The award-winning Social Mobility Business Partnership runs multiple Work Insight & Skills Experience (WISE) Programmes for students in Year 12/13 (England and Wales), Year 13/14 (Northern Ireland) and S5/S6 (Scotland).
The programme will provide you with the opportunity to spend time with four different high-profile organisations where you will learn about their business, the career routes available to you and develop key skills by getting involved in interactive business-like tasks. Last but not least, you will also spend a day with a professional sports club learning about the psychology of resilience, coping mechanisms and goal achievement models.
Our Work Insight & Skills Experiences run for a full week giving you the opportunity to develop key skills employers look for when recruiting, learn from some of our 200+ business partners based across the UK and boost your confidence and motivation. Watch the video below to see what you can expect from the week!
Who can apply?
If you live in England or Wales:
Students applying must:
- Be in Year 12 or Year 13; and
- Have attended a state-funded, non fee-paying school/college.
Additionally, we prioritise places for students who:
- Are first generation* to attend university in their family; or
- Have been eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years; or
- Are from a low-income household*, or
- Have spent a period in care***
*You count as being first generation to go University even if the following people have gone to university: your foster parents, your care workers, your brother or sister, your biological parents (if you are adopted), a parents with whom you have had no contact during your secondary and post-16 education. You are not considered first generation to go University if your parents have obtained a degree outside the UK.
** Your family’s household income is the same as or less than the amount stated in the table:
| Region | Average Weekly Household Expenditure | Average Yearly Household Expenditure |
| North East England | £493 | £25,616 |
| North West England | £595 | £30,960 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £546 | £28,379 |
| East Midlands | £614 | £31,934 |
| West Midlands | £603 | £31,380 |
| East England | £646 | £33,602 |
| London | £720 | £37,419 |
| South East England | £731 | £37,997 |
| South West England | £646 | £33,608 |
| Wales | £542 | £28,160 |
*** You have spent time living with foster carers under local authority care, or in residential care (eg. a children’s home), or looked after at home but under a supervision order from your local authority)
If you live in Scotland:
Students applying must:
- Be in S5 or S6; and
- Have attended a state-funded, non fee-paying school/college.
Additionally, we prioritise places for students who:
- Are first generation* to attend university in their family; or
- Have been eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years; or
- Are from a low-income household*, or
- Have spent a period in care***
*You count as being first generation to go University even if the following people have gone to university: your foster parents, your care workers, your brother or sister, your biological parents (if you are adopted), a parents with whom you have had no contact during your secondary and post-16 education. You are not considered first generation to go University if your parents have obtained a degree outside the UK.
** Your family’s household income is the same as or less than the amount stated in the table:
| Region | Average Weekly Household Expenditure | Average Yearly Household Expenditure |
| Scotland | £557 | £28,970 |
*** You have spent time living with foster carers under local authority care, or in residential care (eg. a children’s home), or looked after at home but under a supervision order from your local authority)
If you live in Northern Ireland:
Students applying must:
- Be in Year 13 or Year 14; and
- Have attended a state-funded, non fee-paying school/college.
Additionally, we prioritise places for students who:
- Are first generation* to attend university in their family; or
- Have been eligible for free school meals in the last 6 years; or
- Are from a low-income household*, or
- Have spent a period in care***
*You count as being first generation to go University even if the following people have gone to university: your foster parents, your care workers, your brother or sister, your biological parents (if you are adopted), a parents with whom you have had no contact during your secondary and post-16 education. You are not considered first generation to go University if your parents have obtained a degree outside the UK.
** Your family’s household income is the same as or less than the amount stated in the table:
| Region | Average Weekly Household Expenditure | Average Yearly Household Expenditure |
| Northern Ireland | £558 | £29,031 |
*** You have spent time living with foster carers under local authority care, or in residential care (eg. a children’s home), or looked after at home but under a supervision order from your local authority)
Which partners could I visit during my WISE week?
Click here to see an example of which partners participated in each cluster in 2022. Please note: partners change each year and may not represent who will be taking part in 2024.
When do the programmes take place?
Our programmes take place at the following locations on the dates specified. Please note if you do not live within a commutable distance from one of our locations or are not available to attend you can apply to our National Online Week which is hosted live online by a different business partner each day.
Dates |
Programme Location |
| 17th – 21st June 2024 | Glasgow |
| 24th – 28th June 2024 | Belfast (24th – 27th June only)
Wrexham |
| 8th – 12th July 2024 | Cambridge (Creative Industry Focus)
National Online Week (all of UK) |
| 15th – 19th July 2024 | North East England† |
| 22nd – 26th July 2024 | Birmingham (Waiting list)
Bradford Brighton Bristol Cardiff & Newport East Midlands – Derby (24th – 26th July only) Exeter Leeds North West England* Norwich Plymouth Portsmouth (23rd – 25th July only) Reading Rugby & Coventry St Austell & Truro |
| 29th July – 2nd Aug 2024 | London (Waiting list) |
†Days delivered in Newcastle area
*Days delivered in Manchester area
Important Information for Students
- Attendance on all five days is compulsory.
- Travel arrangements for students to attend will be arranged and paid for by SMBP in advance. Please note if you do not live within a commutable distance from one of our locations or are not available to attend, you can apply to our National Online Week which is hosted live online by a different business partner each day.
- Lunch will be provided for students on each day (excluding days that are hosted online).
