Famous Faces Share Stories of Work Experience for Robert Peston’s Speakers for Schools Charity

Star chef Tom Kerridge, business leader Deborah Meaden, TV presenter Steph McGovern, comedian Guz Khan and ITV political editor Robert Peston. What do they all have in common with each other but not have in common with an ever-growing number of teenagers? They all had access to work experience. 

Lucky Generals has brought all of these hugely successful celebrities, media and business people together in a 360-degree campaign to support Speakers for Schools, the charity set up by Peston. Its mission is to make work experience accessible for all, empowering young people from state schools to reach their potential. The charity has pledged to do this by convincing every political party to commit to a minimum of two work experience placements for every child in England, levelling the playing field for those without a private education. 

“Bingo calling, pot washing, Leading ponies up Minehead seafront. What it did do was lead me to be an entrepreneur. I still sometimes think, I know why I know that - I know that because of the bingo.” - Deborah Meaden

In 2012 the Department of Education (DfE) removed the statutory duty placed on schools to enforce work experience, which has since created a declining trend in access and quality to work experience across England. Speakers for Schools research also found that completing work experience leads to higher salaries, better outcomes and boosted essential skills.

The awareness-raising campaign from Lucky Generals’ Special Ops team is made of two elements. 

The first is an organic LinkedIn takeover as part of a social campaign #workexperienceforall. High-profile users on the platform are encouraged to change their profile picture, bio and current job to that of their teenage self, reflecting their first work experience placement. This will show their personal work experience story and the journey they went on to become their successful selves. 

“Rosie, Rosie, you're not allowed to sleep here. 

They want you to leave” - Rosie Holt, comedian 

The second element is a star-studded film in which household names tell a story about how their work experience shaped the trajectory to the top of their game. 

The film is backed by hard-hitting OOH and digital assets, supported by Mindshare, Clear Channel, Alright Media, and Snapchat, featuring lines such as ‘Don’t Let the Nepo Babies Win’.

The work is targeted at the younger generation and their parents, and has three main aims. Make them aware they are at a disadvantage with the lack of work experience, feel injustice about it and then feel empowered to do something about it, in the hope of it reaching political leaders and making a lasting change Speakers for Schools. 

Guz Khan, comedian and actor, said, “Work experience is so important for young people. It teaches you about life and a career in the space of a week. It might show you what you don’t want to do when you leave school or it might uncover something that will give you a crystal-clear direction. Either way, state school kids deserve to at least access work experience.”

Dan Walsh, chief marketing officer at Speakers for Schools, said, “The stats speak for themselves and over time we are seeing this inequality becoming greater. Working with Lucky Generals we’ve created a truly game-changing and hard-hitting campaign which we hope will resonate with people. We want everyone to have the chance to have their own work experience story and one day be able to look back and see it as a positive part of their career journey.”

Paul Mallon, head of special ops at Lucky Generals, said, “There’s something fascinating about hearing what people did for work experience as it gives us an insight into a person’s teenage hopes and aspirations. Hope and aspirations that, sadly, a growing number of kids are finding it harder and harder to achieve because they don’t get that vital experience. And we want to change that.”  

Speakers for Schools believes every kid should have a work experience story to tell because it has been proven to impact access to higher-level employment and even an increase in salary, but unfortunately, 66% of kids are missing out. Research also shows people who attended private education were twice as likely to have done multiple placements compared to young people from state-funded colleges.