An exciting opportunity has arisen at Oaklands College for an Industry Placement & Work Experience Officer to connect students with meaningful, real-world learning experiences that transform their employment prospects. Our Careers, Work Experience & Industry Placements department is one of only two departments college-wide to have achieved Outstanding status — and we are looking for someone exceptional to help us sustain and build on that standard.

In this position, you will manage a caseload of students across designated curriculum areas, building and maintaining a portfolio of employer partnerships to source meaningful placements for T Level and study programme students. You will deliver student briefings, carry out workplace visits, and ensure that every placement meets the College’s health and safety, safeguarding, and quality standards. You will also be responsible for maintaining accurate records on our placement management system (Grofar), contributing to Gatsby Benchmark delivery, and supporting students — including those with SEND and EHCPs — to access and complete placements successfully across our three campuses in St Albans, Welwyn Garden City, and Borehamwood. The ideal candidate will have demonstrable experience of working with young people aged 16–19 and a track record of building strong relationships with employers, clients, or external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

1. Employer Engagement & Partnership Development

· Build and manage a network of high-quality employer partnerships to secure industry placement and work experience opportunities across all curriculum areas.

· Develop creative and effective processes to identify, establish, and maintain relationships with employers and other placement providers, increasing the number and diversity of organisations working with the College.

· Collaborate with the Business Development team to plan and deliver employer engagement events, including careers fairs, advisory boards, and employer-in-curriculum activities.

· Identify opportunities for employers to influence the curriculum through formal feedback, questionnaires, forums, and project-based activities — including project-based placement models.

· Promote the College’s wider portfolio of products and services to employers, including apprenticeships, training, and other partnership opportunities.

· Ensure all employer partnerships comply with the College’s legal, health and safety, safeguarding, and statutory requirements, including DBS checks and professional licence-to-practice requirements where applicable.

· Maintain a broad, up-to-date knowledge of employer engagement opportunities across all sectors served by the College’s 21 curriculum areas.

2. Student Support & Placement Management

· Manage an assigned caseload of students, sourcing and tracking meaningful and relevant industry placement and work experience opportunities that meet curriculum requirements and College targets.

· Work with students to discuss their ambitions, strengths, and areas for development, tailoring placements to meet individual needs — including students with SEND, EHCPs, or other barriers to engagement.

· Deliver preparation sessions, workshops, and resources to ensure students are workplace-ready, including induction to placement activity, health and safety briefings, and safeguarding awareness.

· Identify and agree placement targets and outcomes with students and employers, monitoring progress throughout.

· Carry out site visits to employer premises to monitor student progress, quality-assure placements, and maintain strong relationships with placement supervisors.

· Monitor student attendance on placement and follow up promptly with students and employers where concerns arise.

· Support students in reflecting meaningfully on their skills, experiences, and future choices, contributing to CEIAG strategy and the College’s Gatsby Benchmark delivery, particularly Benchmarks 5 (Encounters with Employers) and 6 (Experiences of the Workplace).

· Liaise with appropriate student support services — including Learning Support, Learning Mentors, and Careers Advisers — and relevant external agencies where required.

3. Compliance, Safeguarding & Health and Safety

· Conduct workplace risk assessments and health and safety checks for all placement providers in accordance with college policy prior to student placement.

· Ensure all employers hold current Employers’ Liability Insurance and have appropriate safeguarding arrangements in place, including awareness of their responsibilities under KCSIE.

· Maintain up-to-date knowledge of KCSIE requirements and apply updates to practice promptly, including ensuring employers are fully aware of their safeguarding responsibilities to students on placement.

· Ensure all placement agreements, student consent forms, and employer documentation are completed and stored correctly, audit-ready at all times.

· Ensure compliance with T Level statutory requirements for industry placements, including minimum hours thresholds and awarding body standards.

· Identify and escalate safeguarding concerns in line with the College’s designated safeguarding procedures.

4. Data Management & Quality Assurance

· Utilise College tracking systems, including Grofar, to ensure timely and accurate completion of all essential processes: workplace assessments, attendance monitoring, employer checks, and student progress records.

· Ensure all placements meet awarding body, funding, and Ofsted requirements, maintaining accurate and audit-ready documentation at all times.

· Prepare reports and present data in appropriate formats for internal and external meetings, including performance dashboards and Governors’ reports.

· Gather consistent feedback from students, employers, and curriculum teams to drive continuous improvement in placement quality and the student experience.

· Capture case studies, testimonials, and student destinations as evidence of positive impact, and make effective use of social media, displays, and presentations to promote the service.

5. Quality, CPD & Improvement

· Offer CPD support and guidance to employers supervising students on industry placement, acting as the primary point of contact for queries.

· Contribute to the department’s Quality Improvement Plan and Self-Assessment Review, providing evidence of impact against agreed KPIs.

· Stay current with T Level policy, DfE guidance on industry placements, and relevant safeguarding legislation including KCSIE, applying updates to practice promptly.

Additional information

· Operate across all three college campuses (St Albans, Welwyn Garden City, and Borehamwood) as required by designated caseload; a driving licence and access to a vehicle is strongly advantageous.

· Promote and support equality of opportunity in all aspects of the post, undertaking training where necessary in accordance with the College’s equal opportunities policy.

· Participate in relevant promotional and marketing events, promoting a positive image of the College in all contact with students, employers, and professional bodies.

· Adhere to and comply with the College’s financial regulations and data protection obligations.

· Carry out any other reasonably comparable duties that may be required from time to time, including additional duties at enrolment periods.

· All relevant safeguarding training will be provided. The postholder must adhere to the requirements of KCSIE and the College’s safeguarding policy at all times, including ensuring employers are fully aware of their responsibilities to safeguard students on placement.

Is This You?

Qualifications

· A minimum GCSE English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above, or equivalent Level 2 qualification.

· Level 3 qualification or above (A Level, BTEC, NVQ or equivalent); degree or professional qualification in a relevant field (e.g. business, education, HR) is desirable.

· IAG qualification (e.g. Level 3 Award in IAG) or willingness to work towards one.

· Completion of, or willingness to complete, safeguarding / child protection training at Level 1 or above.

Experience

· Demonstrable experience of working with young people aged 16–19 in an educational, youth work, training, or employer engagement setting.

· Experience of employer engagement, business development, account management, or working with external clients and stakeholders.

· Demonstrated ability to plan and co-ordinate multiple activities simultaneously, managing competing priorities to deadlines.

· Experience of working in an education, training, or youth support environment.

· Direct experience of co-ordinating, brokering, or managing work placements, industry placements, or apprenticeships.

· Experience using student tracking or placement management systems (e.g. Grofar or equivalent).

· Experience of T Level industry placements or knowledge of DfE placement requirements.

Skills & Knowledge

· Excellent organisational and time management skills, with the ability to manage a student caseload across multiple campuses.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills for varied audiences: students, employers, curriculum staff, and senior leaders.

· Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and comfortable adopting digital systems.

· Ability to analyse and present data clearly for reporting, quality improvement, and inspection purposes.

· Understanding of safeguarding responsibilities in an educational context, including KCSIE requirements as they relate to employer and placement management.

· Understanding of the additional support needs of students with SEND or EHCPs, and how to adapt placement approaches accordingly.

· Understanding of Gatsby Benchmarks and the CEIAG framework in FE, particularly Benchmarks 5 and 6.

· Understanding of T Level qualifications and the DfE statutory requirements for industry placements.

Personal Attributes

· Outstanding relationship-building and networking ability with employers, students, and colleagues.

· Resilient and effective under pressure, with strong problem-solving capabilities when placements or student circumstances change.

· Flexible approach to working hours and locations, including travel across three campuses and occasional evenings for employer events. Driving licence and access to a vehicle is strongly advantageous.

· Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a wider team across multiple sites.

· Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people in line with KCSIE; committed to student welfare and equal opportunities.

· Proactive, self-motivated, and comfortable taking initiative to identify new employer opportunities and improve processes.

Your Future Starts at Oaklands

At Oaklands College, we value our staff and are committed to your wellbeing and development. When you join us, you become part of a vibrant and forward-thinking team that supports innovation, creativity, and learner-centred teaching.

Here’s what you can look forward to:

• Generous holiday allowance – 30 days plus bank holidays.

• Local Government Pension Scheme with excellent employer contributions.

• Ongoing CPD and free access to Adult Community Learning courses.

• Free onsite permit parking.

• Onsite gym at St Albans Campus and wellness treatments at discounted rates.

• Cycle to Work Scheme and discounted travel through UNO Bus Scheme.

• Eye care vouchers and employee assistance programme.

• Mental health and wellbeing support, including peer supporters.

• Staff development days and annual awards celebrating your achievements.

Oaklands College is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and we actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and stakeholders to share this commitment.

We review applications on a rolling basis and may close this advert early if we receive high interest. Don’t miss your opportunity to join a college that’s shaping futures and transforming lives.

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