Introducing Certified Work Experience
National Work Experience Standard – Certified by Futures For All is an independent certification for employers that provide high-quality work experience.
Organisations are assessed against criteria developed through over a decade of research, direct practice with young people and schools, and the lived experience of employers who helped shape the Standard.
As the country's largest provider of work experience, connecting thousands of young people with employers, Futures For All knows what good looks like. Certification means you do too.
The Certification Story: From Pilot to National Launch
Work experience currently lacks a consistently applied national quality standard. Around a third of young people describe their work experience as a waste of time. Even well-intentioned employers cannot demonstrate their impact without a shared definition of what good looks like.
We invited a group of leading employers to help us build one.
Through a rigorous pilot, assessing, testing and refining against our evidence-based framework, National Work Experience Standard – Certified by Futures For All was born.
Shape a New National Standard
Founding cohort employers don't just earn certification; they help shape what Futures For All’s National Work Experience Standard becomes. This is a unique opportunity to lead a national conversation about work experience, not just participate in it.
Turn Social Commitment into Social Proof
Certification gives your investment in young people independent, verifiable credibility that holds up in an ESG report, an annual review or a public sector tender.
Showcase Your Organisation,
Gain National Recognition
Our certification signals to schools and young people that your programme meets a national standard, helping you stand out to early talent looking for employers who take their development seriously.
Build Your Early Talent Pipeline
Before Your Competitors
The skills shortage is here. Certified employers are already building relationships with the young people who will be their workforce in five years. National Work Experience Standard puts you ahead.
Why Get Certified?
01
Start with a Free
Self-Assessment
Firstly, find out how your work experience programme measures up.
Your self-assessment tool gives you a structured picture of where you're already excelling and where there's room to grow, mapped directly against our National Work Experience Standard. Then, you’ll get a free report directly
to your inbox.
02
Get Independently
Assessed Against
Our National Standard
When you're ready, submit evidence of your work experience programme for formal assessment.
Our independent review of your submission against the nine criteria of a National Work Experience Standard covers everything from how your placements are designed and delivered, to the impact they have on young people. We'll guide you through what evidence to submit and what to expect at every stage.
03
Earn Certification,
Join Our Community
and Celebrate Impact
Pass your assessment, and you'll be awarded our National Work Experience Standard with public recognition.
Display your certification badge everywhere to put your organisation on the map.
Plus, if you're on the Work Experience Finder, your opportunities will be badged as the high-quality placements of choice – so schools and young people can actively find you first.
How to Earn National Work Experience Standard Certification
Getting certified is simpler than you might think. Here’s how it works in three steps:
01
Start with a Free Self-Assessment
Firstly, find out how your work experience programme measures up.
Your self-assessment tool gives you
a structured picture of where you're already excelling and where there's room to grow, mapped directly against our National Work Experience Standard. Then, you’ll get a free report directly
to your inbox.
02
Get Independently Assessed Against Our National Standard
When you're ready, submit evidence of your work experience programme for formal assessment.
Our independent review of your submission against the nine criteria of a National Work Experience Standard covers everything from how your placements are designed and delivered, to the impact they have on young people. We'll guide you through what evidence to submit and what to expect at every stage.
03
Earn Certification, Join Our Community and Celebrate Impact
Pass your assessment, and you'll be awarded our National Work Experience Standard with public recognition.
Display your certification badge everywhere to put your organisation
on the map.
Plus, if you're on the Work Experience Finder, your opportunities will be badged as the high-quality placements of choice – so schools and young people can actively find you first.
How to Earn National Work Experience Standard Certification
Getting certified is simpler than you might think. Here’s how it works in three steps:
How to Earn National Work Experience Standard Certification
Getting certified is simpler than you might think. Here’s how it works in three steps:
01
Start With a Free
Self-Assessment
Firstly, find out how your work experience programme measures up.
Your self-assessment tool gives you
a structured picture of where you're already excelling and where there's room to grow, mapped directly against our National Work Experience Standard. Then, you’ll get a free report directly
to your inbox.
02
Get Independently Assessed Against Our National Standard
When you're ready, submit evidence of your work experience programme for formal assessment.
Our independent review of your submission against the nine criteria of a National Work Experience Standard covers everything from how your placements are designed and delivered, to the impact they have on young people. We'll guide you through what evidence to submit and what to expect at every stage.
03
Earn Certification, Join Our Community and Celebrate Impact
Pass your assessment, and you'll be awarded our National Work Experience Standard with public recognition.
Display your certification badge everywhere to put your organisation
on the map.
Plus, if you're on the Work Experience Finder, your opportunities will be badged as the high-quality placements of choice – so schools and young people can actively find you first.
Get Featured on the National
Work Experience Finder
The Work Experience Finder is where around 70,000 young people and their teachers from over 2,200 schools and colleges search for work experience placements every year.
When you earn National Work Experience Standard Certification, your organisation doesn't just get a badge. You get a competitive edge on the platform thousands of young people and teachers already use to find work experience. Certified employers are featured on the Finder with our National Work Experience Standard badge and filtered by Certified Work Experience, visible to every young person and teacher who views your listing.
Get Featured on
the National Work Experience Finder
Join the Employers Who Helped Shape the Standard
Hear from Our Certified Employers
“We know that high-quality work experience is transformative for young peoples’ futures. Having the ability to independently verify work experience gives reassurance to young people, their parents and carers, and their teachers that an opportunity will be inclusive, supportive and provide the outcomes that young people need.
The process was straight-forward but gave us the opportunity to reflect on our activities in a way we rarely find time for. It has given us the confidence that we know what ‘high quality’ looks like and the road map to get there… I'd say it to any employer: it's absolutely worth your time.”
Amy Smith, Global Director of Recruitment & Outreach, Framestore
“We already felt confident in what we deliver, but we knew we were effectively marking our own homework. Taking part in National Work Experience Standard Certification gave us the chance to get genuine, external feedback and understand exactly where we could improve…
What excites us most is the idea of this becoming a genuine industry standard – something that makes work experience more consistent across the sector, so wherever a young person goes, they know they'll get a great experience. If everyone follows suit, that can only raise the bar for everyone.”
Michala Richmond, Early Careers & Social Value Coordinator, Jackson Civil Engineering
“Our work experience programme has grown hugely over the last three or four years. Being part of a structured framework of excellence gave us a brilliant opportunity to pause, reflect, and make sure we keep building on what's working.
Externally, it strengthens our client conversations and supports the social value commitments that our customers care a lot about. Internally, it sends a powerful message that we're genuinely committed to helping advance the careers of young people… I love the idea of being part of a wider community – learning from other brilliant employers… and sharing our own best practices too.”
Sue Owen-Bailey, Head of ESG, Equifax UK
“We've been running work experience for years and I've always been curious about whether what we do is genuinely good quality. There's always room to improve, and understanding where we sit – and how we compare – helps us keep developing, so that every young person gets a quality experience. The report itself has been genuinely useful, giving us a clear, independent view of where we're doing well and where we can keep improving.
What excites me is the idea of the National Work Experience Standard becoming widely recognised – a badge that career leads and students actively look out for.”
Emma Schierbaum, STEM Outreach & Social Impact Leader, Bayer
“National Work Experience Standard Certification is important because every young person deserves a high-quality work experience that builds confidence, develops skills and expands future opportunities. We welcomed the opportunity to have our work experience programmes independently assessed and benchmarked… and participating felt like a valuable way to give something back while continuing to learn from others. The process has provided a clear framework for what great work experience looks like and… it has helped ensure that everything we design and deliver is intentional, meaningful and aligned to best practice.”
Wendy Alletson, Early Careers Consultant, Scottish Water
“We know the UK has one of the most overqualified NEET populations in Europe, with too many young people heading into degree courses that don't lead anywhere. Work experience is how we help change that story.
The National Work Experience Standard Certification shows we're credible – that an independent, recognised body has looked closely at what we do and confirmed we're delivering something genuinely good for young people. That's a brilliant thing to be able to stand behind… specific recommendations in our report have given us a clear, actionable plan for how we build on standards next year.”
Martyn Robinson, Senior Food Scientist, Mondelēz International
Ready to get certified?
Ready to get certified?
Certified and Celebrated: News from Our Community
The Mark of High-Quality Work Experience: Futures For All Unveils New National Standard Certification
The Certification Story: From Pilot to National Launch with Futures For All and Leading Employers
Certified Community: Framestore Joins Futures For All to Shape a New National Work Experience Standard
Certified and Celebrated:
News from Our Community
Quick answers to FAQs
Why should employers get certified by Futures For All?
How long does achieving certification take?
What is the cost of earning work experience certification?
Which companies/organisations can take part in certification?
What is National Work Experience Standard Certification?
What is Futures For All’s free self-assessment tool?
What does participation in the certification look like?
What is the National Work Experience Standard Framework?