Apprenticeships · 6 min read
A Somerset employer's guide to hosting work experience that actually helps
What a genuinely useful work experience placement looks like, why most fail, and how Somerset employers can run one that builds a future apprentice pipeline.
By Jack Frampton, Marketer at Queen's College, Taunton · Published 28 August 2026
Most work experience placements are a week of photocopying and a polite thank you. That is a wasted opportunity for the student and an expensive one for the employer, because placements are the cheapest apprentice pipeline available in Somerset. Here is how to run one properly.
Decide what the week is for
Pick one outcome before the student arrives: a finished piece of work, a decision on whether they want the sector, or a shortlist candidate for your next apprentice intake. A week with no outcome drifts.
Give them one real project
Not a shadowing rota. One scoped piece of work with a brief, a deadline on the Friday and a person who reviews it. Students rise to real stakes and you get something usable.
Name a single owner
Placements fail when everyone is responsible. One named person, thirty minutes at the start of each day, is enough. It does not need to be the most senior person in the building.
Talk about money and routes honestly
Tell them what the entry salary is, what the progression looks like and how you recruit. Vague encouragement helps nobody. Vacancies posted through Find an Apprenticeship (GOV.UK) land far better with students who have already been inside the building.
Turn the week into a pipeline
Keep a simple list of every student who has been through, and contact them when a vacancy opens. Employers who do this fill apprenticeship roles without advertising.
Meeting school leavers face to face works too, which is why the Taunton Apprenticeship Evening exists.
What it costs you
Realistically, three to four hours of one person's time across the week. Against the cost of a failed hire or an unfilled vacancy, it is the cheapest recruitment activity on your list.
If you want help setting one up, message me via Jack Frampton on LinkedIn or through the apprenticeship hub.
Frequently asked questions
- How long should a work experience placement be?
- Three to five days is enough to complete one real project. Longer placements need more structure to stay useful for both sides.
- Do employers have to pay for work experience?
- Short school arranged placements are usually unpaid, but covering travel and lunch costs is good practice and widens who can take part.
- How does work experience help apprenticeship recruitment?
- Students who have already worked in your building apply better, settle faster and are far more likely to accept an offer. It is a low cost pipeline.
- What should a student actually do during the week?
- One scoped project with a brief, a deadline and a review, supported by short daily check ins with a single named owner.
- Can Jack help our business connect with school leavers?
- Yes. Advice for Somerset employers on apprenticeships, work experience and reaching school leavers is free. Send a message through the site.
Explore more on this site
- Apprenticeship Hub →Free mentoring, vacancy help and guides for school leavers, parents and employers.
- Marketing Portfolio →Campaign design, sports graphics, editorial work and photography from Queen's College, Taunton.
- Video →Behind the scenes video and short-form apprenticeship content.
- About Jack Frampton →Marketer, apprenticeship advocate and Taunton keynote speaker.
Related reading
About the author
Marketer at Queen's College, Taunton · Apprenticeship advocate
Jack Frampton is a marketer at Queen's College, Taunton, working across digital marketing, SEO, design, content and photography. He came through the apprenticeship route himself, founded the Taunton Apprenticeship Evening and speaks in schools across Somerset and the South West about apprenticeships as a route into marketing. He offers free mentoring for school leavers, parents and employers.
Contact: