time with my wife and kids. I’m also a fan of losing myself in a good sci-fi or fantasy audiobook.
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Jess BeesStrategic Marketing Manager
As the Strategic Marketing Manager at Changing Education, I’m passionate about helping young people succeed by creating opportunities for meaningful work experience. My career began in Gibraltar, working in promotional roles at Ladbrokes, before moving into marketing strategy and management in the UK. At Changing Education, I’m proud to connect students, schools, and businesses through impactful campaigns that showcase the importance of work experience. Outside of work, I’m a video game enthusiast, escape room challenger, and devoted cat lover. I’m also excited to start travelling, exploring new places, and experiencing different cultures.
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Lydia ErskineBusiness Relationship Manager
As the Business Relationship Manager, my role is to build our partnerships with the fantastic employers, schools, and colleges in our care. I have a background in sales and marketing, and was with Changing Education previously, as part of the sales team.
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Scott PulleyAccount Director
Hello. My name's Scott. I lived in Southampton and joined Changing Education in February 2023 as a Sales Executive. Since leaving Oxford Brookes University in 2014 with a 2:1 in Business and Management, I have held roles in business development and account management in the EdTech industry.
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Sadique MaskeenAccount Director
My role as an Account Director for The Changing Education Group is to drive revenue growth through a strategic sales and account management process.
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Hollie BissCustomer Success Executive
My name is Hollie and I’m a Customer Success Executive here at The Changing Education Group. I have previously worked in mainstream secondary education and have also worked alongside multiple charities to promote mental wellbeing among secondary school students.
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Mark HardyClient Success Manager
I am a CSM here at The Changing Education Group and have been with the company since November 2023. I am responsible for On Boarding our new clients, demonstrating our software and reviewing/offering demo refreshers for our current client base.
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Danielle HodgkinsonCustomer Success Executive
My name is Danni Hodgkinson, and I am an Employer Engagement Officer for Changing Education. I joined Changing Education during the pandemic, having spent my previous years of employment within the jewellery industry.
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Cynthia ClaughtonCareers Adviser
Cynthia is from Seattle, US, and is a European Italian dual citizen. With a background in sales promotion, public relations, and content, she completed an M.A. in Marketing Communications from the University of Westminster Business School, London, and then a diploma in Lifestyle Journalism at the London College of Fashion (UAL).
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Martin FolanCareers Adviser
I have worked with Young people in several roles over the last 20 years. High points have included time as a Hospital Youth worker, supporting Young People onwards and in Accidents and Emergencies, which at times could be pretty demanding but rewarding..
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John KnightCareers Adviser
After leaving College, I worked in Engineering for several years before deciding on a complete change of direction and leaving employment to study for a Degree at Nottingham Trent University and a Post Graduate Diploma in Careers Guidance.
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Rachel TownleyCareers Adviser
Hi, I’m Rachel. I’ve worked as a Careers Adviser for over 15 years, 8 of those years have been working for Changing Education.
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Amos MadraCareers Adviser
Amos is passionate about helping students as he believes Careers Guidance is vital in supporting young people to achieve their aspirations..
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Jamie SutherlandDeveloper
I'm a full-stack software developer, so I do everything from planning to deployment..
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Mike StowDeveloper
I'm Mike, Father to a four-year-old boy and a full-stack software developer based in Essex.
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Matthew YeendDeveloper
My name is Matt, and I am a full-stack developer; I enjoy web development and watching (used to play) sports, including rugby and football
What others say about us
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We can help. Get in touch today
Frequently asked questions
Work experience students do not need a CSCS card. The CITB has stopped this because it creates unnecessary barriers restricting student access to construction sites. CSCS does not issue cards to those on work experience placements. “Students perform a non-construction-related activity, and it is the responsibility of the site management team to ensure they remain safe at all times.”
Each site will operate differently, so it is up to the employer to keep those on work placements safe. This often includes the delivery of a site induction highlighting the specific dangers of a site and arranging for individuals to be appropriately supervised.
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More about our services
Sector Spotlight Video
Industry Insight Interview
Live Masterclass Sessions
The Futures Panel
Further guidance video coming soon.
Work Experience
Work experience is vital in helping young people make the right choices and realise their potential. Such experiences can be pivotal for deciding which career path to take and can be an important first step into the world of work. At Changing Education we understand the challenges faced by schools and colleges to encompass a "wider careers model" within their curriculum and the additional cost and resource this can incur.
Project-25
We're on a mission to engage with at-least 25% of the nations hardest to reach young people and match them up to an employer between 1-2 days per week for the whole academic year. In the UK, 35 students are permanently excluded from school every day and only 1% of those go on to achieve the requirement of 5 good GCSE's.
Technical Levels
T Levels are new courses coming in September 2020, which will follow GCSEs and will be equivalent to 3 A Levels. These 2-year courses have been developed to meet the needs of industry and prepare students for work. T Levels will offer students a mixture of classroom learning and 'on-the-job' experience during an industry placement of at least 45 days.