Employer Partnerships
At Manchester Adult Education, we understand the importance of building strong partnerships with employers. We believe that this type of collaboration can help to bridge skills gaps, create thriving workforces and support the residents of Manchester get into employment.
Our courses help learners to develop their potential and with the support of local employers and organisations, we can ensure that our learners develop the right skills, knowledge and behaviours to access employment opportunities across the city.
Why get involved?
By becoming an employer partner of Manchester Adult Education, you’ll get the chance to work with adult learners throughout the service. You will benefit from finding local recruits, getting the opportunity to shape employability skills, having the ability to pass on your enthusiasm for the sector, develop the workforce of the future, support and raise individuals’ aspirations, and influence teaching.
It’s also a chance to get involved in the community and raise your civic profile.
When asked about their experience of working with us, PwC (Price Waterhouse Cooper) said:
The Manchester Adult Education workshops have proven to us that there is a great pool of talent in Manchester that currently remains untapped. Specifically, with the help of Manchester Adult Education, we have been able to access talented adults who are not yet working in roles commensurate with their capabilities.
What can I do as an employer?
There are several ways as an employer partner that you can get involved and use your expertise to help support our learners progress in their current career, explore other careers, develop employability skills and knowledge, secure employment, or support alternative pathways.
The commitment and time needed will vary depending on the offer of support, but we always strongly recommend advance planning.
Recruitment events: If you have vacancies to fill and are looking to diversify your workforce, we can help by promoting your event at one of our centres or online. We can also deliver bespoke ‘support to apply’ activities to help to prepare candidates for recruitment processes.
Mock interviews/CV workshops: By delivering mock interviews and offering CV workshops, you can help to provide our learners with the opportunity to build their confidence and prepare for recruitment processes. These can be offered individually or as part of a group activity.
Insight visits: Insight visits are short visits to the workplace to find out more about an organisation or specific job role. By offering this type of employer support, you can help to motivate our learners and meet future talent.
Mentor our learners: Our learners are looking for work across a wide variety of sectors, so it’s extremely helpful to speak with a professional in their chosen sector to gain a better understanding of routes to employment and receive some useful actions to follow – this could be you!
National Careers Week: This is a one-week celebration of careers guidance, held annually in early March in which we offer and promote career related activities. It’s a fantastic opportunity for our employer partners to get involved so that you can promote your sector and inspire our learners to explore career pathways.
Work experience: Work experience is a fantastic way for our learners to develop employability skills and knowledge, build workplace confidence, and network in their sector of interest. You could offer work experience that lasts anywhere from two days to one week.
Industry work placements: Learners on our vocational courses are required to undertake an industry work placement as part of their studies and provide learners with the opportunity to put theory into practice. If you offer an industry work placement as part of your partnership, you will be supported by our Vocational Team to ensure everything runs smoothly to develop learners’ professional skills and meet employer needs.
How can I get involved?
If your organisation would like to get involved in any of the ways mentioned above or have any questions about what a partnership with Manchester Adult Education could look like, please contact Emma Langlois, our Curriculum Manager for Preparation for Work.
