The programme offers Fifth and Junior Sixth Form pupils the opportunity to gain meaningful, first-hand experience of the workplace. These placements are offered through the generous CLS community and span a range of industries, including banking, architecture, consulting, engineering, fintech, healthcare, law, media, sustainability, technology and research.
Mirroring a real-world recruitment process, interested pupils are required to submit a CV and cover letter by a set deadline, with applications then presented to participating employers, who select candidates for their placements.
Projects included working as a research assistant for a professor of the Philosophy of Law, video ideation and creation for corporate clients, learning how data approaches could be applied to wildlife-trade monitoring, training AI chatbots, exploring the relationship between human capital, workplace design and firm performance, modelling fire and smoke behaviour using CFD software, working on energy infrastructure projects and contributing to a Guyanese government policy paper on social media safeguarding for minors.
The programme also included several collaborative placements involving pupils from CLSG and other partner schools hosted by Nomura, London Business School, Climate Bonds Initiative, Crédit Agricole, Dawn Capital and SEE Research.
The impact of the programme was reflected in pupil feedback, with more than 85% reporting increased confidence, a better understanding of workplace environments, stronger communication skills and greater awareness of the skills employers value. They also highlighted the direct relevance of their placements to their academic studies, helping them develop a clearer understanding of future career and university pathways.
One pupil commented:
The placement has directly enriched my approach to my A-Level studies and my thinking about PPE at university. The discussions around regulation, compliance, and the governance of AI gave me a much sharper understanding of how political and regulatory decisions shape the behaviour of global institutions. I will carry this experience into my university applications.
Other pupils reflected on the impact of the placements aswell as the experience of the application process to secure the placement:
My biggest takeaway was learning how important creativity, attention to detail, and teamwork are in a professional environment. I also gained a better understanding of how ideas develop from an initial concept into a finished outcome I will apply what I learned by being more organised, confident in sharing ideas, and open to feedback in my studies.
Employers praised pupils for their enthusiasm, curiosity and professionalism, with many placements designed around projects that gave pupils genuine responsibility.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), for example, gave a pupil the opportunity to undertake an independent research project into wildlife cybercrime, directly informing their campaign strategy. The pupil is now being invited to present his work to a wider global audience at IFAW.
NHS Blood and Transplant noted that:
The pupil presentation on revamping lab processes sparked a lot of interest, engagement and ideas to take forward in the future.
London Business School also praised pupils for the “energy, curiosity, and humour” they brought to their project, while the Royal Academy of Culinary Arts highlighted their efficiency and ability to independently complete a range of tasks.
A huge thank you to the CLS community for their invaluable support of this programme!
