Futures & Findings: Spring into Impact (Q3 25/26)
- Futures For All
- 28 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Welcome to the second edition of our Futures & Findings impact blog. This quarter, we're picking up where we left off, sharing the stats and stories that defined our work.
From March to May, our teams were busy connecting young people with employers and Work Experience, facilitating talks through our Speakers for Schools network, and supporting the educators making it all possible.
Our Reach
In the third quarter of the 25/26 Academic Year, we reached 62,748 young people through our Work Experience and Speakers for Schools Programmes.
In Q3, we saw...
3,383 young people experiencing the world of work
101 opportunities delivered by our partner employers
59,365 young people reached by an inspirational talk
174 speakers giving 219 horizon-widening talks
Our Impact
For both our Work Experience and Speakers for Schools Programmes we use surveys to gather feedback and track outcomes for young people. These surveys are designed to capture a wide range of insights, helping us assess the immediate impacts of our initiatives, as well as their longer-term benefits. Below are just a few highlights from this last quarter.
Our Work Experience Programme
By participating in our Work Experience programme, young people build confidence and develop essential skills through direct workplace interactions.
This quarter, participants stepped into a diverse range of sectors, enjoying placements with high-profile employers such as British Airways, Bloomsbury Publishing, Reed Smith, The British Beauty Council, and Bosch.
Alongside these placements, our Year 9 engagement initiative continued to introduce younger students to the world of work. Delivered in partnership with employers like Lincolnshire Co-op, Willmott Dixon, and Mott MacDonald, these sessions reached inspired students across the country.
Highlights from the data show that our placements left participants with a better understanding of the skills employers look for and help them feel confident in making informed decisions about their future.
94% of participants feel they have a better understanding of what skills and qualities employers look for after their work experience.
3 in 4 participants (75%) felt well-informed about future opportunities to work with the employer, compared to 37% pre-placement.
93% of participants feel they have enough information to make a decision whether they want a career in the industry of their experience.
Using the Skills Builder Framework, we track how industry interactions translate into the essential competencies required for the world of work. In Q3:
97% of young people developed their Listening skills
42% to ‘a great extent’
90% of young people developed their Teamwork skills
68% to ‘a great extent’
89% of young people developed their Creativity skills
44% to ‘a great extent’
What did young people say?
“I really enjoyed the group discussion as most of the people were new to me. I got to learn about how people came across this path and what qualifications are required this helped me to understand what steps I need to take if I want to enter this industry.”
Work Experience attendee
“I really loved the session with experiences and curation about the future exhibition, I found the topic exciting and it really confirmed to me my aspirations to work in the specific sector. However I also enjoyed the sessions with the technicians as I found it fun and interesting.”
Work Experience attendee
From Zookeeping to Zoo Careers with Flamingo Land
In May, 86 young people explored the world of animal care and conservation on a two-day virtual work experience with Flamingo Land Resort in Yorkshire. Led by zookeepers, the students learned about daily life with the animals, discovered a wide range of career paths, and received invaluable advice on breaking into the industry.
Following the placement, 93% of participants felt fully equipped to make an informed decision about pursuing a career in the sector.
“When we first started planning, delivering a group project in a virtual setting felt like uncharted territory for Flamingo Land. Facilitating collaboration between students who have never met is an understandably daunting ask for an employer. But with a bit of guidance and support in the planning stages and on the day, they absolutely nailed it.
The group project became the standout element, with student after student highlighting it as the best part of their placement. What stood out to me was the diversity of participants we reached, with 27% reporting having Special Educational Needs and 22% eligible for Free School Meals.”
Adam Watts, Futures For All Account Manager
For more stories of impact:
Our Speakers for Schools Programme
This quarter, we continued to motivate and inspire students with eye-opening talks from speakers in our network. We were delighted to welcome acclaimed author and broadcaster Kate Mosse, television personality and mathematics champion Bobby Seagull MBE and renowned journalist and presenter Penny Smith, alongside many other industry leaders.
In tandem, our IntoTech programme, delivered in partnership with The Hg Foundation, shone a spotlight on the rapidly evolving tech landscape. Providing students with a front-row seat to the future of innovation, the sessions featured invaluable insights from speakers such as Jem Lloyd-Williams (CEO of Mindshare UK), Elan Raja (Founder and CEO of Scan Computers), and Rikke Rosenlund (the pioneering founder of BorrowMyDoggy).
Data from Q3 shows that structured speaker visits inspire students by revealing new career routes and building their self-belief. This impact is why our Speakers for Schools programme continues to receive excellent feedback from young people and teachers.
98% of educators were 'very satisfied' or 'satisfied' with the talk they hosted overall.
81% ‘very satisfied’
More than 3 in 4 young people (76%) agreed that the talk helped them gain more insight into a sector/job they had no previous knowledge of.
Following their talk, 81% of young people felt they could achieve whatever career they set their mind to.
What did young people say?
“I most enjoyed learning about what it was like to start at a smaller job and work up the job chain. She made me feel more confident in the way I can achieve my goals and when I should start working towards it.”
Speakers for Schools Talk attendee
“What stood out most to me was how she framed these mistakes positively, emphasising that they're vital opportunities to learn and improve for next time. She was clearly so passionate about her profession and the path in which she led to get there and it was truly awe-inspiring to hear.”
Speakers for Schools Talk attendee
Google Director of Strategy Inspires Future Tech Stars
In May, students at Horbury Academy hosted Zahaan Bharmal, Author and Senior Director of Strategy at Google.
The session provided a unique opportunity for students to learn how dedication and persistence can unlock incredible pathways in the technology sector, highlighting the vast array of careers available. Zahaan reflected on his own professional journey, sharing key milestones and the opportunities created along the way.
During the Q&A, Zahaan answered questions about Google’s global impact, what it is really like to work for a tech giant, and the evolving future of AI in the workplace.
This event was part of the IntoTech programme, which helps Year 8 pupils discover and experience technology careers earlier in their education. Following this introduction, selected pupils from the Academy will progress to exclusive insight days, mentoring, and work experience throughout Years 9 and 10.
Inspired by these numbers?
Be a part of the impact by offering life-changing work experience or sharing your story as a speaker, and read more about the impact of our programmes here.
