Work Placement Officer

onlyFE; Southampton; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

Enhanced employer pension contribution

Regular training and development

Job summary

South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is seeking a motivated Work Placement Officer to join our team. You will coordinate and monitor high-quality work placements across College sites, acting as a vital link between learners, curriculum teams and employers to support progression and employability.

Working across our college sites, you will build strong employer relationships, manage placement opportunities and ensure compliance with education requirements.

Qualifications

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain relationships with employers to secure placements.
• Support learners in finding and preparing for placement opportunities.
• Coordinate interviews and placement opportunities with curriculum teams.
• Promote employer involvement through events and industry projects.
• Monitor and report on placement progress and compliance.
• Maintain accurate records of employer engagement and placement activity.

Skills

Communication skills

Relationship-building

Employer engagement experience

Time management

Organisational skills

MS Office / databases

Team player / independence

Tools

Microsoft Office

Database systems

Job description

Care to Join Us?

South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Work Placement Officer to join our team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in helping students develop the skills, confidence and experience needed to succeed in their chosen careers.

Working across our college sites, you will build strong relationships with employers, support learners throughout their placement journey, and ensure high-quality work placement opportunities are available across a range of curriculum areas.

About The Role

As a Work Placement Officer, you will coordinate, secure and monitor high-quality work placements across the College Group, acting as a vital link between learners, curriculum teams and employers. You will support learner progression through effective employer engagement, employability support, placement administration and compliance monitoring, ensuring all placements meet college and Department for Education requirements. This role offers the opportunity to make a tangible impact on students' futures by helping them gain valuable workplace experience and develop the skills employers are looking for.

We offer great benefits including;

• Generous annual leave
• Enhanced employer pension contribution
• Regular training and development

Duties

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with employers to secure high-quality work placement opportunities.
• Support learners in finding and preparing for placement opportunities.
• Coordinate interviews and placement opportunities where required.
• Work collaboratively with curriculum teams, Apprenticeship teams and employers to support learner progression.
• Promote employer involvement through guest speakers, industry projects, recruitment events and enrichment activities.
• Attend networking and employer engagement events to develop new partnerships.
• Support the growth of apprenticeship opportunities through employer engagement activities.

Student Support & Employability

• Deliver employability workshops, presentations and placement briefings to students.
• Support learners in developing workplace skills and preparing for employment.
• Monitor learner progress throughout placements and provide guidance where required.
• Record and track T Level and Industry Placement progress reviews.
• Work with curriculum teams to support students who may need additional preparation before entering the workplace.

Compliance, Safeguarding & Health & Safety

• Maintain employer compliance documentation, including Health & Safety and Employer Liability Insurance records.
• Conduct risk assessments, compliance checks and site visits where required.
• Ensure placements meet safeguarding, health and safety and legislative requirements.
• Support employers and students with placement onboarding and workplace expectations.
• Monitor placement attendance and address concerns in partnership with curriculum teams.

Data & Reporting

• Maintain accurate records of employer engagement and placement activity.
• Track and monitor placement progress using college systems.
• Produce reports and updates to support compliance and performance monitoring.
• Gather employer and learner feedback to support continuous improvement.

Experience

We are looking for someone who:

• Has excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Is passionate about supporting young people to achieve their career goals.
• Has experience working with employers, customers, stakeholders or external partners.
• Can manage multiple priorities and work effectively to deadlines.
• Has strong organisational and administrative skills.
• Is confident using Microsoft Office and database systems.
• Can work independently whilst also contributing as part of a wider team.

Experience within education, employability, apprenticeships, recruitment, careers guidance, customer engagement or work-based learning would be advantageous

About Us

The South Hampshire College Group (SHCG) is a dynamic, purpose driven Further Education organisation with a commitment to Creating Better Futures for learners, employers andcommunities within SouthHampshire and beyond. We pride ourselves on living our values - Collaborative, Inclusive and Aspirational. We also understand the difference exceptional employees can make to us delivering outstanding results and we are always seeking to attract talent who can add value and who will be proud to be part of our growing organisation. South Hampshire College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our recruitment practices follow safer recruitment guidance, including enhanced DBS checks, online checks, and thorough pre‑employment vetting. We value equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging, and welcome applications from all backgrounds.