A three-person composite image shows head-and-shoulders shots of work experience students Kelsey, Maddison and Azhe
When Kelsey first arrived at secondary school, she said she wanted to be almost anywhere else but there.
She struggled with friendships, clashed with teachers and often tried to avoid coming into school.
But after a week's work experience placement at Whipsnade Zoo, in Bedfordshire, her outlook could not be more different.
She said it made her a "completely different person" - more confident, with a "good group of friends" and a greater sense of purpose about where her education could lead her.
Children across the UK are strongly encouraged to do work experience while at school. In England, the government published new legal guidance in June for schools to deliver two weeks of "in-person and immersive" work experience in future, one between Year 7 and Year 9, and one between Years 10 and 11.
But not all work experience placements are equal, and finding the right one can be tricky.
Organisations like the Sutton Trust and the Social Mobility Foundation said some students could be limited by the availability of placements in their area, or a lack of family connections with local employers.
BBC News spoke to three Year 10 pupils, one year ahead of their final GCSE exams, about how they decided what areas of work they were interested in, their experiences of trying to find the right placement, and what it taught them about their future education and ultimate career goals.
Kelsey, Whipsnade Zoo, "I realised why school matters and how it links directly to the career I want."
Before her placement, Kelsey said she had no clear idea what she wanted to do after school. It was part of the reason why she struggled to commit to her education.
She had always loved animals, but spending time at the zoo helped her understand the range of careers available - and the qualifications she would need to pursue them.
"I realised why school matters, and how it links directly to the career I want," she said.
"I've started revising properly and putting much more effort into my education because I know it's the route to my future."
Kelsey is pictured holding a small black chick between both hands outdoors. The chick faces the camera, while rooftops and wooden buildings are visible in the background. The image is a close-up, with the bird and hands in sharp focus.
The practical nature of the placement also helped Kelsey build her confidence.
She worked alongside other students to design enrichment activities for a tiger, for example, before presenting their ideas to members of the public - something she said she would previously have found intimidating.
"I wasn't treated like a child, and I was trusted to do meaningful work," she said.
Kelsey now plans to study animal care at college after her GCSEs, before pursuing a career as an animal behaviourist.
Maddison, Central Employment North East, "I wished I could leave school and start working there straight away."
For Maddison, her goal to end up in office-based work was clear to her from the beginning, so she approached Central Employment North East, a recruitment firm in Newcastle where her uncle was a partner.
"I'm quite a shy person," she said. "Before I left, my mum told me: 'Confidence is key.'"
She quickly settled in as colleagues made her feel part of the team.
Four people stand beside a reception desk in a modern office. Behind them is a wooden feature wall with a company logo and plants, while glass-walled meeting rooms line a corridor to the right.
By the end of the week, she felt her confidence had grown and she could see herself pursuing the career she had imagined.
It left her eager to return to school to gain the qualifications she needs for an office-based career.
"When I got home on Friday I told my mum I couldn't believe it was already over," she said.
"I wished I could leave school and start working there straight away."
Azhe, Kwick Fix Autocare Ltd, "It helped me think more carefully about the types of careers I may enjoy."
For Azhe, a placement at Kwick Fix Auto Care, also in Newcastle, proved valuable for a different reason to Kelsey and Maddison.
Rather than confirming a future career, it helped him realise mechanics probably was not the right path for him.
Like other students, Azhe was responsible for arranging his own placement, and with no clear career path in mind, he chose an opportunity that would allow him to explore a completely different environment.
"I decided to choose something I knew nothing about," he said.
Although he said staff explained processes clearly, he said his lack of prior interest in the field meant he sometimes felt "overwhelmed" with information.
Azhe is seen wearing orange gloves as works on a dark-coloured car inside a vehicle workshop. The rear door is open, with garage equipment and automotive service banners visible in the background.
He had hoped to spend more time on repairs himself and said that sometimes felt frustrating, but that he understood why safety and experience meant students could not simply be handed tools and left to work.
The placement also challenged his understanding of what the job would be like, and that being a mechanic "isn't just about fixing cars".
"It involves problem-solving, teamwork, communication and taking responsibility for people's safety," he said.
He also found the work much more physically demanding than he had expected, with long hours on his feet and the need to remain focused throughout the day.
The experience has left him thinking carefully about his future and the alternative careers he might enjoy.
'Opportunities remain unequal'
Erica Holt-White, research and policy manager at the Sutton Trust, said the experiences of these students, and thousands of others like them, show why meaningful work experience can be so beneficial.
It can be particularly valuable for young people who do not have family or friends working in the industries they are interested in.
"It gives them exposure to professional environments and the chance to meet people in careers they might otherwise never encounter," she said.
But access to those opportunities remains unequal, according to Sarah Atkinson, chief executive of the Social Mobility Foundation.
"Many schools now ask students to find placements themselves," she said.
"That creates significant inequalities, because young people without family or professional networks are far more likely either to miss out altogether, or to end up in placements that aren't relevant to their ambitions."
Both said work experience does not need to lead directly to a future career to be valuable.
For Kelsey, the lessons from Whipsnade Zoo continue to shape both her ambitions and her approach to education.
Her advice to younger pupils is simple.
"Take the opportunity when it's offered - talk to people, ask questions and enjoy it because you'll learn far more than you expect."
