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About us
'Working with educators to achieve Gatsby Benchmarks and with individuals on all things employability related.'
Mission: To inspire young people to become emotionally literate whilst enhancing the skills they will need from the age of 16 and onwards. To be the number one provider for entrepreneurship, work related learning & work experience; and to enhance strategic business partnership locally and nationally.
Please click here to view our rather smart looking Services Digi-Booklet!
Proactive Young People CIC is an exciting and experienced not-for-profit organisation or company with a can-do attitude and the ability to deliver the Worl...
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Our Next Event
SHENLEY BROOK END SCHOOL – MILTON KEYNES
Tuesday 5th May 2026 | 09:30am – 12:30pm
Year 7 – Speed Interviewing Event
A motivating, interactive and inspiring event designed to introduce students to the world of work at an early stage. Students gain exposure to a wide variety of careers while developing confidence, questioning skills and communication abilities.
TO BOOK ONTO AN EVENT PLEASE CONTACT Samantha Fitzgerald
M: 07702 048 618
E: samantha@proactiveeducation.co.uk
www.proactiveyoungpeoplecic.co.uk
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Apprenticeships
In The News
Modern Work Experience
In the UK, current careers guidance from The Careers & Enterprise Company and Gatsby-informed practice tends to frame good work experience around quality, variety, reflection, and relevance, not simply time spent in a workplace.
What modern work experience often includes:
1) Traditional placement
- 1–2 week placement with an employer
- Real tasks, not just observing
- Clear learning goals
- Reflection afterwards (what was learned, skills gained)
Example:
A Year 10 student spends 5 days with an engineering firm helping with design software, team meetings, and site visits.
2) Workplace projects
Employer sets a real business challenge for students.
Examples:
- Create a marketing campaign
- Design a product concept
- Solve a sustainability challenge
- Produce a business pitch
Benefit: develops teamwork, problem-solving, communication, creativity.
3) Virtual work experience
Online employer-led experiences:
- webinars
- digital placements
- online tasks
- virtual mentoring
- industry masterclasses
Benefit: scalable, accessible, reaches rural / SEND / disadvantaged learners.
4) Micro-placements
Short experiences:
- 1 day
- half day
- 2–3 hour industry immersion
- workplace visits with structured activity
Benefit: easier for employers to offer, easier for schools to timetable.
5) Job shadowing + insight days
Students follow professionals:
- observe meetings
- ask questions
- understand career pathways
- see workplace culture
Often paired with:
- CV workshop
- networking session
- employer feedback
6) Social action / enterprise
Running real projects:
- fundraising venture
- community campaign
- student business
- enterprise competitions
This counts because students develop:
- leadership
- budgeting
- project management
- teamwork
7) Simulated work environments
Students take on workplace roles in realistic scenarios:
- consultancy challenge
- engineering brief
- newsroom simulation
- hospitality operation
- design agency task
8) Supported internships / SEND pathways
For SEND learners:
- structured placements
- job coaching
- workplace adaptations
- transition to employment
A very important modern strand.
What makes it “modern”?
Modern work experience should be:
✅ meaningful
✅ employer-informed
✅ skill-building
✅ reflective
✅ inclusive
✅ flexible
✅ linked to careers learning
✅ accessible to all students, not just the confident few
Where policy is heading
The direction of travel in England is toward multiple encounters over time, rather than a single one-off placement—blending:
- employer encounters
- workplace visits
- projects
- virtual experiences
- placements
- mentoring
Source: The Careers & Enterprise Company guidance on employer encounters and meaningful experiences, plus Gatsby Benchmark 6 developments in careers education. https://www.gatsbybenchmarks.org.uk/understanding-the-gatsby-benchmarks/
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