This paper argues that student voice and the active engagement of students in shaping their own educational experience are integral to the development of effective work-related learning (WRL) programmes. Through accessing the voice of disaffected and marginalised students, insight can be gained into what these students see as being the benefits of WRL programmes, and the features that act as key levers and barriers to successful WRL. Student voice was accessed using an innovative form of group interview incorporating an Ishikawa, or fishbone tool. The data was collected in four English school and college settings with a total of 50 students from Years 10 and 11 (aged 15 and 16). The findings identify 10 factors that students see as being critical if the benefits of WRL are to be secured. (Contains 5 figures.)