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The Gatsby Benchmarks have become the backbone of careers education in England.

When first introduced, they gave schools and colleges a clear framework and a shared language for what good looks like. Ten years on, the latest national data shows how far we’ve come - and where the next wave of effort is needed.

Our newly published analysis of the 2024/25 Gatsby Benchmark results reveals that schools and colleges now average six fully achieved benchmarks (up from a starting point of 1.7 when statutory guidance once first introduced in 2017). That is a significant improvement and a sign that careers education is becoming more embedded in everyday practice. The biggest gains, in the past year, were in Benchmark 3 (addressing individual pupil needs) and Benchmark 7 (encounters with further and higher education). These show that schools and colleges are finding smart, practical ways to meet learners where they are and open their eyes to post-16 and post-18 pathways while also ensuring PAL compliance.

But the data also highlights where progress has slowed. Benchmark 8 (personal guidance) has improved in the last decade but dipped slightly in the past year, and work experience, central to Benchmark 6, continues to prove challenging for schools to meet fully. Ìý

The government’s vision is clear: to strengthen careers advice and guarantee every young person two weeks’ worth of meaningful work experience. That places work experience firmly in the spotlight, not as an optional add-on for a few, but as an essential entitlement that helps every young person connect learning with the world of work.Ìý

So, what does this mean for school and college leaders and teachers in classrooms right now, particularly those not yet deeply involved in careers provision? Here are some practical approaches you can use straight away.Ìý

1. Equity for learners Ìý

The intended work experience guarantee will apply to all learners, including those with SEND. CEC’s modern work experience model, equalex, has been piloted in special schools, alternative provision, and mainstream settings, supported by a special multi-academy trust. A guiding principle is equity of access - ensuring every young person benefits. Teachers can use CEC’s to adapt objectives flexibly to their learners. Ìý

2. What does the right approach look like in practice?Ìý

Several modern work experience pilots are already underway. In Liverpool, multiple schools and employers are working together to modernise work experience. The initiative combines placements with employer-set projects, online encounters, and classroom preparation and reflection. The aim is to provide young people with multiple, varied experiences that meet CEC’s modern work experience outcomes, building cumulative confidence and readiness. Ìý

3. Increased opportunity awareness, improved self-awareness, inspirationÌý

Teachers can open learners’ eyes to the breadth of opportunities. Simple activities can help:Ìý

• Understand different types of workplaces (offices, warehouses, remote) and employment (self-employment, freelancing, full-time).Ìý
• Recall a range of sectors and jobs, linking subject content to essential skills.Ìý
• Reflect on passions, interests, and skills, and consider career pathways.Ìý
• Challenge stereotypes and identify career role models.Ìý

For example, a geography teacher could connect with a local town planner via their Â鶹¹ú²ú Hub to show how mapping data supports real projects. Encounters like this raise awareness and .Ìý

4. Career readiness, exploration of roles & responsibilities, understanding growth sectorsÌý

Learners benefit from deeper exploration of roles and career pathways. Teachers should work in partnership with their Â鶹¹ú²ú Leader to access resources on:Ìý

• Running projects based on employer briefs - for instance, a design technology class creating prototypes for a local business challenge.Ìý
• Comparing apprenticeships, T Levels, and higher education routes.Ìý
• Using case studies to explain different organisational roles.Ìý
• Connecting subject content to local growth sectors, showing how the economy is shifting.Ìý

These activities help learners develop workplace skills while exploring real pathways.Ìý

5. Applying knowledge and skills in the workplaceÌý

Career-related learning is most powerful when learners apply skills and reflect on feedback. Teachers can support this by:Ìý

• Helping learners set objectives before placements (e.g. teamwork or communication).Ìý
• Ensuring employers give structured feedback.Ìý
• Using recruitment simulations like mock interviews.Ìý
• Encouraging learners to compare experiences and evaluate impact on aspirations.Ìý

This scaffolding moves learners from observing to demonstrating real readiness. . Ìý

The direction is unmistakable: work experience is not about a single placement, but about multiple learner-centred encounters that connect curriculum, skills, and aspirations. Teachers are central to this change. By embedding modern work experience outcomes into lessons, preparing and debriefing placements, and linking careers into everyday learning, schools can ensure every young person leaves with the confidence, insight, and skills to shape their future.Ìý

Good careers education is about using the Gatsby benchmarks as a foundation to help every young person see a future they can believe in - and equipping them with the experiences and skills to get there.Ìý

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By Nicola Hall, Director of Education, The Â鶹¹ú²ú & Enterprise Company