Helping Young People Build the Attitudes and Behaviours for Work

Last month, with support from CET (Commercial Education Trust), we brought together employers, educators and charities for an engaging and impactful roundtable event. Together we discussed how we can help young people develop the attitudes and behaviours they need for the world of work.

The roundtable highlighted that while academic success is important, confidence, resilience and professionalism are what truly enable young people to thrive in the workplace. Employers spoke of a growing need to support early-career recruits in developing self-belief, adaptability, and accountability - qualities that can make the difference between simply starting a job and truly succeeding in it.

Many employers also noted that young people often lack real-world experience in professional environments. Workplace etiquette, teamwork, and effective communication are best learned by doing, through placements, employer-led projects, and mentoring opportunities. When young people are trusted with meaningful tasks, receive constructive feedback, and see their work recognised, their confidence grows dramatically.

Roundtable participants agreed that structured STEM outreach activities such as Industrial Cadets placements, project-based learning, and mentoring, are powerful ways to build these essential behaviours. Embedding reflection and feedback into these experiences helps young people recognise how they’ve developed, not just what they’ve learned.

Building on these insights, EDT is taking the next step by co-designing the future of the Industrial Cadets Framework alongside young people and industry partners. This refreshed, future-ready framework will pilot in 2025/26, embedding workplace behaviours like adaptability, resilience and professionalism into every stage of the journey.

By continuing to strengthen employer-education partnerships and expanding access to authentic workplace experiences, we aim to ensure that every young person enters the world of work not only with knowledge, but with the confidence and behaviours to succeed from day one.

For more information, please download our Attitudes and Behaviours Employer Roundtable Report here.

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