UK universities have promised practical work experience for all undergraduate students in the country by 2035.
The pledge would reach 1.4 million students annually.
The plan, developed in partnership with education provider Pearson and the British Chambers of Commerce, follows workshops with universities and employers, along with a survey of 500 UK businesses.
It aims to tackle persistent concerns about graduate employability, with the initiative described as the “closest thing to a silver bullet in addressing work-readiness”.
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Half of all undergraduates are expected to gain access to “meaningful” work-based learning by 2030, with full coverage targeted five years later.
The roadmap does not, however, specify precisely how individual institutions will deliver on the commitment, a potential stumbling block for universities with vast student populations or those situated in regions with limited industry.
Professor Malcolm Press, UUK’s president and vice-chancellor of Manchester Metropolitan University, pointed to deep-rooted inequalities in how students secure workplace opportunities.
He told The Times: “There’s always been that element of what you could call social opportunity and social capital.”
He added: “Our job as educators is to make sure that we provide opportunities for students who may come from backgrounds which are under-resourced or don’t have those advantages of well-connected parents.”
Most undergraduates complete their degrees without work experience, and many can’t land internships without family networks or the financial means to take unpaid positions.
At Manchester Metropolitan, Press noted that hundreds of its 44,000 students already hold office and administrative positions within the university itself, and all entry-level vacancies are offered first to its own graduates.
The roadmap envisages universities and businesses collaborating to expand a range of work-based learning formats, from sandwich years and paid placements to job shadowing, live briefs and virtual work experience.
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Artificial intelligence features prominently in the plans, with every course at every university set to have a designated “AI trailblazer” lecturer, ensuring all students can use AI tools and develop the skills to lead its adoption in professional settings.
Institutions will also partner with employers to develop “co-designed” courses and modules to upskill existing workers.
Graduates would additionally receive a lifelong entitlement to careers guidance, potentially following the model at Lancaster University, where alumni retain permanent access to tailored advice on job searches, applications and professional development.
A survey of 500 employers found that seven in 10 would be more inclined to hire graduates if work experience were a compulsory element of their degree.
Businesses “consistently” flagged deficiencies in timekeeping, professional communication and the ability to solve problems in uncertain situations.
Smaller firms reported significantly weaker ties with universities than their larger counterparts and preferred shorter, more frequent placements over full year-long arrangements, which they deemed impractical.
The scale of the challenge is underlined by the roughly one million young people classified as Neets, one in seven of whom holds a university degree.
The roadmap also calls on the government to extend National Insurance Contributions relief to all workers under 25 to boost youth employment.
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