The EY Foundation’s pledge to modern work experience

An insights informed approach to modern work experience

In England, modern work experience that goes beyond a traditional one-week placement is widely recognised as a meaningful, impactful approach for pupils, particularly when it builds skills, confidence and aspiration at an early stage. At The EY Foundation, our commitment to modern work experience has been shaped by both evidence and lived experience and directly informed the design of Beyond Horizons, a new pilot programme launching in Bradford in April 2026.

Established in 2014 by EY, The EY Foundation is an independent charity that works at the intersection of education and employment to close the skills gap and unlock potential for young people from low-income backgrounds.  

In 2024, we commissioned Groundswell Innovation to explore the future of work experience, alongside learning from our long-standing engagement with schools, employers, and young people.  We developed a shared theory of change that helped us understand local barriers and opportunities in more depth. These conversations inspired us to reimagine work experience as something that starts earlier, broadens awareness of local growth sectors, and recognises young people’s strengths, interests and potential.  

Beyond Horizons was developed as a direct response to these local and national insights. This pilot programme brings together strengths discovery, early employer exposure and immersive experiences in a way that aims to be practical for schools and accessible for employers, while helping young people understand who they are, what they’re good at, and how this connects to the world of work.

Maintaining momentum anchored in quality 

Our pledge has reinforced and accelerated conversations already underway through the development of Beyond Horizons. We’ve moved from programme design into delivery, which is currently being tested with four schools in Bradford. We’ve introduced a four-part model that includes strengths discovery, exposure to local industries, immersive workplace experiences, and structured reflection. We’re developing clearer guidance and scaffolding for employer volunteers, recognising that accessibility and quality need to go hand in hand. Our ambition is not to prescribe a single model, but to build evidence that can inform future practice and scaling for different environments and needs.  

One of the main challenges has been balancing ambition with realism - particularly for schools and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Time, confidence, and clarity are common barriers. We’ve worked to overcome this by simplifying delivery models, co‑designing with partners, and providing practical support that makes participation feel achievable.  

Senior leaders play a critical role in enabling change, particularly within SMEs, where capacity and competing priorities are very real challenges, as evidenced in our report, the ‘Business Case for Social Mobility: A Guide to SMEs’. Leadership buy in helps create the conditions for participation, flexibility and experimentation.  

A shared vision for modern work experience

Modern work experience is now part of statutory guidance in England introduced from September 2025, and we see this as a long-term shift rather than a quick fix. The most important step is to engage with others locally and stay committed to shaping what good looks like.  

Young people are navigating a rapidly changing world of work, often with limited exposure to professional environments and modern work experience helps bridge that gap by building confidence, understanding and aspiration earlier on. It also plays a crucial role in addressing inequality, ensuring access to opportunity is not shaped by background or networks. At a time of significant economic and technological change, modern work experience equips young people not just for their first step into work, but for a future of adaptability and lifelong learning.  

Modern work experience works best when it is treated as a shared, long-term ambition. The most meaningful progress we’ve seen has come from listening, co-designing and being willing to adapt. The Careers & Enterprise Company’s Let’s Make It Work pledge has provided an important framework for collective action, learning and sustained change.