Work Experience and Progression Mentor

Changeworknow is part of the Access Group; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

34 days holiday

LGPS pension with 19.9% employer contr

Onsite nursery discounts

Totum discount card

Rail discounts

Microsoft Office for FREE with 1TB One

Cycle to Work Scheme

Free eye tests

Employee Assistance Programme

Progression opportunities

Job summary

Derby College Group (DCG) is seeking a motivated Work Experience and Progression Mentor at the Joseph Wright Centre to help students gain work experience and develop employability skills.

You will build industry partnerships, support progression into employment, apprenticeships or further study, and work with curriculum teams to create meaningful workplace opportunities. This role emphasizes safeguarding and commitment to inclusion.

Qualifications

• Must be highly organised and proactive with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of work experience programmes, post-16 education, labour market trends and careers development.
• Experience of working with employers or supporting student engagement would be advantageous.

Skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Student engagement

Job description

Optimistic – Equity – Kindness – Innovation – Collaboration

Kindly note that we do not accept CVs, in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education requirements. All applications must be submitted via the link provided only.

Derby College Group (DCG) is seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Work Experience and Progression Mentor to join our team. Based at our Joseph Wright Centre campus, you’ll play a key role in helping students gain valuable work experience, develop employability skills, and progress into positive destinations. This is a rewarding opportunity to work closely with students, employers, and curriculum teams to create meaningful industry experiences that prepare students for successful futures.

The Opportunity

This is an exciting opportunity to make a real difference to students' futures by helping them gain valuable work experience and prepare for successful progression into employment, apprenticeships, or further study. Working closely with curriculum teams, employers, and student support services, you will develop strong industry partnerships and create meaningful workplace opportunities. This varied and rewarding role allows you to support students at every stage of their journey, helping them build confidence, develop employability skills, and achieve positive outcomes for their future careers.

For a full explanation of the roles and responsibilities, please click here .

About You

You’ll be a highly organised and proactive individual with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, capable of building positive relationships with students, employers, and colleagues. With knowledge of work experience programmes, post-16 education, labour market trends, and careers development, you’ll be passionate about supporting young people to achieve their goals. You’ll be confident managing multiple priorities, meeting deadlines, and delivering positive outcomes. Experience of working with employers or supporting student engagement would be advantageous, alongside a flexible and collaborative approach to work.

Fora full explanation of the Person Specification, please click here .

The Benefits

• Salary of £28,876 per annum
• 34 days holiday (inclusive of 8 bank holidays and 6 closure days where these occur)
• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme with a 19.9% employer contribution
• Discount at our Ofsted rated ‘Outstanding’ onsite Little Explorers Nursery
• TOTUM discount card (aka NUS/Student Discount Card) / discounted Tastecard
• Discounts on East Midlands Railway Annual Season Tickets
• Microsoft Office for FREE with 1TB of OneDrive cloud storage
• Discount on treatments at SENSI our onsite salon at the Roundhouse
• Flint Bishop Solicitors – free will writing, 1-hour free consultation with family department, 10% discount on Conveyancing services
• Continuousdevelopment and progression opportunities
• Free eye tests with Specsavers
• Our new and enhanced Employee Assistance Programme provides 24/7 confidential support for wellbeing, mental health, and life matters.
• Cycle to Work Scheme

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace which promotes and values diversity. We welcome all talent irrespective of age, disability, neuro-divergence, sex, gender identity and gender expression, race, ethnicity, religion, belief, sexual orientation or other personal circumstances. We ensure that our policies and procedures treat all applicants consistently and fairly during our recruitment process.

Safeguarding statement

DCG is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and all successful candidates will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. An online search of the preferred candidate is also completed to help to identify any incidents or issues that have happened, and are publicly available online, which the college may need to explore with the candidate further. Please be advised that it is an offence to apply for this position if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Please note that unfortunately,this role is not eligible for sponsorship under the UK Visas & Immigration points-based immigration system.Applications are welcome from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK but would be eligible to obtain a valid visa via another route.Please consult the Home Office website for further information.

Our Commitment to Sustainability

We are committed to embedding sustainability throughout Derby College Group, from the way we operate to the way we educate and support our learners. We welcome applicants who are motivated to support our sustainability ambitions, help reduce our environmental impact, and contribute to a creating a more sustainable world for our future generations.

Recruitment Agencies

- We have a PSL of trusted partners to assist us when required and do not acknowledge any speculative CVs or unsolicited candidate introductions from agencies not on this list.