A Guide to Employer Services and Opportunities with The Bedford College Group
“We can help you retain and upskill your existing teams or hire and develop new talent.“
Welcome
The Bedford College Group has a vested interest in the local employment landscape because we need to ensure the people we educate have jobs to go to when they leave us.
As the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 18,000 students passing through our doors each year, we work with hundreds of employers across the region, creating positive collaborations which benefit both local businesses and the wider community.
With decades of experience and a growing geographical area encompassing Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, we have the expertise and infrastructure to meet all your training needs.
From apprentices to bespoke training, we can help you hire and develop new talent or retain and upskill your existing teams. Share your challenges with us and we can find a solution to help.
Partnerships & collaboration
The relationships built between business and education are vital. By working with employers and understanding your challenges, we can ensure that we are offering the right courses to meet local needs and address any skills gaps in the market.
We want to bring employers and the curriculum together, so that The Bedford College Group can become the first choice for local employers’ training needs. By keeping your training within the local community everyone benefits and contributes to the corporate sustainability of the region. We want Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to be a strong and vibrant local economy, with the right people with the right skills in the right jobs.
So, if any of the following apply to you:
• No time or internal expertise to provide CPD for your existing staff
• Staff retention problems due to lack of personal development opportunities
• A retiring workforce of skilled labour that you need to future-proof with new talent
• Gaps in your workforce that could be filled with an apprentice then get in touch with the Partnerships Team to see how we can help you.
Partner with us and join our Employer Partnership Scheme
The scheme is a mutually beneficial initiative designed to join the dots between education and industry. We are asking employers to make a commitment to engage with the college regularly throughout the academic year, creating a foundation for sustained collaboration, innovation, and growth that benefits both The Bedford College Group, our employer partners and the local community.
What level of engagement is expected?
The level of engagement is unique to each employer. Opportunities could be (but are not limited to):
• Attending industry advisory boards
• Sponsoring a branded classroom
• Delivering talks and industry masterclasses to students
• Participating in events
• Offering site tours
• Endorsing courses
• Providing apprenticeships, supported internships, T level or work placements
• Providing opportunities for teachers to upskill within industry
What are the benefits for employers?
• You will get direct access to our pipeline of learners to help with your recruitment needs
• You can influence our curriculum to ensure our colleges are meeting your skills needs
• You can benefit from brand visibility and positive PR within the local community through news stories, social media coverage and your logo on our Employer Partner Walls
• You can fulfil your corporate social responsibility agenda
What are the benefits for students?
• Face-to-face access to employers
• Real-life experience in the industry they are learning about
• Industry insights and networking opportunities
• Enhanced employability and experience for their CV
What are the benefits for the college?
• An enriched curriculum that meets local skills needs
• Improved student outcomes for both grades and routes to employment
• Stronger community relationships
To find out more or to join the scheme please email: partnerships@bedford.ac.uk
Participating in Employer Advisory boards
The Bedford College Group regularly hosts Industry Employer Forums/Advisory Boards where we discuss the future workforce and local economy with local employers. Industry and education go hand in hand and we believe it is our responsibility to have frank and open discussions with industry representatives on topics such as:
• What are your goals as an employer and how can we support you to achieve these?
• What industry-relevant skills do you feel are lacking in today’s workforce?
• Our future plans and how you can get involved
• How our current and future students and apprentices can support your workforce
These forums also provide an opportunity for you to meet and network with other like-minded businesses. If you would like to join other forwardthinking employers at one of our future Forum events, please do get in touch – we would love to hear from you.
Guest Speaking
Guest speakers are an important and fun part of our students’ lessons. Many of them often comment on how interesting and useful they find these sessions. Some students may stay in contact with guest speakers, benefitting from other opportunities such as work experience or even an apprenticeship.
We bring industry representatives into the classroom so we can help our students connect theory with practice. It is inspiring for our students to hear from those already working in the sector they are interested in and can give them motivation and ambition to succeed with their qualifications.
If you agree to talk to our students, you can talk about your own company’s experiences and achievements, as well as the wider industry, thereby promoting your business at the same time as honing your public speaking skills!
Speaking opportunities are always available, either in person or virtually, so do get in touch if this is of interest.
“We bring industry representatives, into the classroom so we can help our students connect theory with practice.“
Teaching industry-specific specialist modules
In order to support employers and create a highly skilled workforce of the future, we need technical teachers to influence and inspire our students.
Would you consider becoming a guest lecturer for our students? This dual role can fit alongside your existing work commitments in industry, whilst you deliver modules of learning to provide our students with up-to-date industry processes and practices. These flexible roles are paid at an hourly rate. We will provide all the training you need to guest lecture, as well as further training to work towards accredited teaching qualifications if you desire.
If this sounds like something that might be of interest then please get in touch and we can provide you with more details.
Making equipment donations
We are always looking to expand and upgrade our industry equipment so if you would like to make a donation to one of our campuses these can always be put to good use by our learners.
Providing CPD opportunities for our college staff
As well as training our students to become the workforce of the future, we also have an obligation to our teaching staff to ensure they are given opportunities to refresh and broaden their own industry knowledge. We want to ensure our staff are at the cutting-edge of their industries and so opportunities to work with local employers are invaluable.
Professional training & development
By focusing on the skills of your team members you can help your business to grow and stand out from the crowd.
The Bedford College Group can deliver a wide range of training approaches including in-person, online and distance learning. If you would like to create a bespoke training session for your team, we can work with you to meet your business needs. And if there are courses we don’t currently offer that you would like to see provided, then let us know – we want to provide the training that your employees need.
“The Bedford College Group have the expertise and the infrastructure to meet all your training and professional development needs“
Let us help upskill you and your staff with the following courses:
Human skills training
Human skills are the personal and interpersonal skills that support your business and keep it running smoothly, such as leadership, communication and time-management. These skills often help with internal relationships and wellbeing and are just as important as technical and job-specific skills.
Industry accredited courses
Many of our courses are accredited by the UK’s leading national industry training bodies. Some of our notable partners include:
• Association for Accounting Technicians (AAT)
• Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)
• Chartered Management Institute (CMI)
• Cisco Networking Academy (IT skills)
• Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS)
• Counselling & Psychotherapy Central Awarding Body (CPCAB)
• Institute of Motor Vehicle Industry (IMI)
• Lantra (land based training & qualifications)
• Microsoft professional courses
• Royal Horticultural Society (RHS)
Industry regulation/compliance
We offer IOSH and NEBOSH Health & Safety courses as well as Electrical, Gas, Plumbing, Chainsaw and Pesticide compliance training.
Distance learning courses
Distance learning provides employees with a flexible way of completing professional development. Your employees can study from home with specialist support from our tutors throughout the programme. We offer a range of interesting subjects such as Business, Care, Equity & Diversity, Health & Nutrition, Safeguarding and Sustainability. All our Level 2 Distance Learning are FREE of charge, providing the course is completed.
Part-time evening courses
Our part-time courses enable your staff to continue working whilst enhancing their current skillset, pursuing an interest or passion in more depth, or making the jump to learn something new.
The skills of your employees represent one of the most important elements of your business. Our range of qualifications will allow your staff to increase their skills, knowledge and self-awareness – creating a thriving culture of employer investment and employee empowerment.
We offer excellent training facilities and a team of highly-qualified tutors to support you to achieve your business goals. We deliver a variety of professional development courses in a wide range of industries - our professional programmes in Accounting, Business & Management, Construction and Engineering are all well respected by local businesses and highly sought after by employers.
Higher Technical Qualifications (HTQs)
We offer a range of full-time and part-time degree-level courses including HNCs, HNDs, Foundation degrees and full Bachelor degrees (validated by local universities). These courses can be completed from as little as eight hours per week and offer a flexible way to achieve a university qualification incorporating online and blended learning approaches. We have smaller class sizes than universities and industry-standard facilities.
Are you opening a new site or need an increase in your staffing capacity?
We can help you by setting up a Sector-Based Work Academy Programme (SWAP)
We work in partnership with employers and Job Centre Plus to design flexible, fully-funded training programmes. Candidates are identified by Job Centre Plus, undertake the training programme and employers provide information regarding their organisations vacancies and then interview all candidates. This is a free of charge service and employers will be supported by their own project lead at the college. Once appointed we can also design training packages to continue training the new recruits.
Speak to our team to see how we can contribute to the continued development of your workforce. We can deliver various different training approaches available during the day and evening, virtually or at your workplace.
Apprenticeships
What is an apprenticeship?
Apprenticeships are training programmes that work for your business. They are designed to develop the practical skills of your employees through on-the-job experience and training, combined with off-the-job learning and nationally recognised qualifications, providing a range of business benefits.
Why work with The Bedford College Group?
Since merging with Central Bedfordshire College in 2023, The Bedford College Group is the 7th largest education provider in England and the largest apprenticeship provider in the area. We work with over 1,500 employers from SMEs to international companies in a wide variety of industries from Automotive and Care, Agriculture to IT, with particularly strong links in Engineering and Construction.
Apprenticeship funding
Levy Employers: Levy paying employers will pay 100% of the agreed amount of the apprenticeship standard funding band. This amount will be deducted from their levy via their apprenticeship service account on a payment schedule.
Non-Levy Employers: As a non-levy employer you pay just 5% towards the cost of the apprenticeship, with the Government cocontributing 95% of the apprenticeship standard funding band.
If you employ fewer than 50 employees, the government will pay 100% of the apprenticeship training costs up to the funding band maximum for apprentices aged: 16 to 18
19 to 24 for apprentices with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) provided by their local authority or who have been in the care of their local authority.
For all apprenticeship enquiries please contact Business Development
training@bedford.ac.uk 01234 291747
bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk
Incentive information and benefits
Incentive:
AGE Grant £1,000 is available for all employers who hire an apprentice:
Aged 16 to 18 years old
Aged 19 to 24 with an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP) or who has been in the care of their local authority.
When you’ll get paid:
The payments will be issued in two equal instalments for each apprentice.
To be eligible, your apprentice must complete: 90 days of their apprenticeship for your first payment.
365 days of their apprenticeship for your second payment.
Hiring an apprentice offers your organisation a host of benefits by:
• Providing new, motivated talent
• Nurturing and training to meet the needs of your business
• Expanding and upskilling your workforce
• Creating employee longevity – many apprentices stay with their employers to build on the skills they learn during their apprenticeship
I have an apprentice I would like to enrol
If you have an apprentice you would like to enrol onto an apprenticeship, you will need to contact our Business Development team who will discuss the apprenticeship in further detail and explain the next steps.
We will contact your apprentice to discuss their apprenticeship and complete a pre enrolment meeting with a member of our Apprenticeship Recruitment Team.
You and your apprentice will be invited in for an induction to complete the enrolment and meet your apprentice’s designated Training Coordinator.
I am looking for an apprentice
If you are an employer looking to recruit an apprentice you will need to contact our Business Development team who will discuss the apprenticeship options with you and review your vacancy to identify a suitable apprenticeship standard.
Your vacancy will then be picked up and handled by our Apprenticeship Recruitment Team, who will review the vacancy, advertise and manage the applications.
The suitable applicants will be sent to you, for you to shortlist for interview / assessment.
Once you have selected your apprentice, you will agree a start date with them and we will progress the enrolment.
You and your apprentice will be invited in for an induction to complete the enrolment and meet your apprentice’s designated Training Coordinator.
T Levels & work placements
By offering students practical ‘real world’ opportunities during their learning journey, we encourage their development, ensuring they leave us well-prepared with the skills necessary to meet the demands of the future workforce.
“Placements are an excellent way for you and your team to share your experience and meet potential candidates for future roles.“
Offering study programme work placements
Each of our full-time students follows a tailored study programme which includes their professional qualification, English and maths (if required), personal development skills and work experience.
Work experience is really important as it gives our students real-life experience in the industry they are learning about and enhances their CV, prepares them for employment and gives them valuable networking opportunities for the future.
We rely on employers to provide placements for our students.
• Placements are scheduled as part of a student’s study programme. They may be completed as a block – i.e. a one-week placement – or over a longer period of time, attending on a weekly basis. Our placement coordinators work with employers to agree these arrangements.
• By matching a student’s course to a relevant local business or industry we ensure we are adding value to both parties.
• Placements are an excellent way for you and your team to share your experience and meet potential candidates for future roles.
Offering T Level work placements
T Levels are a two-year qualification, introduced in 2021, for 16-19 year olds who want to learn vocational skills and gain industry experience, which have been designed with employers’ input to ensure young people are learning the skills required by industry. T Level delivery includes the following elements:
• Technical knowledge and skills specific to the chosen industry or occupation
• Relevant maths, English and digital skills
• An industry placement of at least 45 days to develop practical and technical skills
The industry placement is a large part of a T Level qualification and we offer participating employers full support with every aspect, from paperwork to planning and designing the placement to fit the needs of the individual students, whilst also fulfilling your business requirements.
We would love to hear from you if you can offer a placement for one or more of our students
But if you don’t feel able to commit to offering a placement, maybe you could help in one of the following ways:
• Student visits – many of our study programmes incudes trips to local businesses and organisations – could you accommodate a group for a few hours?
• Setting real world projects for studentscould you set a real-world assignment for our students to complete? For example our Graphic Design students have helped many local businesses with branding activities over the years.
• Careers Events – could you give a talk to our students or have a stand at a future careers event?
• Sponsoring college events
Our large following and wide customer base across the South East Midlands makes us the perfect platform through which to promote your brand whilst actively supporting upcoming talent. We have numerous sponsorship opportunities in the following areas, all of which can be tailored to your individual requirements:
• Annual achievement ceremony
• Naming rights for facilities
• College and community events
• Signage
Let us know if you would like more information on any of the above, or to have a conversation about other bespoke opportunities.
Campus Locations
The Bedford College Group consists of a family of five colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, including:
Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit.
The Group also includes two dedicated Sixth Form colleges in Bedford and Corby. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.
“We want to bring employers and curriculum together so that The Bedford College Group can become the first choice for local employers’ training needs.”
Contact us
For apprenticeships please contact the Business Development team on:
training@bedford.ac.uk 01234 291747
For all other enquiries please contact: partnerships@bedford.ac.uk 01234 291250
For full details of all full-time and part-time courses available please visit our website at bedfordcollegegroup.ac.uk/courseswe-offer/
“Help shape the region’s future workforce and curriculum.“
