• New government-funded programme will expand access to meaningful work experience for thousands of young people facing multiple barriers to employment
• Trailed as part of the Government’s Youth Guarantee package and offering an immediate response to Alan Milburn’s call for more work experience to young people lacking networks and connections.
• Liverpool City Region will support 10 Alternative Provision institutions as part of the programme

Mayor Steve Rotheram has welcomed a major new national programme designed to help young people furthest from the labour market prepare for careers.

The Aspiring Pathways programme, delivered by The Careers & Enterprise Company (CEC), is backed by £8.5 million of Department for Education funding and will deliver access to high-quality work experience for young people in Alternative Provision (AP).

The LCR Careers Hub has secured funding from the programme to support 10 Alternative Provision institutions across the City Region during the next academic year.

AP settings support some of England’s most vulnerable and disengaged young people, many facing exclusion, health, emotional or mental health needs, among other challenging circumstances.

The programme was launched on Friday, 12 June at Educational Diversity, an Alternative Provision school for students aged 6-16 in Blackpool, bringing together leaders from education, business and government alongside young people whose lives have been transformed through careers support and work experience.

Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, said:

“Every young person has something to offer, but too many never get the chance to show what they’re truly capable of.

“We’ve seen in the Liverpool City Region how the right support and real experience of the workplace can help young people find their direction and unlock their potential. This investment will mean more young people getting that chance, regardless of their circumstances.”

Baroness Nicky Morgan, Chair of The Careers & Enterprise Company, said:

“Too many young people in Alternative Provision face barriers to the experiences and connections that can help shape their futures.

“Work experience is not a nice-to-have. It is one of the most powerful ways to build confidence, raise aspirations and help young people see a pathway into employment.

“Through Aspiring Pathways, we are creating meaningful opportunities for young people to develop skills, broaden horizons and take their best next step with confidence.”

Alan Milburn’s Young People and Work report identifies work experience as vital for building confidence, skills and access to employment. It highlights that young people in the highest need areas are the least likely to access these opportunities, with many NEET young people reporting no work experience at all. Barriers include limited employer availability, school capacity, transport, SEND/additional needs, and safeguarding requirements.

Research shows that 2 in 5 young people in AP do not progress to a positive destination after Year 11, compared with fewer than 1 in 10 in mainstream education.

The Government has prioritised earlier intervention through its Youth Guarantee, while updated statutory careers guidance recommends at least two weeks’ worth of work experience for all learners by Year 11, starting with workplace activities in Years 7–9.

This programme will enable every state-funded AP in England (around 333 settings) to provide meaningful work experience opportunities, helping students transition successfully into education, employment or training. Delivery will be through CEC’s Careers Hub network, working with Strategic and Local Authorities.

Dame Rachel de Souza, Children’s Commissioner for England, said:

“Young people tell me their number one concern for the future is getting a good job but children – and especially those in alternative provision – need the support that matches their ambition and opportunities to engage in the world of work.

“Work experience can be life-changing, and programmes like Aspiring Pathways ensure that children facing disadvantage are not defined by their circumstances but are supported to fulfil their potential and move successfully into education, employment and training.”

Sir Hamid Patel CBE, Chief Executive of Star Academies, said:

“Those who most need access to opportunity are often the least likely to receive it; nowhere is this more evident than in Alternative Provision.

Aspiring Pathways is an important step towards correcting that imbalance. It recognises that access to meaningful experiences of the workplace can transform confidence, raise aspirations and change life chances.

If we are serious about tackling the NEET challenge, we must ensure that every young person can see a clear pathway from education into employment.”

Professor Lee Elliot Major, Britain’s first Professor of Social Mobility, said:

“Quality work experience can be a turning point in a young person’s life. Yet this gateway opportunity too often depends on family networks and who you know rather than what you can do. Aspiring Pathways will help level the playing field by opening doors for young people who might otherwise never get the chance to walk through them.”