Around two-thirds of students never gain any work experience before they leave school, yet many regard virtual programmes as a poor relation to in-person exposure to the workplace. Sam Hyams looks at why there needs to be a shift in attitude.
MPs have once again called for compulsory in-person work experience in schools. On the surface, it sounds like common sense. Every young person should have the opportunity to experience the workplace before they leave education.
Sadly, this doesn’t reflect the reality for many young people or the employers working hard to inspire and engage them.
At the same time, employers increasingly say young people are less work-ready – the latest research from the Institute of Student Employers found that many think student hires are less prepared than ever before.
Work experience
Young people are less work-ready, say employersÂ
Lack of work experience barring candidates from entry-level jobsÂ
According to the Youth Voice Census report last year, fewer than 36% of UK students gain in-person work experience before finishing school.
Even when they do, what counts as “work experience” varies wildly. One student might spend two weeks in a law firm. Another might make tea or clean brushes in a local shop. The postcode lottery is still in full effect.
What can virtual work experience achieve?
We need to stop confusing presence with quality. Just because a student turns up at an office, it does not mean they are developing skills, building confidence or exploring a career that is right for them.
Virtual work experience is not a fallback for those who miss out. It is a forward-thinking solution that reaches students the current system cannot. And it works.
Springpod has delivered over 1 million virtual experiences to students. They complete structured programmes that include industry insights, interactive projects and real feedback.
After finishing one, student confidence increased by 45%. Their sense of career readiness jumped by 59%. More than 90% said they have gained clarity on their future.
This is not theoretical. It has a measurable impact. Using our proprietary Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework, we have calculated that virtual work experience has generated £98 million in social value.
That includes reduced risk of Neet (not in education, employment or training) outcomes, improved employability, and stronger future earnings.
Societal impact
The value is not just social. It is economic. Skills mismatches cost the UK up to £140 billion a year, according to the ICAEW. Career education that works is not a nice-to-have. It is essential infrastructure.
Virtual work experience fills the gaps that traditional placements leave behind. It removes cost barriers such as travel, equipment and unpaid time. It provides access to industries and professionals that students might never encounter in person.
It allows students in Cornwall to explore engineering with a firm based in Manchester. It gives care-experienced students a flexible and supportive way to explore their options. It meets students where they are, not where employers happen to be.
And the system needs this. Our Bridging the Readiness Gap report found that almost seven in 10 students say thinking about their career causes them stress. More than half do not have a role model in a career they admire. One in twelve say they have never received any careers advice in school.
Access is inconsistent. Timing is often too late. And disadvantaged students are most likely to fall through the cracks.
For example, students eligible for free school meals are more likely to start career planning earlier than their peers, but less likely to feel supported or informed. They need more structure, not more pressure.
Virtual work experience addresses all three components of career readiness: confidence, clarity and opportunity. That is the formula that drives real outcomes.
It is also good business. Organisations that invest in scalable early talent programmes like virtual work experience report up to 40% in recruitment costs, according to Deloitte.
These programmes help companies engage talent earlier, reduce onboarding time, and widen their hiring pipeline to include underrepresented groups. That is not just CSR. That is a smarter route to finding prepared and motivated candidates.
Exposure to the workplace, whatever the format
We know that early exposure to the world of work matters. Research shows that students who engage with employers four or more times during their school journey are significantly less likely to become NEET. Springpod’s programmes are designed to create those moments at scale, with quality and consistency built in.
Virtual work experience addresses all three components of career readiness: confidence, clarity and opportunity.”
This is not about choosing between virtual or in-person. It is about combining the strengths of both. A blended approach gives students the best of both worlds: the access and scalability of virtual with the immersion and personal growth that can come from being on site.
The key is not the format. It is the outcome.
If we want a careers system that prepares young people for the world of work, we need to design it around their needs, not our assumptions.
That means more than mandating two weeks in a workplace. It means rethinking what meaningful exposure looks like. It means investing in solutions that reach more students, earlier, and with measurable results.
Broadening access
Virtual work experience is not a compromise. It is a catalyst. It opens doors that traditional models cannot and builds confidence in students who are too often left out of the system. It is not an alternative to doing the real thing. It is a way of making the real thing possible.
We cannot afford to wait. And we cannot afford to waste talent. This is not about tech for tech’s sake. It is about creating a system where every young person can explore their potential, build skills and take action.
That is what we mean by powering potential. And that is what virtual work experience makes possible.
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