The Cost of Opportunity: The Case for Virtual Work Experience

Work experience should open doors, not reinforce existing barriers. But too often, young people are locked out of early career opportunities due to cost, location, and lack of connections. In this article, Sarah Beale, AAT CEO, explores how more flexible and accessible models of work experience – including virtual placements – can help level the playing field, support social mobility, and build a stronger, more diverse workforce. She also reflects on the role of emerging pathways like T Levels, and how experience across a breadth of professions can help young people understand and shape their career options.  

Work experience should be the great leveller – a chance for all young people, regardless of background, to gain insight into the world of work, build confidence, and take their first step on the career ladder. However, it can also highlight inequality where access depends less on ambition and more on geography, finances or ‘who you know’. 

Worrying barriers young people face 

We recently commissioned research to better understand the experiences and perceptions of young people and employers when it comes to work experience placements. The findings revealed a worrying trend: many young people are being locked out of these vital early opportunities because of barriers beyond their control. 

Almost half (41%) of young people we spoke to told us they have less than £8 a day to spend on work experience-related costs – including travel, food and appropriate clothing. For some, they simply can’t afford to spend anything on work experience costs. Meanwhile, 29% of employers admit that increased operational and staffing costs are affecting their ability to offer paid placements or cover expenses. 

Location is also a barrier, with 40% of placements concentrated in Greater London, but only 31% of candidates based there. 

Perhaps most starkly, over two-thirds of young people (69%) believe it’s unfair that access to work experience often depends on personal connections. This sentiment was echoed by employers too, with nearly a third (29%) admitting they struggle to find candidates from diverse backgrounds – highlighting how current systems are falling short of supporting inclusive hiring. 

This matters. We’re missing out on talented, driven young people simply because they don’t live in the right postcode or know the right people. Although great strides have been made in social inclusion, there is clearly still progress to be made. 

Finding other ways 

There are ways around this though. Ways that eliminate the barriers of cost and location. Virtual work experience is one such model – offering a flexible, accessible route into professions like accounting and finance, designed to reduce the burden of costs and break down geographic and social barriers. It provides students with real-world insight, practical tasks, and direct access to professionals working in the sector – all from wherever they are. 

Crucially, virtual work experience isn’t about replacing in-person placements; it’s about complementing those opportunities. It’s a scalable, inclusive solution that aligns with today’s hybrid and remote-first working world – and one that young people are eager for. Two-thirds (67%) of the young people we asked said virtual work experience is more accessible, and nearly three-quarters (72%) said it allows them to apply for opportunities beyond their local area. 

How work experience supports progression 

Work experience doesn’t just build confidence and employability – it can also help young people choose further education routes such as T Levels. Although these qualifications are still in their early days they have the potential to open up rewarding, skilled careers.  

Young people should be encouraged to experience a breadth of professions as part of their careers advice and guidance. Exposure to different sectors helps them understand the variety of opportunities available, compare pathways on a level footing, and make more confident, informed choices about their futures. By giving students the chance to apply their learning in practice, and by offering options both virtually and in person, we can remove barriers to participation. 

A diverse workforce makes good business sense 

When we make work experience more inclusive, we don’t just help young people or even career changers; we help employers too. A more diverse workforce brings with it a broader range of perspectives, problem-solving approaches, and lived experiences that can drive innovation, performance and growth – and we are helping them access the talent they desperately need. 

Research from McKinsey has shown that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and gender diversity are more likely to outperform their peers financially. Inclusive teams are also more creative and better at decision-making – attributes that are essential in a fast-changing economy. In short, investing in diverse talent isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s good business. 

If we want a thriving, resilient workforce that truly reflects the communities we serve, we need to ensure the doors to opportunity are open to all. That means rethinking how we offer work experience – making it more flexible, more accessible, and less reliant on privilege. 

We believe the accounting and finance profession – and indeed every sector – is stronger when it reflects the full diversity of society. Virtual work experience and new pathways like T Levels are part of the solution, helping to remove the practical and systemic barriers that hold too many young people back. It’s about more than skills or placements – it’s about social mobility, inclusion and potential. 

By Sarah Beale, CEO at AAT