Small Steps, Big Change: The Power of #3Encounters
Small Steps, Big Change
At F4S, we know that meaningful encounters with the world of work have the power to change lives. When students meet professionals who share their career journeys, aspirations rise, confidence grows, and attainment improves.
That’s why we’re launching the #3Encounters campaign — inspiring every educator to give their students at least three meaningful encounters this academic year.
💡 The Evidence: Why Career Encounters Matter
“Young people who have four or more encounters with employers are 86% less likely to be NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training) and can earn up to 18% more in later life.”
— Education and Employers Taskforce, “It’s Who You Meet” report
At F4S, we know that meaningful encounters with the world of work have the power to change lives. Research consistently shows that when students meet professionals who share their career journeys, aspirations rise, confidence grows, and attainment improves.
Recent findings from The Careers & Enterprise Company (2025) show that schools fully achieving the Gatsby Benchmarks see faster gains in career readiness and essential workplace skills than those meeting fewer benchmarks.
Similarly, The Gatsby Foundation’s updated guidance (2025) reinforces that meaningful, high-quality encounters — not just volume — are at the heart of effective careers education.
While the gold standard remains four encounters across a student’s school journey, we also know from decades of evidence that every encounter counts.
That’s why our #3Encounters campaign starts with three: a realistic, achievable milestone that every educator can reach with our platform.
- 1 encounter sparks curiosity
- 2 encounters build understanding and confidence.
- 3+ encounters embed ambition and connect learning to the real world.
✨ Educator Story
Declán has seen how F4S can transform student engagement. By connecting his students with professionals from diverse backgrounds, he’s helped them see the real-world applications of their studies and the possibilities ahead. “We got exactly what we wanted for those girls, which was seeing someone in industry and realising, ‘Oh, I can do this too’ — which is incredibly valuable for them,” he shared.
“100% we’ll be continuing to use it because of the positive impact we’ve seen so far.”
Declán Forster, Teacher of Mathematics and Outreach Programme Lead at Leeds Mathematics School
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🌍 The F4S Difference
Backed by this growing body of evidence, F4S connects educators to a nationwide network of volunteer speakers — leaders from tech, green industries, finance, health, and the creative sectors — all ready to share their journeys and inspire the next generation.Our platform makes it simple:
1️⃣ Search by topic, sector, or region.
2️⃣ Book a virtual or in-person session that fits your curriculum.
3️⃣ Reflect — and see the transformation in your classroom.
🧭 What Happens After Three?
The #3Encounters campaign is just the beginning.
Once you’ve reached your third encounter, you’ll join our Champion Educator community — a network of teachers committed to creating career-connected learning.
Champion Educators receive:
- A digital badge to celebrate and share online
- Early access to campaign resources
- The chance to be featured in future F4S success stories
Because when educators thrive, students do too.
📅 Join the #3Encounters Movement
Ready to start your journey?
Book your first encounter today and take one step closer to transforming your students’ futures.
