The Talent Foundry’s pledge to modern work experience

The inspiration behind our commitment

Our commitment to modern work experience is rooted in our vision of tackling inequality and widening access to opportunity by providing meaningful work encounters for young people in under-served communities. At The Talent Foundry, we see how traditional models of work experience can exclude young people, failing to effectively bridge the gap between education and careers. Modern work experience offers a better alternative: progressive, high-quality, varied opportunities delivered throughout education that prepare young people for the modern workplace.

By supporting CEC's commitment to modern work experience, we are reinforcing our belief that every young person deserves meaningful, first-hand insight into the world of work, regardless of their background. Our pledge to ensure that students can access at least two weeks’ work experience is about unlocking opportunities, sparking ambition, and creating a fairer future.

Connecting employers, young people and partners  

Since pledging, we’ve actively discussed the importance of connecting employers and young people with our partners to collectively support how we help make modern work experience a reality at scale. We’ve also continued conversations around pathways into work, particularly apprenticeships and alternative routes, sharing real impact stories to demonstrate what’s possible when barriers are removed.  

We’ve deepened our partnerships with educators and employers, continuing to deliver programmes aligned with the modern work experience principles. Our conversations have focused on rethinking traditional models, ensuring experiences are high-quality and inclusive. We’ve also renewed our commitment to aligning all activity with national standards, including the updated statutory guidance, Gatsby Benchmarks and CEC’s equalex framework.

Most importantly, we are centering young people’s voices in these conversations, listening to their experiences and ensuring that work experience evolves around their needs, not our assumptions.

Supporting systemic change through collaboration  

To get this right, and at scale, young people require senior leaders to play a critical role in championing collaboration across education, industry and the charity sector. Systemic change requires shared commitment and responsibility – no single organisation can fix the work experience gap alone.

The fight for a fairer future starts here – and it’s not too late to get involved. Modern work experience is about more than just placements - it’s about providing high-quality, accessible pathways into rewarding careers for young people. By getting involved, organisations can help ensure that young people aren’t excluded from opportunities because of their postcode or socio-economic background. Supporting modern work experience means building a fairer future by investing in talent and ensuring that nobody is left behind.

Scaling modern work experience to support and develop future talent 

The need for modern work experience has never been greater. The number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) is at a five-year high, with the long-term impact of the pandemic and prevailing global instability deepening existing inequalities. 

Additionally, the world of work is changing. AI is changing the focus of entry-level roles and young people need clearer insights into the skills and behaviours required to succeed. Modern work experience places young people at the centre of talent development, helping them to understand real workplaces, build professional networks, and gain the confidence required to navigate an increasingly complex job market.

What excites us most is the scale of opportunity this movement could have. Decisions being made today – by schools, employers, charities and policymakers – have the power to shape how an entire generation will experience the world of work. Seeing partners stand together and young people be placed at the heart of designing modern work experience gives us hope that a united effort will drive lasting, positive change.