At Transform, we believe the best work experience gives young people a genuine feel for the world of work by giving them the chance to contribute, ask questions, meet different people and work on something meaningful.
So, when we were approached about offering work experience to three 17-year-old students, we wanted to create something practical, creative and genuinely useful, with a live project they could really get stuck into.
Working on a live brand project
Over the course of the week, we welcomed Sian, Holly and Sidney into the Transform team and invited them to work on a brand and marketing project with our case study client, Carole Young, founder of Pod Xperience.
Following an introduction to brand and marketing, the students planned and delivered a brand workshop with Carole, asking questions about the business, its audience, personality and future ambitions. Meeting a client for the first time can feel daunting at any age, never mind at 17, but they handled it brilliantly.
With a clearer understanding of the brief, they moved into research and strategy, exploring the market, reviewing competitors and developing ideas around Pod Xperience’s positioning, content and future marketing opportunities.
There were plenty of conversations, lots of ideas and, naturally, a few changes of direction along the way. That is often exactly how good creative work develops.
By the end of the week, they had brought their thinking together into a clear brand plan and presented their recommendations directly to Carole. They delivered the presentation with confidence, thoughtfulness and professionalism, while clearly explaining the thinking behind their ideas and how each recommendation connected back to the original brief.
Learning from industry experts
Alongside the live project, we also wanted the students to see just how varied a career in brand, marketing and communications can be.
Kari Owers and Kirsty Ostell kindly welcomed us to O.agency, where the students gained an insight into life inside a larger agency, the different roles within the team and the many routes available into the industry.
Award-winning photographer Christopher Owens also joined us at Transform to explore the role photography plays in brand positioning and storytelling. His session helped the students understand how imagery can communicate personality, build trust and shape how people feel about a brand, often before they had read a single word.
Together, these experiences showed them that great brand work brings many different skills together, from strategy and content to photography, design and client relationships.
Building confidence beyond the classroom
The week was about much more than the final presentation. It was also about building confidence, developing communication skills and learning how to work effectively as a team.
The students met clients and industry professionals, asked thoughtful questions, shared ideas and learned how to bring different perspectives together.
It was genuinely lovely to have them as part of the Transform team. Their energy lifted the office, their fresh thinking challenged us and, to be honest, we learned plenty from having them around too.
Sarah and I were incredibly proud of Sian, Holly and Sidney, not just for the quality of their final work, but for the curiosity, confidence and professionalism they showed throughout the week.
Work experience does not need to provide a complete career plan. Sometimes, it simply needs to help a young person understand what they enjoy, where their strengths might lie and what the world of work could look like for them.
Why every business should consider offering work experience
For businesses, the value works both ways. Bringing different age groups, experiences and perspectives together can spark new ideas, challenge familiar thinking and create a genuinely positive experience for everyone involved.
So, if your business is thinking about offering work experience, why not give it a go?
We would certainly recommend it. There is so much for both sides to learn, and the impact can be far greater than you might expect.
A huge thank you
A huge thank you goes to Carole Young of Pod Xperience, Kari Owers and Kirsty Ostell of O.agency, and Christopher Owens for giving their time, sharing their experience and helping us make the week such a positive one.