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BUILDING BLOCKS Work Experience Week 2026: Bringing Future Talent and Business Together
The BUILDING BLOCKS programme continues to grow at the Innovation District of Newcastle Helix. Following the success of last year’s ground-breaking pilot, we were delighted to host a fresh cohort of enthusiastic businesses and students for our Work Experience Week 2026.
In the last week of their school year, 24 Year 10 students from across Tyneside were welcomed to Newcastle Helix for a STEM-inspired experience, with a difference.
Taking the form of a structured work placement safari, the BUILDING BLOCKS WEX Week allows the students to spend time with a variety of businesses, from a range of sectors, and within their workplaces across various buildings, whilst having a central base to act as the student office. As well as taking part in interactive sessions, there’s also a ‘golden thread’ throughout the week, as the students complete a project that develops their employability skills.
This unique model is designed to benefit both students and businesses. It provides industry easier, supported access to future talent, whilst not being a strain on a company’s resources.
Exploring the WEX Week
The students exceeded expectations with their timekeeping on the very first morning, as they all arrived early despite England’s World Cup match taking place overnight! A diverse group of 24 teenagers came from three dedicated schools: Excelsior Academy, Jesmond Park Academy and Walker Riverside Academy.
To help the students integrate for the week, the charity ‘My Big Career’ delivered energetic ice-breakers and facilitated a LEGO Serious Play workshop to draw out the ambitions and skills of the teenagers. Having this expertise in the room was invaluable, and has also provided a trusted, independent place for the students to go to for advice and guidance in the future.
Employability skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience are key for anyone in the workplace. Storytelling is a brilliant way to develop these skills, so Helix Content Manager and award-winning filmmaker Chris Taylor hosted an insightful and practical workshop to help boost their confidence.
Business Meets Future Talent
Across the week, businesses hosted the students for 90-minute interactive sessions, where they had the opportunity to pass their knowledge and experience on to the teenagers taking their GCSE Options. Held in their own workplaces, the students were given that rare chance to experience working in situ amongst the actual teams. The employees talked of work culture, career paths and the skills required for jobs in sectors from digital marketing and software development, to law and finance.
Reflecting on the value of bringing young people into the workplace, Esther Gillespie, Co-founder of Jumping Rivers, said:
“The idea that we could get a new generation to bring new ideas to an industry, that would be the best outcome.”
A very special mention goes to the businesses at Helix who made the workplace safari possible: Womble Bond Dickinson, Jumping Rivers, ramarketing, Nat West Accelerator, Hay & Kilner and Sunderland Software City.
In the months before the WEX Week, representatives from the North East Strategic Authority and Altitude Foundation had supported the businesses with session format and content that would be appropriate for Year 10 students. They’d reviewed language, timings, interactivity: expert analysis that was of real benefit to the businesses for their own communication practice.
The Gold-dust of a Workplace
As well as formal sessions, the students took advantage of touring the Helix site and its community, soaking up what it’s like to be in the world of work; from hybrid meetings to boardroom discussions, busy open-plan offices to coffee breaks with colleagues.
We also provided them with a unique experience – taking part in a real-life networking event. The ‘Helix Huddle’ was, as usual, fully booked but having the students join the informal mixer was a very special moment ‘Helix Huddle’ networking event. Held at the Nat West Accelerator, it was packed with founders, entrepreneurs and people from businesses across the North East.
David Dunn, CEO of Sunderland Software City, highlighted the enthusiasm and potential demonstrated by the students:
“They’re asking inquisitive questions about the sector and they’re presenting things back, which is amazing for kids of 15 years-old… you could find the next person who could work in your business.”
As well as building networks, cultural capital and developing employability skills, the students were also set a live project, to deliver content under the theme: ‘What do people do all day at Newcastle Helix?’. To meet their deadline, the students worked either individually or in small groups to deliver a presentation live, in front of representatives from all the businesses who’d hosted sessions across the week.
Work Experience Innovation
The BUILDING BLOCKS ‘WEX Week’ is based on a ground-breaking model of Work Experience, that aligns with recent changes to Government and education policy. But crucially, the format also focuses on the needs of the collaborating businesses and their work in Corporate Social Responsibility and developing future talent pipelines.
The idea was developed by the Director of Engagement at Newcastle Helix, Charlie Charlton, alongside delivery partners Altitude Foundation (based at the offices of Scott Logic in The Lumen building) and members of the Inspiring Futures team at the North East MSA (also based in The Lumen). These partners have been invaluable, using their resources and expertise to cover Safeguarding, Health & Safety, school outreach and considerations of the Local Growth Plan.
For many of the participating businesses, the week was also an opportunity to broaden young people's awareness of the opportunities available across the region. Francesca Hodgson, Partner at Womble Bond Dickinson, said:
“I think it’s important to understand the breadth of the opportunities that are out there. These workplaces, these businesses are on your doorstep and they are available to you.”
Supporting the development of future talent and providing opportunities for younger people to experience the workplace is important to the people and organisations based at Helix. They know how important initiatives like BUILDING BLOCKS are for helping to grow the region’s economy and secure a sustainable, inclusive future for the North East.
