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How to get work experience without contacts
You don’t need to know anyone. Here is what to ask your school, which free programmes to try, and a message to send to local businesses.
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Short answer
You don’t need to know anyone. Ask your school or college first. Then try a free online programme, and write to a few local businesses.
Facts checked against GOV.UK and each service’s own website on 10/11/2026. Awaiting sign-off by the Chief Education Officer. Next check due 10/02/2027.
What to do next
Pick where you’re starting from.
- For:At school or college
Ask your school or college first
Schools are asked to give every pupil a week of placements in Years 10 and 11. Colleges should give every student at least one real experience of a workplace.
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Schools in England are asked to give two weeks’ worth in total: a week of activities in Years 7 to 9 and a week of placements in Years 10 and 11, from September 2026.
Sixth forms and colleges are asked to give every student at least one real experience of a workplace. T Levels include an industry placement.
Tell your careers leader or tutor what interests you, and ask if they can help with a place you have in mind.
Sources: careers guidance, T Levels (gov.uk)
- For:Left school or college
Talk to a free careers adviser
18 or over? Call 0800 072 0288, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00.
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Calls are free from landlines and most mobiles. Closed at weekends and on bank holidays. Under 18 and not in school, college or training? The National Careers Service help page says how to reach an adviser.
Source: National Careers Service
- For:Everyone
Start online this week
A free online programme lets you try a job from home. It gives you something real to talk about.
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Year 10 to Year 13: Futures For All, Barclays LifeSkills, Springpod. Older students and school leavers: Forage, Uptree (up to 21). Most give a certificate.
Costs checked: see Free help
- For:Everyone
Write to 10 places near you
List 10 local places, send the message below to a few at a time, and follow up once after a week.
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Think small as well as big: vets, garages, hairdressers, pharmacies, builders, cafes, libraries, council offices and charities. Write to a named manager if the website gives one.
Don’t worry if most don’t reply. If someone says no, ask if they know anyone else you could try.
Afterwards, write down what you did and learned. It makes good lines for your CV.
Tip from NSEMM staff
- For:Year 10 or 11
Know the rules for your age
Under 14, you can’t work for a business that makes a profit, even unpaid. Part-time jobs can start at 14.
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In some council areas part-time work starts at 13. In term time you can work up to 12 hours a week, never in school hours. Work experience your school arranges is set up separately.
Sources: volunteering, child employment (gov.uk)
- For:After 16
Count jobs, volunteering and apprenticeships
After 16, a part-time job or volunteering counts as experience. Apprenticeships are paid jobs you can start at 16.
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A job counts if you’re doing real tasks and learning from them. Find volunteering through NCVO’s list, Vinspired or NHS Volunteering, and apprenticeships on Find an apprenticeship (see Free help).
Sources: careers guidance, apprenticeships (gov.uk)
The message to send
Fill in the boxes, then copy it into an email or contact form.
Before you send it
- Use an email address you’re happy to share, such as a school or family one.
- Ask an adult you trust to read it first.
- Tell someone at home where you’re going and when.
- Be wary of anyone who asks you to pay. Check with your school or a careers adviser.
Subject: Work experience request from a local student Hello, My name is [your first name] and I’m [in Year 11 at a school in your town]. I’m interested in [the kind of work] and I’d love to see what working at [the business’s name] is like. Could I spend a day or a few days with you [when you’re free]? I’m happy to help with simple tasks, shadow someone or ask questions. If that’s not possible, a 20-minute chat or a short video call would still help me a lot. Thank you for reading this. [your first name] [an email or phone number you’re happy to share]
Free help
Costs checked on each provider’s own website on 10/11/2026.
Futures For All
Free, account neededReal and online work experience with UK employers, for ages 14 to 19.
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For students at state schools and colleges. Run by the charity Speakers for Schools. Its programmes are fully funded, so you pay nothing.
Springpod
Free, account neededVirtual work experience with a certificate, for ages 13 and over.
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About 10 hours over two weeks. Free for students: employers and universities pay for it, and they can see who took part, so you sign up with an account.
National Careers Service
Free, phone and onlineCareers advice, job profiles and an adviser line for over-18s.
Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00
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Adviser line for ages 18 and over in England, Monday to Friday, 08:00 to 18:00. Closed at weekends and on bank holidays. Calls are free from landlines and most mobiles. National Careers Service website
More places to get help (9)
Barclays LifeSkills
Free, account neededOnline work experience with live sessions from Barclays staff, ages 14 to 19.
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5 live sessions plus free tools. Run and paid for by Barclays.
Forage
Free, account neededJob simulations made by employers, at your own pace.
More
Open to anyone. Free for students: employers use it to find future staff, so you sign up with an account.
Uptree
Free, account neededWork experience days and apprenticeship openings, ages 14 to 21.
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Free for students: employers partner with Uptree to reach young people.
BBC Bitesize Careers
Free, onlineShort videos of young people in real jobs, plus CV help.
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No account needed.
Find an apprenticeship
Free, onlineThe government’s service to find apprenticeships in England.
More
You can start an apprenticeship from 16.
Volunteering: NCVO’s list
Free, onlineWhere to find volunteering near you.
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Includes NHS Volunteering and Vinspired (free for volunteers; organisations pay for some extras). Under 16, some places cannot insure you.
Ask your school or college if they use these
A local Careers Hub
Free through your schoolHelps schools and colleges set up local workplace visits and placements.
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96% of secondary schools and colleges belong to one. Funded by the government. Ask your careers leader.
Jobcentre Plus Support for Schools
Free through your schoolLinks schools with employers who offer work experience or tasters.
More
A government programme your school or college can ask for.
Uptree School Partners
Free through your schoolFree assemblies, courses and early news of openings for schools.
Myth or fact
Do I need to know someone to get work experience?
MythNo. Your school or college should help, free online programmes are open to anyone who signs up, and you can write to local businesses yourself.
Does online work experience count?
PartlyIt’s a good start and you often get a certificate. Government guidance says time in a real workplace matters too, so try to do both.
Can I do work experience before I’m 16?
YesSchools in England are asked to give every pupil work experience activities in Years 7 to 9 and placements in Years 10 and 11. Outside school, you can’t work for a profit-making business under 14, even if you’re not paid.
Does a part-time job count as work experience?
After 16After 16, a part-time job can count if it gives you a real experience of work. Before 16, the two weeks schools are asked to give are on top of any part-time job or volunteering.
More resources
- NSEMM AdviceAll NSEMM Advice topics
- Free, ProspectsWork experience ideas by year group
- Free, National Careers ServiceHow to write a CV
- Free, GOV.UKRules on work for under-18s
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