Digdata NEXT STEP career challenge
Students gain hands-on virtual work experience with data champions from leading brands and services through fun, innovative challenges.
The Neon quality mark shows this activity has been reviewed and meets Neon's quality standards.
Overview
Give your students aged 14 to 18 the chance to gain virtual work experience with leading employers including BT, Experian, Meta, GSK, ITV, Lloyds Banking Group and Unilever.
Through Digdata’s Next Step challenges, students take on more advanced, real-world data projects. They build the skills, confidence and insight needed to explore future careers in data and beyond.
Who is it for?
Years 10 to 13
S4 to S6
Years 11 to 14 (NI)
What students will do
Students complete independent challenges using real datasets and industry scenarios, applying analytical thinking to more complex problems. Each challenge is designed to deepen skills and reflect the type of work carried out in data-driven roles.
For example, students might:
Investigate large datasets to uncover trends and insights
Evaluate the effectiveness of marketing strategies using real data
Make evidence-based recommendations to solve business or social challenges
Present their findings clearly and professionally
Example challenge:
"Alton Towers wants to attract more visitors to its theme park. Using real customer and market data, identify key target audiences for day passes and annual passes. Analyse what motivates different groups to visit and recommend the most effective marketing approach to increase attendance."
What students will gain
Virtual work experience with leading employers
Insight into real-world data careers
Advanced problem-solving and analytical skills
Experience communicating data-driven recommendations
A certificate for every challenge completed
How it works
Register for the appropriate year group
Receive access to challenges, tools and guidance
Complete the work independently (recommended 7 to 10 days per challenge)
Submit work and receive certification
What next?
NEXT STEP is part of a wider pathway of careers challenges. Explore more:
FIRST STEP: years 7 to 9
STEP UP: university and higher education
Details
- School subject
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- Technology/computing
- Engineering
- Maths
- Physics
- Curriculum links
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- Computing
- Physics: Electricity and electromagnetism
- Engineering
- Sciences - Forces, electricity and waves: Electricity
- Computing science
- Technologies - Craft, design, engineering and graphics: Application of engineering
- Physics: Electricity
- Design thinking and engineering: Engineering
- Technology & design - Communication: Use of ICT tools (including 3D modelling)
- Sciences - Forces and energy: Using electricity
- Technology & design - Control: Incorporate control systems in products
- Technology & design - Control
- Group size
- Small groups
- Participation level
- Audience participation
- Duration
- Multi-session - flexible
- Cost
- Free
- Location
- Online
Learning outcomes
- Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
- Attainment and progress
- Learning what the engineering workplace is like
- Develop engineering employability skills
- Improve awareness and aspirations for STEM-related study and careers
- Challenge stereotypes by showing the diversity of disciplines, people and skills involved in engineering
Frameworks
Gatsby benchmarks
The Gatsby benchmarks are a framework for good careers guidance for schools across all of England and in some areas across the rest of the UK. This experience helps your school to reach the following benchmarks:
- 2 - Learning from career and labour market information
- 4 - Linking curriculum learning to careers
- 5 - Encounters with employers and employees
- 6 - Experiences of workplaces
- 7 - Encounters with further and higher education
EqualEx
- Introduce and Inspire
Essential skills
The essential skills every young person needs to succeed in education and their future career. Find out more at the Skills Builder Partnership. This experience builds the following skills:
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Enrichment framework
- 5 - An accessible and engagement enrichment offer
