Evolving the Met Office’s work experience for young people – maximising our reach and impact

Following broad consultation, and a pilot  in summer 2023, the Met Office introduced a two-phase work experience programme for 13-18-year-olds, designed to:  

• Maximise the number and diversity of young people undertaking work experience, supporting development of a larger, more diverse pool of future talent, feeding into our Early Careers pipeline. 
• Focus capacity to host in-person placements on those most interested in pursuing a career within the Met Office, broader STEM sector or Civil Service.

Phase 1: Online work experience - UK-based 13-18-year-olds guaranteed a place. 

Designed in partnership with and hosted by Springpod, the online programme increases understanding of the Met Office’s work, develops employability skills, and broadens ideas of available career pathways.  It allows live interactions with staff via an integrated chat facility (as though emailing with colleagues), and assigns work-based projects, giving a flavour of how it feels to work remotely as an employee.  Additionally, it provides a ‘bridge’ for students who are more anxious about in-person placements, building confidence and raising aspirations.  

Phase 2: In-person work experience - Places limited. Open to 14-18-year-olds who have completed the online programme.  

The online programme provides a stand-alone work experience and also allows students to determine if they would like to apply for a subsequent in-person placement. Consequently, capacity to host in-person placements is directed towards those informed about the organisation and keenest to apply. Students who evidence the greatest interest and effort, through their application and online work experience assignments, are offered in-person placements.   

The online programme has enabled in-person placements to be reduced from 5 to 2-3 days, releasing capacity to host more students. Shorter placements are also more accessible for those experiencing financial barriers to travel and subsistence, and students with additional commitments (e.g. young carers). 

Developed with our recruitment team, the application process mirrors that for Met Office job vacancies. Guidance and support are offered to ensure a fair and transparent application process, and feedback is provided, thereby strengthening application skills. 

Results and impact 

At end-March 2024, 604 young people had undertaken the online work experience (51% female; 43% minority ethnic backgrounds, 11%+ on Free School Meals). 

As a result of participation: 

• 71% reported strengthened awareness of STEM sector careers, from poor/somewhat aware to good/excellent.  
• The proportion of students who felt they would be confident speaking to an industry professional increased from 36% to 76%.  
• The proportion likely to consider a STEM career increased from 45% to 67%.  
• The proportion reporting that they trusted Met Office advice ‘very much’ increased from 40% to 63%.