Gatsby Benchmark 6

Work experience
that means something.

Verified companies list structured placements tagged to Observable Skills, real roles, and tools. Students know exactly what they'll learn. Schools get Gatsby Benchmark 6 evidence — automatically.

Benchmark 6
Gatsby compliance target
Observable
Every skill a placement tags against is an action, not a trait
Two-way
Placements connect to roles, and roles back to skills

How It Works

From application to placement — structured at every step.

Every placement on MySkillGap goes through a four-step process designed to protect students, give schools confidence, and give companies a structured way to contribute to career education.

STEP 01

Company applies

A business submits an application to list a work experience placement on MySkillGap, along with the required legal documentation — Companies House registration, public liability insurance, a DBS check, safeguarding policy, and a workplace risk assessment.

STEP 02

We verify

The MySkillGap team reviews all documentation within 2–3 working days. Once approved, the company receives a MySkillGap Verified badge and can create their placement listing. No unverified businesses are ever visible to students or schools.

STEP 03

Listing is built and tagged

The company describes the placement. Our team maps it to Observable Skills, linked roles, and tools from the MySkillGap database — so students can see exactly what they will learn before they go.

STEP 04

Students and schools discover it

The listing becomes searchable by role, skill, and sector. When a student completes the placement, a structured evidence record is automatically generated — satisfying Gatsby Benchmark 6 requirements without any manual reporting.

Who Benefits

Built for students and schools — structured for employers.

FOR STUDENTS

Know what you'll learn before you go.

See the exact Observable Skills you'll develop on the placement — before it starts
Understand which roles the experience connects to in the real world
Build a record of skills you've developed through real work — not just classroom learning
Explore roles connected to the skills your placement builds, expanding what's possible
FOR SCHOOLS

Gatsby Benchmark 6 — evidenced automatically.

Every verified placement automatically generates structured Gatsby Benchmark 6 evidence — no manual paperwork
All companies listed have been verified against safeguarding, insurance, and legal requirements you are required to check
Cohort-level tracking shows which students have completed placements, in which sectors, and which skills were developed
Identify exposure gaps across year groups — which industries remain unrepresented in your students' experience

Example Listing

What a company page looks like.

Once a company is verified, they create a structured placement listing. Students and schools can see exactly which roles, observable skills, and tools the experience maps to — before the placement begins.

myskillgap.com/work-experience/northbridge-creative
N

Northbridge Creative

MySkillGap Verified

Digital marketing agency · Manchester, UK · Est. 2018

We help growing brands build their digital presence through creative content, data-led strategy, and thoughtful design. We offer structured work experience that gives students genuine exposure to how a creative agency operates day-to-day.

GATSBY BENCHMARK
6
Workplace experience
AVAILABLE PLACEMENT

1-Week Creative Agency Experience

In-person · 5 days · Ages 15–18 · Max 2 students per cohort

ROLES YOU'LL EXPLORE
Graphic Designer
Creative & Digital
Marketing Analyst
Business & Commerce
Social Media Manager
Creative & Digital
OBSERVABLE SKILLS YOU'LL BUILD
Writing short-form copy to a brief and adapting tone for different platforms
Scheduling and publishing content across social media channels using a content calendar
Creating visual assets to brand guidelines using design software
Reviewing campaign analytics dashboards to identify performance trends
Attending client briefings and capturing structured meeting notes
Contributing ideas in team brainstorms and presenting one concept to the group
Updating project tracking tools to reflect task progress and blockers
TOOLS YOU'LL ENCOUNTER
CanvaGoogle AnalyticsHootsuiteTrelloSlack
START DATE
Rolling — by arrangement
DURATION
5 working days
FORMAT
In-person, Manchester
YEAR GROUPS
Year 10–13
Gatsby Benchmark 6 evidence ready
When a student completes this placement, a structured evidence record — including which Observable Skills were developed — is automatically generated for the school's Benchmark 6 documentation. No manual reporting required.

Illustrative example. Company details are fictional and for demonstration purposes only.

Company Verification

What we check before you go live.

Because placements involve young people, we take verification seriously. Every company must submit legal documentation that is reviewed by the MySkillGap team before their listing is published. This protects students, gives schools confidence, and ensures every placement meets the safeguarding standards schools are required to uphold.

Required

Companies House registration

Proof of incorporation or registration as a sole trader. We verify your business is legally constituted before any listing goes live.

Required

Public liability insurance

Minimum £2M public liability cover is required for all placements. Employers must supply a current certificate of insurance.

Required

DBS check & safeguarding policy

A current DBS check for any staff who will work directly with students, plus a written safeguarding policy that meets statutory requirements.

Required

Health & safety documentation

A workplace risk assessment covering the activities students will carry out, signed off by the responsible person at the organisation.

Required

Placement description

A structured description of the placement, which our team uses to tag Observable Skills, linked roles, and tools — forming the listing students and schools will see.

REVIEW TIMELINE
2–3
working days

Once you submit your documentation, our team reviews everything within 2–3 working days. You'll receive a confirmation email with any questions or requests for additional information. Once approved, your listing goes live immediately and becomes discoverable by students and schools.

Verification is renewed annually. Companies must resubmit updated insurance and DBS documentation each year to maintain a live listing.

Documentation is private and secure
Legal documents submitted for verification are stored securely and are never visible to students, parents, or schools. They are used solely to confirm that the company meets our safeguarding requirements. Schools will only ever see the MySkillGap Verified badge.

WORK EXPERIENCE

Connect your business to
the next generation.

We're looking for forward-thinking companies to be among the first verified listings on MySkillGap. Early partners help shape what structured work experience looks like — and gain early visibility with schools actively seeking Benchmark 6 placements.