College Launches Employer in Residence Programme

NPTC Group of Colleges has launched its ‘Employer in Residence’ programme at Neath College and is working together with local employers to help students get ‘career ready’.

The programme is the first of its kind in Wales and is already in full flow at the Newtown College which has been running the initiative since last November.

The Employer in Residence programme sits within the College’s Employment Bureau, which is known as Career Ready internally. It is a one-stop-shop for students, supporting them with enterprise and employability skills and providing advice and guidance to support a positive employment or self-employment outcome. Students can visit the bureau for support with career advice, CV and application writing, mock interviews, start-up support and any other career queries they may have.

As part of the programme, employers ‘take over’ the bureau for the day, which gives students the chance to access the same advice and guidance as always, but the support and advice will come directly from the employer, giving students exclusive access to their potential future employers and the tailored advice that these employers can offer. It will not only help equip students for their future careers but will open their eyes to the meaningful opportunities available in the area, raising their aspiration to pursue their own careers locally.

It is hoped the initiative will have the same impact as it has at Newtown College where 15 employers are taking part and have regular slots on-site at the College.

Jeremy Miles MS, Minister for Education and Welsh Language officially launched the programme and congratulated the College on the new initiative at Neath.

“It’s an exciting development to have local business coming into College and giving advice to young people on how to get a job and how to start a business as well as the network of contacts needed by everyone to be able to take the next steps, so it’s an exciting development.”

One of the first employers to take up the opportunity of being an employer in residence was Tai Tarian and its CEO, Linda Whittaker said:

“As an organisation that is a major employer in the area as well as an employer who really takes training and the continued learning of staff very seriously, this is a fantastic opportunity to educate young people of the careers on their doorstep.  We have been in partnership with the College since our inception in 2011 so our involvement has been on so many levels which is incredible.”

Speaking on behalf of the College, Gemma Charnock, Vice Principal, External Relations said:

“We continue to work with employers and the Employer in Residence programme will provide the opportunity to engage with students. By working together, we can help get them career ready and equip them with the right skills, whilst offering advice and support to help them secure employment in the area.”

If you are a local employer in the area and would like to link up with our Employer in Residence programme, please get in touch with our Senior Enterprise and Employability Officer Cara Mead on 0330 808 9484.