Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course
About this course
What is the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course?
The ASDAN Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course is a flexible, portfolio-based course for learners aged 13 and over. It accredits between 10 and 60 hours of careers education, work-related learning and preparation for work experience.
The course supports learners to understand their strengths, explore careers and labour market information, and plan pathways into further education, higher education, apprenticeships, training and employment. It also helps learners prepare for, take part in and reflect on work experience or workplace placements.
The challenges have been mapped to the Gatsby Benchmark framework and can support schools and colleges to provide structured careers education and meaningful experiences of workplaces.
Through practical challenges, planning and reflection, learners build confidence, self-awareness and work readiness while developing transferable skills for learning, life and work.
Challenges can be interpreted and adapted to suit learners’ individual abilities, needs, interests and learning environments.
Delivery format: Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course is available through Equitas, ASDAN’s digital learning platform, or in student book format. Some Equitas challenges differ from the student book version. Use one format per learner group. Equitas challenges can be downloaded.
| Learner age | 13+, 14+, 14–16, 14–25, 16–19, 16+, 19+, Adults |
| Level (indicative for non-regulated courses) | Entry 3, Level 1 |
| Key Stage | Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4, Key Stage 5 |
| Education setting | Mainstream school, Justice system (including youth offending), Further education, Community Education, EOTAS, PRU, Academy / Multi-academy trust, Voluntary sector, Training provider, Adult education, Independent school, Social services, Secondary |
| Guided learning hours | 10–20 hours, 20–60 hours |
| Regulated | Non-regulated course |
| Certification | Externally certificated, digital or hard-copy (additional fee) |
| Location | England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, International (including Channel Islands and Ireland) |
| UCAS points | No UCAS points available |
| Available on Equitas | Yes |
| Pathway | Personal Effectiveness |
Helpful information
Who is the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course for?
Short Courses are widely used in formal and non-formal settings, for learners aged 13 and over. Although ASDAN’s Short Courses are designed for learners working at Entry level 3 to Level 1, they can be adapted for learners working above or below these levels. The focus is on completing challenges and developing skills.
Facts and figures
- Flexible programmes of learning accessible to learners at a range of levels
- Internally moderated
- Accredits 10–60 hours of activities
- Can count towards up to three credits for the Personal Development Programmes
- Can support skills development for ASDAN’s Personal Effectiveness Qualifications and may contribute to recognition of prior learning where standards are met in full
Requirements
Each learner must have their own registration. Learners must present evidence of their activities in an organised portfolio.
This should include:
- a record of the challenges completed, with supporting evidence
- recording documents showing how the learner planned and reviewed their activities
- a summary of achievement highlighting skills development
- a personal statement.
Equitas organises evidence against each challenge within the platform.
We have created guidance for members delivering ASDAN Short Courses, including planning, requirements, quality assurance and certification.
Course content
The Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course has been produced to support the delivery of careers and work-related education. It can also support the planning and structure of work experience placements. It is flexible enough to help learners considering a career in any employment sector and support them in choosing a career plan that might include higher education, apprenticeships or other routes into work.
There are some key differences between the challenge content in the original Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course student book and the version available on Equitas. These include updated module titles, revised challenge content and outcomes, and additional new challenges.
For consistency, we recommend that members choose one format to use with all learners within a group. Copies of the challenges available on Equitas can be downloaded and used directly with learners.
The Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course student book contains activities across seven modules:
- Self-development
- Career exploration
- Career management
- Considering higher education
- Considering apprenticeships
- Preparing for the workplace
- Being at work
The challenges have been mapped to the Gatsby Benchmark framework , and the course is referenced in the Gatsby Benchmark toolkit (page 26).
For guidance on running ASDAN Short Courses, please see our step-by-step guides:
ASDAN training supports educators to deliver this course successfully. Sessions provide an introduction, alongside guidance on planning, delivery, assessment and internal quality assurance. Training is not mandatory but is strongly recommended.
Training is included in ASDAN membership for organisations joining or renewing after 1 April 2026, excluding tailored INSET.
Book training in the members area
ASDAN members can also take part in our special interest groups. These online sessions focus on specific areas of practice and provide opportunities for discussion, collaboration and networking with other members.
All registration costs are per learner. Each learner must have their own registration. Registrations are valid for three years from the date of purchase.
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Short Course student book | £12 |
| Short Course Equitas learner registration and digital learning platform login | £12 |
| Short Course PDF certificate | Free |
| Short Course printed and foiled certificate (optional, per learner, per Short Course) | £3.75 |
Volume pricing for Equitas Short Courses
We offer scalable pricing for Short Courses on Equitas. This pricing applies only to new registrations made together in a single transaction for the same Equitas Short Course:
- 1–9 learners: £12 per registration
- 10–19 learners: £8 per registration
- 20–29 learners: £6 per registration
- 30+ learners: £4 per registration
Products
Course resources
Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 5A4: Duties and skills as an apprentice
This worksheet can be used for learners to record the duties they would be expected to carry out in an Apprenticeship of their choice and to identify the skills they would need to perform these duties. The cover sheet suggests some websites that learners could use to find an Apprenticeship that is of interest to them. This resource links to challenge 5A4 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course.
Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 6A1: The benefits of work experience
This worksheet can be used to support challenge 6A1 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course. Learners are asked to identify the benefits of work experience.
Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 6A2: Work experience placement wish
This worksheet can be used to support challenge 6A2 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course. Learners are asked to create a wish list of organisations that they would like to complete a work experience placement with.
Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course - 6A6: Work experience travel plan
This worksheet can be used to support challenge 6A6 of the Careers and Experiencing Work Short Course. Learners are asked to create a travel plan for their journey to and from their work experience placement.
Evaluation chart (individual)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week individual activity. Learners are asked to mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt; at the end of the project the learner should join up the marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Evaluation chart (group)
This evaluation chart can be used by learners to evaluate a six-week group activity. Each member of the group should choose a different colour and mark on the graph each week to show what they did and how they felt. At the end of the project, each group member then joins up their marks to give a picture of the whole activity. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Planning a group or team task
This resource can be used when planning a group or team task. It links particularly well to ASDAN's Short Course programmes.
Teamwork health check
This generic teamwork health check template can support a wide range of group activities. Learners are asked to come up with a list of agreed ground rules for good teamwork, then rate each group member's performance against these criteria. This resource is particularly suited to challenges in Short Courses, Personal Development Programmes (Bronze, Silver, Gold), CoPE and Wider Key Skills.
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses summary of achievement and personal statement : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 1 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 2 : Word version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : PDF version (mandatory)
Short Courses skills sheet 3 : Word version (mandatory)