To make sure we are meeting the local needs and demands of organisations across West Essex we run sector specific Employer Advisory Forums. These forums help us to fully understand the skills needs in our locality and to shape the courses, skills and training we provide so that our learners and apprentices benefit from a curriculum that is informed by employers ensuring they have the knowledge and skills that employers require, now and in the future.

Forums are free to join and exist in a number of sectors and we are always looking to form new forums. A typical forum meets three times per year (once per term) in a combination of face to face and online meetings.

Each forum has its own aims but typically these would include:

• Identification of skills or knowledge gaps to be filled by improved training delivery and to advise on the relevance of skills being taught at Harlow College.
• Strengthen links between education and the industry sector, to contribute to the challenging nature of workforce recruitment and development. 
• Support outreach activities by Harlow College and employer partners, aimed at primary and secondary school learners, especially considering diversity and inclusion in the future workplace. 

Case Study TO COME

Interested in joining one of our forums?

If you would like to join one of our forums or would like to know more generally about how we can work with you please complete the form below to arrange a call with one of our Employer Engagement team.

What is a SWAP?

The sector-based work academy programme (SWAP) can support you to create a skilled workforce for your business. Sector-based work academies help prepare those receiving unemployment benefits to apply for jobs in a different area of work. Placements are designed to help meet your immediate and future recruitment needs as well as to recruit a workforce with the right skills to sustain and grow your business.

What does a SWAP look like?

A sector-based work academy can last up to 6 weeks and have 3 main components:

• pre-employment training – matched to the needs of your business sector
• work experience placement – a great opportunity for your business to identify talent and for the individual to cement their knowledge and understanding of the required role
• a guaranteed job interview or help with an employer’s recruitment process

Pre-Employment Training

Typically this consists of 2 week employability skills training combined with English and maths and any specific training content needed for the roles you are recruiting for, for example Food Safety, CSCS card or SIA licence.

Work experience placement

A work experience placement in your business will enable participants to develop their skills and have the opportunity to work in a realistic environment. The length of a SWAP work experience placement is determined at the initial discussion and provides invaluable benefits for both businesses and individuals. The pre-employment training can be combined with the work experience placement if this is the best way to deliver the placement.

Guaranteed job interview

A guaranteed job interview for one of your vacancies will provide participants with valuable interview experience and allow you to select the most appropriate candidate for the job.

How your business could benefit

Your business could benefit from offering SWAP placements for the following reasons:

• It is a flexible programme that can be tailored to meet your recruitment needs
• You can recruit staff with the right training and skills from the outset, developed through fully-funded pre-employment training
• An opportunity to provide work experience placements for potential employees to ensure they are suited to that type of role and your company
• Work experience placements allow developmental opportunities for existing employees, for example by working on their mentoring, supervisory and coaching skills
• It reduces the risks within the overall process of recruiting new employees
• It is an opportunity for positive publicity to show how like-minded businesses are working together to meet their social responsibilities

Case Study – Land Sheriff (Land Sheriff logo)

Land Sheriff are a successful Harlow based security company who we have worked with on SWAPs in the past. They are regularly involved in providing presentations to learners who are studying SIA security courses as part of Sector-based Work Academy Programmes in partnership with DWP JCP and the college.

Land Sheriff’s involvement provides real life opportunities for those on the course, who are able to develop a deeper understanding of working within the security industry which betters prepares them for progression into employment on successful completion of the SWAP.

We have had great success with Land Sheriff SWAPs who have gone on to employ a number of our learners.

Interested in a SWAP with us?

You can arrange a SWAP with your local DWP JCP. However, if you would like to know more generally about SWAPs or how we can work with you please complete the form below to arrange a call with one of our Employer Engagement team.

What is CSR?

Employers who practice corporate social responsibility aim to improve their communities, the economy or the environment. In 2020 research by Porter Novelli found that almost nine of out ten employees believed that companies must make positive contributions to society. Effective CSR activities can increase your brand recognition, create a positive business reputation, improve customer loyalty and help attract and retain employees.

How can we help you with your CSR activities?

There are a number of ways that we can support you with your CSR activities and we are always interested in expanding our employer network. Examples of how employers have worked with us in the past are;

• Guest Speaker presentations, 
• Virtual or in-person site tours, 
• Short-term work experience (up to 36 hours)
• T Level Industry Placements

T Level Industry Placements

What are T Levels? 

T Levels are new, 2-year Level 3 qualifications for 16-19yr olds. Designed with employers, each T Level is equivalent to 3 A levels and helps young people develop the knowledge, attitude and practical skills to progress into skilled employment, an apprenticeship or further study.

Why is the industry placement important? 

Every T Level student must complete an industry placement that lasts a minimum of 315 hours (approximately 45 days). This is to provide young people the invaluable opportunity to put their learning, knowledge and skills into practice in a real workplace environment. Industry placements also give employers a unique opportunity to develop new talent and help young people become work ready.

Benefits to Employers

Offering industry placements can provide your organisation with a number of benefits.

• Attract motivated young people to your business, bringing in imaginative and new ideas
• Improve the recruitment pipeline for your business
• Address local and national skills gaps by helping young people develop the skills your industry needs 
• Develop existing staff’s mentoring and management skills
• Build a more diverse and creative workforce
• Play an important role in the local community
• Save recruitment costs by providing the opportunity to see what the young person can offer, on a no obligation employment basis

Case Study – to come

Interested in working with us?

If you would like to know more generally about how we can work with you on CSR activities please complete the form below to arrange a call with one of our Employer Engagement team.

Engaging with our local employers

We value the relationships we have with our local employers and the added quality they bring to our provision. We do this in a number of ways from site visits for groups of learners to developing bespoke training courses to upskill employees. Whatever and however we work with employers, our aim is to support them, our learners and the communities we serve to achieve their ambitions.

Our Key Priorities

The key priorities of our Employer Engagement team are:

Work effectively with local employers and stakeholders to fully understand the skills needs in the local and regional area.

Ensure our learners and apprentices benefit from a curriculum that is informed by employers ensuring they have the knowledge and skills employers require, now and in the future.

Promote apprenticeships and provide advice and guidance to employers.

Enrich our learner experience through industry guest speakers, site tours and visits and work experience and industry placements.

Case Studies

We are proud of the many achievements we have had working with employers, these are some examples of the work we have done recently.

MAG Logo

ECC Logo

Manchester Airport Group

The fastest growing airport in the UK, catering for 23 million passengers per annum, London Stansted Airport is one the most strategically important employers in the East of England. We have over a number of years developed a strong and positive relationship and continue to work together on a number of regionally important projects.

One of the most successful outcomes from this partnership has been the opening of Stansted Airport College, the UK’s first on-site professional training and skills centre. Funded by the SELEP Local Growth Fund and Essex County Council the on-airport further education facility is addressing the growing skills gaps in engineering and customer service, which together with the Stansted Airport Employability and Skills Academy, who specialise in short aviation and employability training for adults looking for work at the airport are developing a talent pool and pipeline of employees for the airport to support their growth, now and in the future.

Collaboration with the airport and their business partners is 360° in nature, we are often humbled by the support and commitment offered to enrich our curriculum and the experience of our learners. Our Stansted Airport College Advisory Panel includes representatives from across our civic, education, employer and community partners and meets quarterly to provide strategic oversight of the curriculum and quality of provision at Stansted Airport College and to guide future development. 

Essex County Council

We have an excellent relationship with our local authority, Essex County Council, we are collaborating with them on a pilot project in Harlow to support the transition from fuel-based vehicles to electric vehicles. The project, selected as a case study of best practice by the Local Government Association will develop a new Electric Vehicle Centre at the College which will provide upskilling courses for local Automotive Technicians to develop the skills and knowledge required to maintain and repair electric vehicles. Alongside this, community learning workshops will provide local electric vehicle owners and enthusiasts opportunities to understand more about their vehicle including safety awareness.

The UK Government’s approach to driving the transition from fuel-based vehicles to electric vehicles is showing definite signs of success with record sales of electric vehicles in 2021. Harlow District Council have anticipated that by 2030 there could be between approximately 6,000 and 14,000 battery electric vehicles in Harlow. With this increase in demand for Electric vehicles there is subsequently a growing need for appropriately trained technicians to carry-out repairs and servicing to these vehicles. The Harlow College – Electric Vehicle Centre will address this growing need and upskill local employees 7 with Electric Vehicle repair and maintenance qualifications.

Interested in working with us?

If you are interested in working with us, be it participating in one of our Employer Advisory Boards or offering Industry Placements to our T-Level students, we are always looking to increase the breadth of employers we work with.

Or if you would like to know more generally about how we can work with you please complete the form below to arrange a call with one of our Employer Engagement team.