A University-to-Work Integration Platform
Graduate with experience, not just a degree.
Complete short, structured projects throughout university. Progress from introductory to advanced missions, receive supervisor feedback and build a verified record of real-world experience alongside your degree.
See How It WorksStudy. Apply. Graduate experienced.
Student progression
University-to-work pathway
Active pathway
University Entry
Starting point
✓
Foundation Missions
Introductory experience
✓
Development Missions
Independent application
Current
Advanced Missions
Professional ownership
Graduation
Workplace ready
Verified Experience Record
Progress summary
7
Missions
94
Verified hours
12
Skills
Supervisor evaluations
4 approved
Portfolio evidence
Verified
University learning
Structured missions
Verified experience
Workplace readiness
The problem
Experience should not begin after graduation.
Students may spend years studying and still reach graduation with limited practical evidence of what they can do.
Academic learning without enough practical proof.
- Limited workplace exposure
- Difficult access to structured internships
- Few opportunities to prove practical ability
- Experience expected before the first opportunity
Valuable short projects remain unfinished.
- SMEs and NGOs cannot always run full internships
- Teams may lack specialist capacity
- Short-term needs do not justify full-time hiring
- Project supervision must remain manageable
Practical employability development is difficult to measure.
- Limited continuous feedback from employers
- Weak visibility into emerging skill needs
- Practical development is hard to track
- Recurring skills gaps may remain hidden
Four years should build more than academic knowledge.
A student should not spend four years studying and then begin
searching for experience from zero.
The Gradual pathway
Build experience progressively throughout university.
Students move through mission levels as they demonstrate greater competence, independence and professional responsibility.
00
Starting point
University Entry
The student begins with academic potential but limited professional evidence.
01
Mission level
Foundation Missions
Introductory, low-risk projects with clear scope, exact tasks and close supervision.
02
Mission level
Development Missions
More analytical and independent work for students who have demonstrated competence.
03
Mission level
Advanced Missions
Complex, professional-grade projects with greater ownership, judgement and responsibility.
Outcome
Graduation
Academic qualification plus a cumulative Verified Experience Record.
Progression depends on demonstrated ability, not academic year alone.
Mission-provider tracks
Real projects from businesses and mission-driven organisations.
Mission levels describe the student’s progression. Mission tracks describe where the project comes from.
Growth track
For SMEs and startups
Growth Missions
Short, structured projects that help businesses move important work forward.
Market research
Digital marketing
Finance
IT
Design
Data
Operations
Administration
Value created
Explore Growth Missions
- Useful deliverables
- Flexible project support
- Access to emerging talent
- Potential future recruitment
Impact track
For mission-driven organisations
Impact Missions
Practical projects that strengthen programmes, communication and measurable impact.
Communication
Translation
Fundraising research
Environmental research
Impact reporting
Stakeholder mapping
Programme documentation
Value created
Explore Impact Missions
- Skilled project support
- Measurable contribution
- Stronger organisational capacity
- Meaningful student experience
How Gradual works
From organisational need to verified experience.
01
Approved Need
An organisation submits a genuine project requirement.
02
Structured Mission
Gradual defines the objective, tasks, deliverables, hours, required skills and learning outcomes.
03
Student Match
A suitable student applies according to demonstrated ability and mission level.
04
Supervised Work
The mission is completed with a named supervisor and defined feedback process.
05
Verified Experience
Accepted outputs and demonstrated skills are added to the student’s cumulative record.
Verified Experience Record
More than a certificate. Evidence of what the student actually did.
Each accepted mission contributes structured evidence to a cumulative record of applied experience.
Mission level
Organisation
Completed tasks
Accepted deliverables
Verified hours
Supervisor evaluation
Demonstrated competencies
Reliability indicators
Communication indicators
Portfolio evidence
Students graduate with an academic qualification and a
cumulative record of applied experience.
The Verified Experience Record documents platform-verified practical work. It is not an academic transcript or accredited qualification.
Gradual
Verified Experience Record
ST
Student profile
Progressive experience record
Current level
Development Missions
Level 2
7
Completed missions
94
Verified hours
12
Skills demonstrated
Growth Mission
Verified
Market-entry research brief
Impact Mission
Verified
Stakeholder mapping project
Shared value
One system. Shared value.
Students
- Gain experience before graduation
- Build a professional portfolio
- Receive structured feedback
- Prove practical skills
- Develop clearer career direction
Organisations
- Receive clearly scoped project support
- Access students at appropriate ability levels
- Reduce internship-management complexity
- Identify promising future talent
- Create useful organisational value
Universities
- Strengthen employability support
- Monitor practical student development
- Receive aggregated labour-market feedback
- Identify recurring skills gaps
- Support programme and curriculum review
University participation
Designed to grow with university participation.
Gradual can begin as an extracurricular employability pilot and develop only where formal university participation is secured.
Extracurricular Pilot
Voluntary missions, verified records and completion certificates outside formal academic credit.
University Recognition
Potential recognition through employability hours, co-curricular activity or practical-training requirements.
Academic-Credit Integration
Selected missions may become credit-bearing only with formal university approval, academic supervision and assessment.
Academic credit requires formal approval from participating universities.
Labour-market feedback loop
Practical experience that improves future learning.
Participating organisations provide structured feedback about required skills, recurring weaknesses, emerging technologies and changing professional practices.
Universities may use aggregated insights to support employability planning and curriculum review.
01
University Learning
→
02
Practical Missions
↓
03
Employer Feedback
←
04
Employability Improvement
Stronger Student Preparation
Continuous improvement
Trust and quality
Every mission is structured before work begins.
Gradual is designed to prevent vague, open-ended or poorly supervised project work.
Gradual is not vague unpaid labour. Every mission has clear
boundaries, supervision and measurable outcomes.
Mission quality framework
11 checks
Required before approval
01Defined objective✓
02Exact tasks✓
03Expected deliverables✓
04Required skills✓
05Recommended mission level✓
06Maximum working hours✓
07Named supervisor✓
08Learning outcomes✓
09Evaluation method✓
10Transparent benefit or compensation✓
11Verified completion evidence✓
Pilot registrations
Help shape the first Gradual pilot.
Join the early community helping test and improve a progressive model of practical experience throughout university.
Pilot participation is subject to selection, mission availability and programme readiness.