This article was written by Sareena Bains, CEO of Movement to Work.
Key Takeaways
- Inclusive work experience breaks down barriers and offers young people a pathway into the world of work, especially for those who are NEET (not in education, employment or training)
- By investing in inclusive work experience, employers don’t just change lives, they build strong, diverse teams that reflect the real world
- The most impactful work experience is flexible, inclusive, and designed with young people’s diverse needs in mind – because everyone deserves the chance to succeed.
Why Inclusive Work Experience Matters
Time and again, young people tell us that the biggest barrier to securing a job is a lack of work experience. This is the harsh reality of the “no experience, no job” cycle – one that leaves too many young people struggling to step onto the career ladder.
Our Digital Youth Voice survey highlights that NEET young people (Not in Education, Employment or Training) often face a range of compounding challenges. These include disability, neurodiversity, difficulties with literacy and numeracy, care responsibilities, and limited access to flexible or inclusive work experience opportunities. Many also face digital poverty, a lack of IT skills, and broader socio-economic barriers that make accessing the world of work especially difficult.
Inclusive work experience benefits both young people and employers. Many young people face unique challenges as they enter the workforce, and while these can make the journey to employment more complex, the right support and accommodations can unlock their potential. When given the opportunity, these individuals bring fresh perspectives, adaptability, and resilience – qualities that can enhance workplace culture and drive innovation.
For employers, investing in inclusive work experience isn’t just the right thing to do – it also builds stronger, more diverse teams and helps create a more equitable and future-ready workforce.
How Employers Can Deliver Meaningful Work Experience
A meaningful work experience placement provides young people with the chance to actively contribute, build confidence, and develop both technical and transferable skills. It should be shaped with genuine intent and thoughtful planning, not treated as a box-ticking exercise.
A truly impactful placement offers more than just exposure to day-to-day tasks; it helps young people develop key skills such as communication, time management, collaboration, and problem-solving, all within a supportive and inclusive environment where they feel valued and engaged.
There is no one-size-fits-all approach – each programme will differ based on the needs of the young person and the organisation. We encourage employers to take a blended approach, combining new and emerging technologies with established models and frameworks to maximise impact. When done well, work experience becomes a mutually beneficial opportunity: young people gain meaningful insight and skills, while employers connect with future talent and benefit from fresh, diverse perspectives.
To support young people who are outside mainstream education, employers should prioritise understanding, flexibility, and tailored support. They should:
1. Understand Their Needs
Take time to learn about the barriers young people face. Collaborate with partners to design placements that are genuinely accessible and reflect a clear understanding of diverse needs.
2. Be Flexible
Offer adaptable hours and formats. Rigid schedules can be a barrier – flexibility can be the difference between participation and exclusion.
3. Communicate Clearly
Share written information in advance about what to expect on the first day, who they’ll meet, and what the schedule looks like. This helps reduce anxiety, particularly for neurodiverse young people.
4. Rethink Recruitment
Treat placements as a pathway, not just a one-off experience. Focus on potential rather than qualifications – approach it like an extended interview that opens doors to future opportunities.
5. Provide Support
Assign mentors or buddies to help participants feel welcomed, supported, and included as part of the team.
Tips for Employers
If you’re an employer who wants to start, or who is enhancing your approach:
- Start with your “why”: Clarify your purpose. Understanding why you’re offering work experience helps shape a programme that’s meaningful, focused, and impactful.
- Equip young people for today and the future: Design placements that help young people build relevant, real-world skills and engage with emerging technologies such as Generative AI, ensuring they are better prepared for the workplaces of tomorrow.
What Makes Work Experience Valuable for Young People
1. Being Heard and Valued
Feeling genuinely seen, listened to, and included by the team makes a lasting impact. When young people are treated as contributors rather than observers, they build confidence, feel a sense of belonging, and are more likely to engage.
2. A Clear, Positive Outcome
A valuable placement should offer more than a line on a CV. Whether it results in a reference, a new skill, or a clear next step, tangible outcomes help young people feel that their time and effort have led to real progress.
3. Wraparound Support
Having access to mentors, coaches, or peer buddies helps young people navigate the experience with confidence. This support network fosters resilience, encourages reflection, and ensures they don’t feel alone as they take steps toward their future.
Success Stories
“I struggled to find a job where I truly fit in after leaving school, but my work experience programme with Movement to Work and BAE Systems changed everything. I discovered my passion for engineering, and now I’m training as an electrician, with an exciting
career ahead of me in a field I love.” Gabrielle Howell – Electrical Apprentice, BAE Systems
“Our Movement to Work programme plays a vital role in helping NEET young people take their first meaningful steps towards a career. By combining hands-on experience in a real working environment with the development of core employability skills that are transferable across industries, it builds confidence and sets participants up for future success – whether that’s with us or another employer. The programme also creates a clear pathway onto our apprenticeship scheme. Its success lies in the blend of structured experience, employability upskilling, mentoring, and wraparound support that truly opens doors to lasting opportunity. We are proud of the fact that we have provided over 1000 placements to young people and this has translated into more than 300 jobs with our company, most of them onto apprenticeships providing high quality skills training.” Richard Hamer – HR Director Education & Skills, BAE Systems
About Movement to Work
Movement to Work is a registered UK charity offering fully funded, expert support to help businesses create inclusive, high-impact opportunities for young people – especially those facing the greatest barriers. We work alongside employers to design meaningful experiences that empower NEET young people to thrive while helping organisations unlock fresh, diverse talent.
About Work Experience Works
In April 2025 Movement to Work launched Work Experience Works: a national campaign to reframe the way we think about work experience – proving that, when done well, it truly works.
As part of this effort, Movement to Work has co-created a set of nine guiding principles to help employers deliver work experience that truly works. Developed together with our network of employers and partners, these principles draw upon the latest evidence, research and insights to ensure work experience is relevant, effective and inclusive.
These principles sit under three key pillars: The first pillar: prioritise equity through intentional design and collaboration. It’s about designing experiences with clear objectives, structure, and inclusion in mind. The second encourages employers to deliver transformative learning experiences. Young people need mentorship, peer support and encouragement to confidently step into employment. The third pillar focuses on sustainable pathways for growth – celebrating achievements and creating meaningful outcomes that deliver lasting impact for all young people.
Supporting NEET young people
Our resources help employers understand the barriers NEET young people face and support the design of accessible, inclusive work experience opportunities.
Work experience programmes have evolved in response to emerging technologies, the lasting effects of Covid-19, shifting workplace norms, youth mental health challenges, and growing inequalities. This guidance was developed to ensure marginalised young people aren’t left behind. Alongside this, we remain committed to breaking down barriers for NEET young people. Our recent research highlights the potential of Generative AI to support them into employment, and we’re now helping young people use this technology responsibly to build skills and navigate pathways into work.
As needs evolve, we will continue to refine our resources, drawing on research, employer insight, and the lived experiences of young people to ensure our support remains relevant and impactful.
