Project
Students gain hands-on virtual work experience with data champions from leading brands and services through fun, innovative challenges.
Secondary
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, building the skills, confidence and insight needed to explore future careers in data and beyond.
Who is it for?
Years 10–13 (S4–S6 / Years 11–14 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, students 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 7–10 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 7-9
STEP UP: University and higher education
Improve engagement, interest or enjoyment in STEM subjects
Improve attainment and progress in STEM subjects
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
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:
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:
Planning - Setting goals and designing routes to achieve them
Creativity - Using imagination and generating new ideas
Problem solving - Finding solutions to challenges
What the teachers sayLog in to write a testimonialWe would love to read all about your time with this experience!
Secondary
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Secondary
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Secondary
Students gain hands-on virtual work experience with data champions from leading brands and services through fun, innovative challenges.
