One of NCEP’s key targets for 2026 is to improve access to meaningful cultural work experience placements for young people in Northumberland.
We spoke to a number of schools who told us that there are several barriers for children in Northumberland accessing work experience in cultural industry. The Gatsby Benchmarks were updated in September 2025 to reflect the need for meaningful work experiences for all pupils, and by year 11 all pupils should have had a minimum of two weeks experience of the workplace.
With this in mind, we spoke to a range of cultural venues and creative employers, and collected information on existing work experience placements. We also looked for resources to support employers in developing their work experience offering, and gathered information on set work experience ‘weeks’ for larger organisations and schools.
One issue that regularly cropped up from both schools and organisations, was the lack of a single point of access to find out about cultural and creative work experience placements, what they might involve and how to apply. As a result of this, we have now launched the NCEP Work Experience Hub.
This is a place for all cultural careers placements, careers events or useful workshops to help pupils to access a creative career, a list of useful resources for organisations, schools and pupils, as well as a calendar of work experience weeks for both schools and some of the larger cultural organisations.
If you are a cultural organisation or creative employer in Northumberland, and you would like to be included on the Work Experience Hub, please get in touch via hello@ncep.org.uk