Introduction
Work experience plays a vital role in developing the NHS future workforce. It enables people from all backgrounds to gain insight into the variety of roles available, supports career choices, and helps organisations build a diverse and sustainable pipeline of talent.
This guide aims to support NHS organisations in adopting a modern work experience approach, moving beyond single placements to provide progressive, meaningful and inclusive experiences over time.
Work experience is a key part of statutory careers guidance in schools and colleges. NHS organisations play a key role in supporting this ambition.
Why work experience matters
This approach is increasingly important in the context of national challenges, as the 2026 Young People and Work review from Alan Milburn identified that almost one million young people in the UK are not in education, employment or training (NEET), calling for coordinated action from employers, education and health systems to create clearer pathways into work, including through work experience and apprenticeships.
Research from Education and Employers shows that young people who have higher levels of employer engagement are less likely to become NEET, underlining the importance of providing high-quality and structured opportunities. Their evidence also highlights that access to work experience is often unequal, reinforcing the importance of inclusive and accessible opportunities.
Providing work experience opportunities helps NHS organisations to:
- Inspire future careers: showcasing the breadth of roles beyond traditional clinical pathways.
- Support workforce supply: early engagement with potential workforce into progression pathways such as apprenticeships and T Levels.
- Improve inclusion: widening access to underrepresented groups.
- Strengthen community links: building relationships with local schools, colleges and communities.
- Enhance organisational reputation: demonstrating commitment to social value and development.
For participants, work experience can:
- Build confidence and employability skills.
- Improve understanding of NHS values and behaviours.
- Support informed career choices.
- Provide meaningful insight into workplace environments.
This is particularly important given national evidence highlighting the risk of long-term disengagement from the labour market for many young people without early access to opportunities.
Adopting a modern work experience approach
Modern work experience is a structured and inclusive approach that ensures every learner benefits from multiple, high quality workplace experiences over their school career.
As per the government’s statutory careers guidance, schools must provide at least one week of activities during Key Stage 3 (Years 7 – 9) and at least one week of placements in Key Stage 4 (Years 10-11).
The Careers and Enterprise Company guidance What is modern work experience? defines modern work experience and supports employers to deliver high-quality provision aligned to the Gatsby Benchmarks.
Planning and improving your work experience programme
Many NHS organisations already deliver some form of work experience. Taking time to plan or review your approach should not require a significant administrative exercise, but is an opportunity to consider how your existing activity aligns with evolving approaches to work experience.
As schools and colleges move towards a more structured and progressive model, small changes can help ensure your provision meets these needs. By building on what already works well, organisations can create a more consistent, inclusive and impactful offer.
You may find it helpful to work through the following steps to plan, review and strengthen your work experience programme:
Further guidance on employing and supporting young people is available in the NHS Employers resource on recruiting under 18s in the NHS.
Good practice
NHS organisations are already delivering innovative and impactful work experience programmes. These examples highlight how organisations are managing demand, widening access, and developing blended, high-quality offers that support workforce pathways. Explore our case studies demonstrating how organisations are developing their approach in practice.
- University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust has introduced a centralised system to manage applications and improve transparency and access.
- Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has reimagined its work experience offer to increase capacity and reduce administrative burden, while maintaining a fair and structured approach.
Placing students first at United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS
This video shows the importance of student experience in the work experience journey. Ensuring the work experience offer aligns with the students’ needs and expectations, this can increase uptake and spark an interest in a career in the NHS.
A standardised process for matching students with work experience is the fairest way of ensuring parity of access for students, rather than allowing them to rely on their own knowledge or contacts. The trust facilitates this through a locally developed work experience platform, with a standard application form, widening participation and reducing administrative burden.
