HMRC World of Work Day

Project Overview:
The HMRC World of Work Day forms part of a wider World of Work Cycle model at Luminate Education Group, a social impact initiative piloting a structured and scalable approach Education Group, a social impact initiative piloting a structured and scalable approach to to strengthen learners’ employability skills through measurable employer engagement.
The programme connects learners with HMRC professionals to provide insight into professional
environments, recruitment processes and career pathways. Through employer-led sessions and mock
interviews, learners gain practical experience and develop the confidence and skills needed to
prepare for future employment.

The Challenge:
Many further education learners have limited access to professional networks and opportunities to experience real recruitment processes and workplace expectations. Without direct engagement with employers, students can find it difficult to develop the confidence and soft skills needed to succeed in interviews and professional environments. This challenge reflects wider skills trends across the Yorkshire and Humber region, where employers frequently report gaps in essential soft skills such as communication, teamwork, interpersonal skills and organisational ability. These skills are critical to workplace success, yet are often underdeveloped without meaningful employer interaction.
Employers continue to highlight gaps in transferable skills alongside technical ability, reinforcing the importance of embedding employability development throughout the learner journey rather than treating it as an additional or standalone activity.
The West Yorkshire Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) reinforces this need, identifying stronger collaboration between further education, higher education and employers as a key priority. A central ambition of the LSIP is to create more inclusive and responsive skills systems by strengthening connections between providers and employers, and developing clearer recruitment pathways for learners.
However, achieving this requires practical and scalable models that move beyond one-off engagement and instead embed employer interaction across the learner journey.

The Solution:
The HMRC World of Work Day was delivered as part of the World of Work Cycle pilot programme, developed in response to the need for more structured and meaningful employer engagement within further education. Over the past two years, we have collaborated with higher education and employer partners to deliver a structured employability model that supports learners through the stages of awareness, preparation, experience and progression.
Delivered in partnership with HMRC and the University of Leeds School of Law, this approach combines higher education taster sessions and career clinics with targeted employer-led activities, enabling learners to develop employability skills and gain real insight into recruitment processes.
By capturing learner demand in real time and responding with relevant employer-led opportunities, between 2025 and 2026 the programme transitioned from awareness-based activity to hands-on employability skills development, allowing learners to take part in realistic recruitment scenarios and
better understand employer expectations.
These activities included:
Employer insight presentations
Career talks and Q&A sessions with HMRC staff
One-to-one mock interviews based on real job roles
Personalised feedback from HMRC professionals

Structured Employer Engagement Model:
Stage 1: Exploration and Aspiration
Learners take part in higher education taster sessions and career clinics to explore future pathways and
build awareness of opportunities.
Stage 2: Preparation and Personal Development
Learners receive targeted support through CV and LinkedIn clinics, helping them develop professional
profiles and prepare for recruitment processes.
Stage 3: Employer Engagement and Experience
Learners participate in employer-led World of Work Days, including mock interviews and insight into real
recruitment processes, delivered in partnership with organisations such as HMRC.
Stage 4: Progression and Pathway Planning
Learners engage in pathway exploration sessions supported by SMART action planning and coaching, with the aim of progressing into further opportunities, including real recruitment pathways.

Impact on Learners:
The programme helped learners develop essential employability skills and gain a deeper
understanding of workplace expectations.
Learners reported improvements in:
Interview confidence
Communication skills
Understanding employer expectations
Professional behaviour in interview settings
Feedback from participants demonstrated strong engagement and satisfaction

Evidence of Impact:
The programme demonstrated consistent learner engagement across two years while increasing the depth of employer interaction.
Year Activity Learner Attendance
2025 - Employer Insight Sessions - 17 Learners
2026 - Mock interviews with HMRC Professionals - 14 Learners
The transition from awareness-based activities to practical interview experiences helped strengthen learners’ career readiness and understanding of recruitment processes.

Social Value:
The HMRC World of Work Day created social value by improving learners’ access to professional networks and workplace insight. Through direct engagement with HMRC professionals, students developed confidence, practical interview skills and a better understanding of employer expectations.
By embedding employer engagement within the learner journey, the programme supports learners in developing the professional cultural capital needed to progress into future careers.
The day also contributed to a wider pilot that provides a practical, scalable model for strengthening
collaboration between further education providers, higher education and employers, supporting the
development of more inclusive skills and recruitment pipelines.