Read real InvestIN student testimonials and alumni success stories, backed by survey data on university places, career clarity and recommendations.
Choosing a career path at 16 is one of the most high-stakes decisions a young person faces. The pressure to pick the right A-levels, craft a compelling personal statement and stand out in a competitive university admissions process can feel overwhelming, especially when you have no real sense of what a career actually looks and feels like from the inside.
That is exactly the gap InvestIN was built to close. Since 2012, over 70,000 students from more than 100 countries have taken part in immersive work experience programmes spanning 15 industries. But the most compelling evidence for what InvestIN delivers does not come from a brochure. It comes from the students themselves.
The numbers behind the stories: According to InvestIN's 2023 Alumni Survey, 78% of respondents referenced their InvestIN programme in their university application, and three in four of those students received a place at their first-choice university.
Here is what past participants have to say.
"It Took Away a Lot of Anxieties": Johnny Oakley, Politics & International Relations at UCL
Johnny attended the Young Political Leader Summer Experience in 2019. Today he studies Politics and International Relations at University College London, one of the UK's most competitive universities for social sciences.
During the programme, Johnny was voted Speaker of the House by fellow participants and chaired a live debate between former MP Jim Fitzpatrick and communications consultant Paul Richards. That kind of professional exposure is not something most students encounter before university.
"InvestIN gives those who participate the confidence and knowledge to allow them to succeed in their chosen field. For me, it took away a lot of anxieties about how to enter the world of politics. The professional exposure is something you would struggle to find elsewhere." — Johnny Oakley, Young Political Leader Programme
Johnny went on to achieve an A* in A-level Politics, spent a gap year across Spain, Poland, Morocco and Canada, and arrived at UCL with a clear sense of direction. He credits the programme with sparking the passion that carried him there.
From Career Confusion to a City Internship: Matthew Webdale, Entrepreneurship
Matthew joined InvestIN's Young Entrepreneur Summer Experience in 2020, at a point when he was torn between business, politics and law and could not decide which direction to take.
The programme did not just inform his university course choice. It shaped the trajectory of his early career.
"The programme helped me choose my university course, and therefore my career path. Without it, I would not have enjoyed my summer internship at a large financial services firm as much." — Matthew Webdale, Young Entrepreneur Summer Experience
This is the outcome that matters most to parents weighing up the investment: not just a good experience, but a thread that runs from the programme through to university and into the world of work. Matthew's story illustrates exactly that.
Understanding the Industry Before University: Keean De Villiers and Livvey Wadsworth, Investment Banking
Two alumni from the investment banking programmes highlight the same theme from different angles: arriving at university with genuine understanding, not just enthusiasm.
Keean De Villiers attended the Young Investment Banker Summer Experience knowing he wanted to work in finance, but unclear on which area to pursue or how to break in.
"Hearing from professionals in both areas, and after doing a real life 'on the job' simulation, I had a much broader understanding of which path I wanted to take, and the top tips for how to stand out in interviews." — Keean De Villiers, Young Investment Banker Summer Experience
Livvey Wadsworth took a similar route. After the programme, she chose Business and Economics at university and acted on advice from an industry executive she met through InvestIN, using LinkedIn to proactively build her professional network before she had even graduated.
"The course enabled me to gain an insight into the industry and helped point me in the right direction of the type of university course I'd choose." — Livvey Wadsworth, Young Investment Banker Weekend
Both stories reflect what InvestIN's alumni data consistently shows: 80% of survey respondents said the programmes helped them decide what career to pursue.
A Personal Statement Transformed: Andreea Lazar and Daniel, Medicine
For students applying to medicine, the competition is fierce. Medical school admissions require not just strong grades but clear evidence of commitment, self-awareness and real-world exposure. Two alumni from the Young Doctor programme show how InvestIN fits directly into that picture.
Andreea Lazar attended the Young Doctor Weekend in 2019 during Year 11.
"I can confidently say it helped me choose the right career, giving me knowledge and advice I can use to maximise my potential in the medical field. The programme encouraged me to pick the right A-levels." — Andreea Lazar, Young Doctor Weekend
Daniel, another Young Doctor participant, put it simply:
"This has helped me massively. It has boosted my personal statement." — Daniel, Young Doctor Programme
For students applying to competitive courses via UCAS, having substantive work experience to reference is not optional. It is expected. InvestIN's programmes are specifically designed to give students that material, and the results back it up: 57% of alumni who responded to the 2023 survey went on to attend Russell Group institutions.
Individual stories are compelling. But the scale of InvestIN's impact becomes clearest when you look at the data from the 2023 Alumni Survey, which tracked students from the 2019 and 2020 cohorts.
|
Outcome |
Alumni Survey Result |
|
Referenced InvestIN in their university application |
78% |
|
Said programmes helped them decide their career path |
80% |
|
Received a place at their first-choice university |
75% |
|
Now attend a Russell Group institution |
57% |
|
Now attend a QS Top 100 global university |
46% |
Key insight: Three in four students who included InvestIN in their university application got into their first-choice university. That is not a coincidence. It reflects the quality of the experience and the credibility it carries with admissions teams.
Post-2024, 98% of summer programme participants said they would recommend InvestIN to a friend, based on feedback from over 2,500 attendees.
Your Turn
Every student in this article arrived at InvestIN with a question: Is this the right career for me? How do I get in? What does this actually look like in practice?
They left with answers, and with the evidence to back them up in applications, interviews and beyond.
The 2026 Summer Programmes are now 90% full. If you are ready to test-drive your dream career alongside industry professionals, explore the full range of programmes and secure your place before they sell out.
