Careers Education and IAG

Information, Advice and Guidance

What careers and IAG trips in the UK guide students toward future opportunities and skills?

Careers trips feature industry days, university open events, and workplace shadowing, helping with decision-making and employability.

Before they reach the end of secondary school, students need advice on their options for Further Education, Higher Education or the workplace.

IAG (Information, Advice and Guidance), sometimes referred to as CEIAG (Career Education, Information, Advice and Guidance), is the latest initiative designed to give students the support they need to make important life-changing decisions. Access to reliable information to help them make informed choices supports the Gatsby Benchmarks, which set the national standards for effective careers guidance in schools. This framework ensures students receive comprehensive advice on qualifications for higher education places, apprenticeships, and the workplace.

National Careers Week | March 2027

Getting involved in National Careers Week in March 2027 helps secondary pupils explore future paths as they make decisions about what to do in life. UK schools can book visits to universities, apprenticeship fairs, STEM centres or industry sites like engineering firms, media studios or hospitals. These are great ways for children to find out more about what interests them and associated career paths.

Workshops often include CV advice, mock interviews or career talks from professionals. These educational trips link to PSHE and guidance while showing practical applications of subjects. If you are looking at National Careers Week school trip ideas UK 2027, check university open days or specialist providers. Book early because demand is always high for career experience days!

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A number of careers workshops and day trips designed specifically for school groups offer students the chance to learn more about career options. Immersive programmes provide a valuable opportunity for students to gain exposure to a wide range of career paths and options. Your class can receive talks and insights from people with experience working in certain industries, sectors and job roles, and the skills needed to succeed. From business and finance to healthcare, technology, the arts and more, they will find valuable advice on how to make their way from school to the workplace.

Workshops often include interactive elements like group discussions, Q&A sessions, and hands-on activities. By connecting classroom learning to real-world career applications, these workshops and day trips help students make more informed decisions about their future paths.

Take a look at the careers options below, or complete the short enquiry form if you are looking for something in particular.

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speech bubbles with reviews for musical composition
Delia Derbyshire Day
map pin in-school workshop

We provide diverse music and audio industry role models, past and present: Delia Derbyshire was a working class girl and we are all women working in electronic music facing barriers like class, gender, ethnicity.
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career and cv activity during a workshop
Hands on Careers
map pin online/in-school workshop

Students will learn the Dos and Don'ts of CV writing, and if they have already written a CV/personal statement, be taken through where they can make improvements. Mock interview training...
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school group in wet suits with body boards by the sea in Dorset
Land & Wave Adventure School Trips in Dorset
map pin South West

We offer Outdoor Instructor Training for ages 16+. We work with careers advisors to provide engaging Career Development Days to show how exciting and rewarding a career in the outdoors can really be....
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children in a music workshop learning to play guitars
Kids That Rock - Whole Class Guitar Workshops
map pin in-school workshop

Whole-class guitar workshops where pupils learn real songs together using professional instruments. High-energy, inclusive sessions that build confidence, teamwork and wellbeing while giving every child the thrill of making music.
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group of school children with brightly coloured backpacks
Creative School Trips
map pin London & South East

With our extensive background in the creative industries, we offer talks and discussions on a number of topics including working freelance, the business of theatre and producing, all of which cover a...
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VR view from the ISS space station
Experience STEM in Zero-Gravity: VR Space Workshop
map pin in-school workshop

Modernise your careers education and help meet Gatsby benchmarks 2, 3, & 4 using virtual reality. Students learn about the role of a remote handling technician who operates a mechanical arm on the...
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cartoon of child as a food superhero
Junior Super Chef Cooking Academy
map pin in-school workshop

Junior SuperChef makes big career ideas easy for young ones to think about! Students practice planning their cooking from start to finish and learn to manage their ingredients. They spark Innovation...
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five children on a giant stand up paddleboard
Arc Adventures
map pin Wales

Learn how to get to where you want to be! Get the Job you want! Start Your own business! With our unique combination of Outdoor physical activities, Teambuilding, reflective classes and lectures we...
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key stage 2 children holding a big snake during a zoo visit
Wild Zoo
map pin West Midlands

WILD Zoo's on-site visits also introduce students to a wide range of careers in animal care, biology and conservation, helping them understand how classroom learning can lead to real-world roles....
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children in a school theatre performance
West End Workshops
map pin London & South East

The Creative Industries are one of the fastest growing sectors in the UK, generating over £127bn for the UK economy. They outperform life sciences, automotive and the aerospace industries COMBINED by...
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basket of vegetables
Green Shoots and Healthy Living
map pin in-school workshop

After eighteen years experience of providing environmental education, teachers and their pupils are often intrigued about how we have reached this point. A combination of education, volunteering and...
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School children watching fish at the National Marine Aquarium
National Marine Aquarium
map pin South West

During a careers tour, our Schools Officers will take your class on a fully guided tour of the working areas of the Aquarium, including the top of some of our most impressive exhibits and the offices...
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Souther Water poster for water management workshop
New Wave - Beyond the Drain tour - Hampshire
map pin East of England

During the visit to our operational site, we will highlight where curriculum learning links to the real life context of water treatment (Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 6) Students will meet Southern Water...
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school hall full of children watching a zoo outreach event
Outreach Zoo Education Visit
map pin in-school workshop

At WILD Zoological Park, we use our outreach sessions to inspire students to explore a wide range of careers linked to biology, animals, and conservation. Through our curriculum-aligned workshops,...
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school children in a theatre lesson
Theatre Workout Education
map pin in-school workshop

The Creative Industries are the fastest growing sector of the UK economy, outperforming Oil and Gas, Life Sciences, Aerospace and Automotive industries COMBINED! We offer careers talks on the business of the industry, routs into it, and career opportunities on and off the stage or screen.
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water treatment facility at southern water
New Wave - Beyond the Drain tour - East Sussex
map pin East of England

During the visit to our operational site, we will highlight where curriculum learning links to the real life context of water treatment (Gatsby Benchmarks 4 and 6) Students will meet Southern Water...
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School children wearing VR headsets and high vis jackets
VR Careers Workshop: Virtual Work Experience for Schools
map pin in-school workshop

The workshop supports Gatsby Benchmarks by giving students structured exposure to different career pathways, workplace environments and job-related skills. It is particularly relevant to Benchmark 4,...
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children listening to a talk at flamingo land
Flamingo Land
map pin Yorkshire

As a company Flamingo Land offers a variety of different career paths. All have a focus on innovation and exceptional customer service. The workshop will give an overview of the business and the skills needed to gain and develop a career in the various industries and departments.
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child using a magnifying glass to look at fingerprints
CSI Workshops with The Forensic Experience
map pin in-school workshop

Working as a Crime Scene Investigator (Forensic Practitioner) for the Metropolitan Police in London for 14 years, Hayley shares her age appropriate anecdotes and experiences as a CSI after examining...
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colourful screens in the spy museum london
Spyscape - Immersive Spy Museum, London
map pin London & South East

SPYSCAPE helps careers by revealing real-world strengths through immersive challenges. Each participant receives a personalised profile showing skills like teamwork, problem-solving, and communication to help guide future career paths.
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Careers IAG School Trips - Frequently Asked Questions for Teachers

14 April 2026

What is the purpose of careers trips?


Careers trips or workshops are designed to introduce your students to the many career paths available to them once they leave school. By exposing them to various industries, universities, and workplaces, they help students understand the real-world applications for the subjects they have studied, inspire future ambitions, and develop a clearer pathway to their careers.

Many of the trips on this page support Gatsby Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers by making careers relevant.

Should students participate in in-school workshops or external site visits?


Both options have value:
Workshops (£150–£400) can focus on practical skills like CV writing, interview techniques, and career planning. They are ideal for targeted guidance and skill development (Gatsby Benchmark 5: Encounters with employers and employees).

Site visits on the other hand will provide immersive experiences, giving students insights into workplaces and different industries, motivation and aspiration (Gatsby Benchmark 6: Experience of workplaces).

We recommend workshops for year groups preparing for applications and visits for Year 10 students to inspire and inform their future choices.

Are there free options for careers exploration?


Yes! There are plenty of opportunities that are free or have minimal costs for the school, including:
- University open days, which are excellent for exploring higher education options (Gatsby Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each pupil).
- Local job fairs and career events, where your students can have direct engagement with employers.
- Apprenticeship fairs and taster days are also often free, and they provide insights into vocational routes.

How do these activities align with the Gatsby Benchmarks?


By meeting all 8 Gatsby Benchmarks, you can be sure your IAG and careers offering delivers a comprehensive careers education:
Benchmark 1: A stable careers programme
Benchmark 2: Learning from career and labour market information
Benchmark 3: Addressing the needs of each pupil
Benchmark 4: Linking curriculum learning to careers
Benchmark 5: Encountering employers and employees
Benchmark 6: Experience of workplaces
Benchmark 7: Encounters with further and higher education
Benchmark 8: Personal guidance

Top 10 careers school trip ideas for careers advisors in 2026:


1. University open days (various)
2. In-school careers workshops
3. Big Bang Fair (STEM jobs)
4. National Apprenticeship Show
5. Local businesses (tours)
6. Eden Project (green careers)
7. Science Museum (tech jobs)
8. Houses of Parliament (politics)
9. Theatre backstage (arts careers)
10. Hospitals or farms (health/agriculture)


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