Connecting Education and Industry at Chelmsford College Stakeholder Event

Chelmsford College works with over 300 employers and stakeholders to ensure its learners gain the best opportunities and develop the skills and knowledge that industries are actually looking for. This collaboration takes place across all departments, with staff listening to stakeholder feedback and integrating it into the curriculum. An important part of this ongoing work includes hosting Stakeholder Engagement Events, and the Creative Industries department kicked off this year’s with a Digital and Media Stakeholder Engagement Event on the 14th October.

One of the College’s key partners, Sharp UK, was there and represented by Simon Warnes, who delivered a detailed presentation about their partnership with Chelmsford College, particularly for the area of IT. Simon spoke about the mutual benefits of the collaboration, inspiring other employers in attendance to consider building similar partnerships. Jethro Picton from Essex County Council then spoke, sharing examples of the high-quality work Chelmsford College learners have produced for the Council in previous projects.

Next, Lisa Houghton, Head of Department for Creative Arts, Business and Digital Industries, provided an overview of the current curriculum, followed by Maddie Hamilton, Business Development Executive and Account Manager for IT Apprenticeships. Maddie outlined the IT apprenticeship opportunities available and explained how employers can benefit from engaging with them. To conclude the presentations, Jaiya Beavis, Stakeholder Engagement Advisor, explained how T Levels work at Chelmsford College and encouraged employers to consider supporting learners through industry placements.

After the presentations, employers took part in networking and table discussions, offering valuable feedback and ideas for improvement, as well as highlighting areas that are already working well. Key topics discussed included soft skills, the impact of AI, developing cultural capital in the city and how animation will adapt alongside new technologies.

Chelmsford College would like to thank all those who attended, as well as its staff including Jaiya Beavis, who helped ensure the event was a success. The College looks forward to reviewing the insights and using them to inform future curriculum development and learner opportunities.

If you’re an employer interested in working with Chelmsford College, please visit our Employer page.