Modern Work Experience Explained – Meaningful Employer Engagement for Schools
Modern Work Experience
Modern work experience is now the widely recognised national approach through which schools and colleges in England are expected to provide meaningful experiences of the workplace.
Rather than relying on a single block placement, modern work experience focuses on structured employer engagement delivered over time. Students gain a range of experiences that help them understand industries, build confidence, and make informed decisions about their future.
In England, this approach supports delivery of Gatsby Benchmark 6 and helps schools work towards the Work Experience Guarantee, which aims to ensure every young person completes around 50 hours of meaningful work experience during secondary education.
Modern work experience exists to answer one clear challenge facing the education system.
How can every young person access high quality work experience in a way that is fair, realistic for employers, and achievable for schools?
What is modern work experience?
Modern work experience is a flexible approach to employer engagement that allows students to build meaningful experiences of the workplace across multiple activities rather than relying on a single placement.
These experiences may include workplace visits, employer projects, mentoring, virtual engagement, and traditional placements. Together they help students understand how different industries operate and support informed career decision making.
The aim is not simply for students to observe work, but to actively engage with employers, contribute to real tasks where possible, and reflect on what they learn.
This model supports Gatsby Benchmark 6, which focuses on meaningful experiences of workplaces.
Why modern work experience exists
Traditional work experience was inconsistent.
Some students benefited greatly. Many did not. Access often depended on family networks, geography, or employer goodwill. Schools faced increasing pressure around safeguarding, staff workload, and placement sourcing. Employers struggled to host large numbers of students for extended placements.
Modern work experience exists because the system needed to change.
The focus is no longer on time served in a workplace.
The focus is on value gained from each experience.
What modern work experience looks like in practice
Modern work experience is not a single activity. It is a coherent delivery approach made up of different types of employer engagement that together form a meaningful programme.
These experiences can include:
- In person placements
- Employer led projects
- Small group workplace visits
- Virtual or hybrid experiences
- Short targeted encounters
- Sector specific tasters
- Real employer briefs linked to learning
Different formats are used intentionally so experiences are inclusive, scalable and relevant to students’ needs.
What makes an experience meaningful
Meaningful work experience sits at the heart of this approach.
A meaningful experience includes:
- Clear learning objectives
- Active employer involvement
- Opportunities for students to contribute or solve problems
- Time for reflection and feedback
- Clear links to careers and next steps
This directly supports Gatsby Benchmark 6, which focuses on meaningful experiences of workplaces rather than passive observation.
When these elements are present, work experience moves beyond observation and becomes a structured learning opportunity.
How modern work experience supports the Work Experience Guarantee
Modern work experience provides a practical and scalable way for schools and colleges to work towards the expectations set out in the Work Experience Guarantee.
The Guarantee sets the expectation that every young person should complete the equivalent of two weeks worth, or around 50 hours, of high quality work experience across their secondary education.
This expectation is outlined in statutory careers guidance published in May 2025 by the Department for Education.
While the Guarantee is not yet statutory, schools and colleges are expected to plan towards it now.
Modern work experience allows this to be done flexibly without relying solely on traditional block placements.
Who shapes modern work experience in England
The national aspirations for work experience are set through statutory careers guidance and policy direction from the Department for Education, including the Gatsby Benchmarks and the Work Experience Guarantee.
Within that national direction, The Careers and Enterprise Company plays a key delivery and system support role.
Rather than defining policy, the Careers and Enterprise Company supports schools and colleges by:
- Developing and testing practical delivery models
- Supporting Careers Hubs and schools to implement good practice
- Exploring what meaningful employer engagement looks like in real settings
- Sharing learning from pilots and regional activity
- Connecting delivery to recognised skills frameworks such as equalex
Careers Hubs, Combined Authorities, Local Authorities and schools themselves then adapt and apply this learning to meet local needs and contexts.
Modern work experience vs traditional work experience
Traditional work experience
- Is often a single block placement
- Access varies widely
- Quality is inconsistent
- Is observation led
- Is difficult to deliver equitably
Modern work experience
- Is built up over time
- Is designed for broader access
- Is structured and quality assured
- Is participation focused
- Is flexible and scalable
This shift reflects how schools are now expected to evidence intent, impact and equity.
Equity is central, not optional
Modern work experience is intended to support access for all students, including:
- Learners with SEND
- Disadvantaged young people
- Students without family networks
- Rural and coastal communities
- Learners facing transport or mobility barriers
By spreading experiences across key stages and using different formats, schools can remove barriers that previously prevented participation.
What schools and colleges should be doing now
- Review current provision – Understand how many hours of work experience students currently receive and which groups are missing out.
- Start earlier – Introduce workplace encounters in Key Stage 3, not only in Key Stage 4.
- Define outcomes clearly – Every experience should have a clear purpose and structured reflection.
- Check equity of access – Identify barriers and plan targeted support for students who need it most.
- Align with recognised frameworks – Use frameworks such as equalex to connect learning outcomes to Gatsby Benchmarks.
- Build sustainable employer relationships – Move away from one off asks and towards long term partnerships.
- Capture evidence and impact – Student reflections, employer feedback and participation data will be essential for Ofsted and governors.
Examples of modern work experience
Modern work experience is delivered in many different ways depending on the needs of students, the availability of employers and the structure of a school’s careers programme.
The goal is not to follow one fixed format, but to create meaningful encounters with employers that help students understand real workplaces.
Examples of modern work experience include:
Short workplace visits
Students visit an employer for a few hours or a half day to observe how teams work, ask questions and see different roles in action.
These visits are often used with Key Stage 3 students to introduce them to different sectors and working environments.
Employer led projects
Employers provide a real business challenge or brief that students work on in school.
This might include designing a product idea, solving a customer problem or presenting a solution to the employer.
Projects like these allow students to develop teamwork, communication and problem solving skills.
Small group workplace experiences
Instead of placing a whole year group at once, schools may organise small group placements across the year.
This makes it easier for employers to host students and helps schools maintain quality and oversight.
Virtual employer engagement
Employers may connect with students through structured virtual sessions.
These sessions might include workplace tours, career talks, project mentoring or problem solving activities.
Virtual engagement can be particularly useful for students in rural areas or locations with fewer local employers.
Traditional placements as part of a wider programme
Block placements still play an important role.
However, within modern work experience they form one part of a broader programme, rather than being the only experience students receive.
Students may complete a placement alongside other employer encounters earlier in their education.
Why modern work experience matters now
Modern work experience is moving rapidly from concept into widespread practice across the careers system in England.
Schools that act now will be better placed to:
- Work towards the Work Experience Guarantee
- Evidence Gatsby Benchmark 6 effectively
- Support all students fairly
- Reduce pressure on staff
- Build resilient employer networks
Those that delay will face greater pressure later.
Frequently asked questions about modern work experience
Is modern work experience compulsory?
Not yet. However, schools are expected to plan towards it under current statutory careers guidance.
Is modern work experience the same as the Work Experience Guarantee?
No. Modern work experience is the delivery approach. The Work Experience Guarantee is the policy expectation it supports.
How many hours of work experience count?
The expectation is around 50 hours across secondary education, delivered flexibly over time.
Does virtual work experience count?
Yes, where it is meaningful, structured and includes active employer engagement.
Does this apply to students with SEND?
Yes. Modern work experience is intended to improve access for students who have previously been excluded.
Final thoughts
Modern work experience represents a fundamental reset in how young people engage with the world of work.
It recognises that a single placement is not enough. Students need structured, meaningful exposure to employers delivered over time and designed with clear intent.
Schools and colleges that embed modern work experience now will not only be better prepared for future expectations but will give their students a genuine and lasting advantage.
Supporting modern work experience delivery
Many schools and colleges are now reviewing how their careers programmes can evolve to support modern work experience.
This often involves questions such as:
- how to build sustainable employer relationships
- how to source placements at scale
- how to manage safeguarding and compliance
- how to ensure experiences remain meaningful
- how to capture evidence of impact for Ofsted and governors
Delivering modern work experience requires coordination across employers, staff, and students.
Some institutions choose to manage this internally. Others work with specialist organisations that support employer engagement, placement sourcing and work experience management.
The most important step is ensuring that students receive structured, meaningful experiences of the workplace that support their learning and career development.
If your school or college is currently exploring how to develop modern work experience, we are always happy to share insight from the work we support across the country.
About the author
Manoj Khetia is CEO of The Changing Education Group, a specialist organisation that has supported schools, colleges and employer engagement programmes for more than 18 years.
The Changing Education Group helps education providers deliver high quality, meaningful work experience at scale through expert support, technology and employer network development.