What a week's work experience taught these Year 10s about their futures

Image caption, Work experience students Kelsey, Maddison and AzheByRahib KhanEducation reporterPublished16 minutes agoWhen Kelsey first arrived at secondary school, she said she wanted to be almost anywhere else but there.She struggled with friendships, clashed with teachers and often tried to avoid coming into school.But after a week's work experience placement at Whipsnade Zoo, in Bedfordshire, her outlook could not be more different.

She said it made her a "completely different person" - more confident, with a "good group of friends" and a greater sense of purpose about where her education could lead her.Children across the UK are strongly encouraged to do work experience while at school. In England, the government published new legal guidance in June for schools to deliver two weeks of "in-person and immersive" work experience in future, one between Year 7 and Year 9, and one between Years 10 and 11.

But not all work experience placements are equal, and finding the right one can be tricky.Organisations like the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Foundation said some students could be limited by the availability of placements in their area, or a lack of family connections with local employers.BBC News spoke to three Year 10 pupils, one year ahead of their final GCSE exams, about how they decided what areas of work they were interested in, their experiences of trying to find the right placement, and what it taught them about their future education and ultimate career goals.

Before her placement, Kelsey said she had no clear idea what she wanted to do after school. It was part of the reason why she struggled to commit to her education.She had always loved animals, but spending time at the zoo helped her understand the range of careers available - and the qualifications she would need to pursue them."

I realised why school matters, and how it links directly to the career I want," she said."I've started revising properly and putting much more effort into my education because I know it's the route to my future."Image source, The Gatsby FoundationImage caption, Kelsey said her placement at the zoo gave her a whole new outlook on educationThe practical nature of the placement also helped Kelsey build her confidence.

She worked alongside other students to design enrichment activities for a tiger, for example, before presenting their ideas to members of the public - something she said she would previously have found intimidating."I wasn't treated like a child, and I was trusted to do meaningful work," she said.Kelsey now plans to study animal care at college after her GCSEs, before pursuing a career as an animal behaviourist.

For Maddison, her goal to end up in office-based work was clear to her from the beginning, so she approached Central Employment North East, a recruitment firm in Newcastle where her uncle was a partner."I'm quite a shy person," she said. "Before I left, my mum told me: 'Confidence is key.'"

She quickly settled in as colleagues made her feel part of the team.Image source, Central Employment North EastImage caption, Maddison said her colleagues' support helped to boost her confidenceBy the end of the week, she felt her confidence had grown and she could see herself pursuing the career she had imagined.It left her eager to return to school to gain the qualifications she needs for an office-based career."

When I got home on Friday I told my mum I couldn't believe it was already over," she said."I wished I could leave school and start working there straight away."For Azhe, a placement at Kwick Fix Auto Care, also in Newcastle, proved valuable for a different reason to Kelsey and Maddison.

Rather than confirming a future career, it helped him realise mechanics probably was not the right path for him.Like other students, Azhe was responsible for arranging his own placement, and with no clear career path in mind, he chose an opportunity that would allow him to explore a completely different environment."I decided to choose something I knew nothing about," he said.

Although he said staff explained processes clearly, he said his lack of prior interest in the field meant he sometimes felt "overwhelmed" with information.Image source, Kwick Fix Autocare LtdImage caption, Azhe said he would think harder about the industry he wanted to try out if he could do his work experience againHe had hoped to spend more time on repairs himself and said that sometimes felt frustrating, but that he understood why safety and experience meant students could not simply be handed tools and left to work.The placement also challenged his understanding of what the job would be like, and that being a mechanic "isn't just about fixing cars"."

It involves problem-solving, teamwork, communication and taking responsibility for people's safety," he said.He also found the work much more physically demanding than he had expected, with long hours on his feet and the need to remain focused throughout the day.The experience has left him thinking