Top local employers are being invited to work with a coastal college to set the direction for an exciting new curriculum.
East Coast College is inviting employers to work in partnership with them to deliver a revised curriculum which meets the skill needs of employers.
The move will see employers at the heart of the college’s curriculum planning process, ensuring all courses and apprenticeship programmes are designed and endorsed by businesses to provide work-ready skills and knowledge.
The college will be working to establish a Strategic Employer Partnership Panel, in addition to Employer Advisory Groups focussing on healthcare, construction and civil engineering, clean energy, advanced engineering and manufacturing, the visitor economy and hospitality and special education needs and disabilities support (SEND).
The college wants to hear from large and small employers operating around its campuses in Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth who would like to play a part in providing insights to setting a curriculum for the future local economy.
Julia Bates, deputy principal for curriculum and strategic partnerships at East Coast College, said: "Our strengthened partnership work will place employers at the heart of our learning, helping us better deliver programmes which meet the local skills needs.
"The Strategic Employer Partnership Panel will validate curriculum for 2023/2024 and beyond, with the sector specific Employer Advisory Groups providing support and challenge for our curriculum planning activities.
“Having employers work with us is critical to ensuring we meet their needs better.
"It is an exciting time to be living and working as a part of the clean energy coast.
"We have the world’s largest market for offshore wind on our doorstep, several nationally significant large infrastructure projects being undertaken locally, including the development of Sizewell C nuclear power station.
"It is our role to link people in the region to these exciting opportunities.
"We are very lucky to be supported with great opportunities already for students including work placements with Morgan Sindall, Lovell, Adnams, James Paget University Hospital and Farrans, to name a few.
"It’s now time to extend this work, to realise the ambitions we have for our people and place."
'An exciting strategic development'
Mark Flynn, director of strategic projects at the James Paget, who will be part of the Strategic Employer Partnership Panel, said: "I would encourage all local employers and organisations to be involved in this work - our hospital has seen a real benefit in the close working relationship we have had with East Coast College, including the 10 years of the joint ‘Project Search’ programme."
Stuart Rimmer, East Coast College chief executive, said: "This is an exciting strategic development.
"The college curriculum has always had the strong enduring support from local business, but this takes it to the next level and I’d encourage all local business to get involved and influence the future skills in our locality."
The employer groups will also help the college remove barriers to learning and work, develop work-ready attitudes and create a pipeline of future talent for the region.
Anyone interested in working with East Coast College on curriculum validation should email Julia Bates at j.bates@eastcoast.ac.uk.
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