Work Placement Engagement Officer

onlyFE; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 31,000; Full time

Job summary

Vision Business Support Services Ltd (VBSS) is recruiting a Work Placement Coordinator for the Directorate of Building Services at West Nottinghamshire College Group. You will secure and manage industry placements, engage employers, and align placements with curriculum, while ensuring health and safety compliance.

You will build strong links with employers, mentor students, and collaborate with curriculum teams to upscale placement opportunities across college sites.

Qualifications

• Qualified to Level 3 or equivalent.
• English to at least Level 2.
• Maths to at least Level 2.
• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification (and willing to complete IOSH).
• Experience with safeguarding and DBS procedures.

Responsibilities

• Build links with employers to support work placements.
• Match students to placements aligned with courses.
• Coordinate risk assessments and health & safety checks.
• Record employer and student engagement on the system.
• Travel to conduct risk assessments and employer appointments.
• Provide reports and monitor placement progress.

Skills

Communication

Organisation

Self-motivation

Teamwork

Education

Level 3 qualification

English level 2

Maths level 2

Job description

Directorate of Building Services

REQ0001337

The Appointment

Vision Business Support Services Ltd (VBSS) provides high-quality support services to all aspects of the college group, VBSS is a subsidiary company of West Nottinghamshire College and provides an important service and plays a pivotal part in the success of the college and creating an exceptional learner experience.

About The Role

A key part of this role will be to ensure students complete work placements and extended or industry placements. It is a mandatory requirement for all full-time students to complete a meaningful work placement as part of their course.

An essential task will be to engage existing employers to maintain their support and if feasible increase the number of students for each employer. To build links with new employers and match students to the appropriate employer and role. Increasing the number of employers supporting our students with work placements and developing strong working relationships.

Working individually as well as working alongside the directorate of Building Services and other college departments to generate and upscale placement opportunities achieving the college’s work placement targets for study programme and industry placements. Some construction industry experience would be advantageous.

You will complete health and safety training to enable you to complete risk assessment paperwork or ensure employers complete the online forms, prior to placements starting, ensuring that students are protected against health and safety risks arising from work activities, at the same time using the opportunity to develop strong links with employers and generate confidence in the college’s professional approach to health and safety.

Developing good relationships with curriculum staff will be essential to ensure there is an alignment between curriculum planning and industry and study placement provision as well as collaboratively matching students to placements and upscaling to industry placements.

You will contribute to students’ preparation for work placement through projects, developing and delivering resources, being passionate about students’ achievement monitoring completion of relevant and meaningful work placement objectives.

You will use a range of college systems including the college central work placement management system and ensure key employer and student engagement information is captured.

The post holder will be expected to be a self-starter and have a high level of resilience, as the role will involve encouraging students to see the benefits of work placement and engage employers to offer opportunities.

You will be required to travel to conduct risk assessments and attend employer appointments, open evenings, employer networking events and other college sites.

The role will require you to embed the college’s values, Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, Ambition and Compassion.

The Post

Responsibilities

2.1 Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Build strong links with employers we are currently working with to continue to support work placement opportunities and engage new employers through a range of activities.
• Adopt a tenacious but professional approach, acting as an ‘ambassador’ for the department and work placements as the first contact with the employer.
• Support students to secure a meaningful and relevant work placement linked to their course to achieve the colleges’ study programme and industry work placement targets, aiming to extend student placements from a study programme short placement into an industry or extended placement.
• Completing health and safety training to be able to support with risk assessments where required. Checking companies hold the correct insurance policies prior to students attending placements.
• Work alongside the ALS team to support students with SEND/LLDDD to ensure the students receive the necessary support and linking up with the employer to ensure reasonable adjustments are made in the workplace.
• Collaborate with the college's apprenticeship team, teachers and Nottingham Trent University Employer Engagement officers to secure new leads for local employers’ upscaling the volume of work placements for study programme and industry placements.
• Increase the conversion of students with part-time jobs to translate into an Industry Placements and sharing the financial support we can offer students completing extended work placements.
• To be meticulous in ensuring all employer engagement information and student one to one’s are recorded on the system.
• Ensure that a robust matching process is co-ordinated to ensure students meet employers’ expectations and the college’s Employability Framework Standards and visit learners in the workplace to monitor progress.
• Promote new work placement opportunities, and processes with teachers and students through a range of activities.
• Co-ordinate and contribute to the development of virtual training for work placement programmes, social action projects to prepare students for placements.
• Manage Outlook calendars to ensure even weekly planning of appointments; ensuring travelling distances are feasible and effective.
• Deal with customer complaints and elevate as necessary.
• Complete regular reporting activities to measure self and department against agreed targets.
• Ensure that the colleges safeguarding policies, procedures and contact numbers are highlighted at all points of interaction with employers.
• Monitor completion of student work appraisals, employer feedback and assessments, utilising this information to create positive work placement case studies.

2.2 Other Responsibilities

• To uphold and promote all company policies and procedures, promoting those specifically applicable to this area of work, including the Equality & Diversity and Health & Safety policies and procedures and attend training as requested.
• To comply with all college standards and expectations, including college learner procedures and practices and safeguarding policy and practices.
• To keep up to date, so far as necessary, for the efficient executing of the job, with new legislation, procedures and techniques and attend relevant mandatory training.
• To be conversant with and participate in activities and developments at college, regional and national level which are relevant to the post.
• To present and promote an appropriate public image in representing the college group and its subsidiaries.
• To undertake any other duties as may reasonably be required commensurate with the post.

Skills, Qualities & Knowledge

Essential

Desirable

Qualifications

• Qualified to level 3
• Educated to at least Level 3 or willing to work towards completing a relevant Level 3 qualification where you hold the skills to engage students and employers.
• English to at least level 2
• Maths to at least level 2
• IOSH or NEBOSH qualification (and willing to complete IOSH training on commencement of post)

Experience

• Experience of work placement systems and processes
• Experience of sales, B2B, employer engagement
• Experience of working to set targets
• Proficiency in the use of Information Technology, word, outlook.
• Recent experience of working with young people and supporting them with employment opportunities
• Construction and/or Building Services industry experience

Skills /Knowledge

• Demonstrate suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults including knowledge/understanding of safeguarding and DBS compliance
• Prior knowledge of conducting risk assessments
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
• Accuracy and attention to detail
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Excellent organisation and administrative skills. Fast paced environment where priorities can change each hour so good time management skills required and will be able to adapt to changing demands
• Qualities/Approach linked to college values
• Commitment to Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity
• Passionate about providing an excellent service
• Friendly, outgoing personality, teamworking
• Confidence in dealing with people of all ages, abilities and backgrounds
• Self-motivated
• Enthusiastic, reliable and flexible

Position within the College

This post will sit within the Directorate of Building Services and report to the Head of Centre.

Terms & Conditions

• The post is offered on a Vision Business Support Services contract and is subject to those terms and conditions.
• The salary is VBSS Band 5, £27,998 per annum. This is a spot salary.
• You will be required to work up to 37 hours per week on a flexible basis.
• You will be entitled to 39 days’ leave in total, made up of: 27 days’ annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 4 concessionary days.
• The Company operates a Scottish Widows Group Personal Pension Plan.
• The post holder may be located at any West Nottinghamshire College Group sites and as part of the role may have to work from any of the sites when required.
• The Application

THE COLLEGE GROUP PROMOTES EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY AND WELCOMES APPLICATIONS FROM ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY.

The college group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Posts may be subject to DBS check. The successful candidate will be required to pay for the DBS check themselves; the cost will automatically be deducted from their first salary payment. This is currently £49.50

It is an offence for anyone who is barred by the ISA from working with children and or vulnerable adults to apply for this position.