Employers
Supporting and working with employers across the region
At the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group, we understand that businesses need highly skilled individuals to help them innovate and grow. That is why we offer a range of flexible training and development programmes designed to support your employees’ personal development that are tailored to meet your business needs.
From Apprenticeships in the workplace to part-time Adult courses to Higher Education programmes and Online Learning Courses, we can help you to identify and address your existing and future skills demands.
Explore this page to find out more about how we can work together to improve your workforce and the opportunities available to the local community.
The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group was formed following the merger of Selby College and Wakefield College on 1st March 2022 and the formation of Castleford College as part of the merger.
The strong geographical coherence of our campuses along the M62 corridor means that we can provide you with an apprentice from any of our Castleford, Selby and Wakefield sites.
Invest in your future
Our employer related courses/programmes:
Accountancy Courses
Courses awarded by the AAT.
Administration & Customer Service Courses
Wide range of training from short courses, to full-time, to bespoke training packages.
Apprenticeships
Looking at taking on an apprentice? Or, looking to put existing staff on an Apprenticeship scheme?
Emergency Service Contact Handling
Only available to those already working in the ‘blue light’ emergency services sector.
Human Resources Courses
Courses awarded by the CiPD.
Leadership & Management Courses
Courses awarded by ILM and CMI.
Part-time Adult Courses
Wide range of training courses from Digital Skills to industry specific courses.
University Level Courses
University Centre at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
Work Placements for Full-time Students
Our students will be your workforce of the future!
FREE Training Needs Analysis
Wakefield College is now offering a FREE Training Needs Analysis for businesses.
We can work with you to identify the skills you need to grow your business and advise as to what sort of training might be most beneficial.
In addition to the training options listed, everything we do can be customised to meet your individual needs or we can design a bespoke programme of learning and development to suit your business.
Where we can’t directly help (for instance if we don’t provide a course which you need) we will signpost you to other organisations.
If there is funding available, we can help you access it and, in many instances, complete most of the required paperwork on your behalf.
The aim of this service is to take the pain out of planning your workforce skills development and to help you navigate what can be a complex and fragmented system.
Get in Touch
For further information please contact our Employer Engagement Team on 01924 789416 or via email at employerengagement@heartofyorkshire.ac.uk.
The process:
- Call or email to arrange an appointment either face to face (socially distanced), virtually or over the phone at a time to suit you. The appointment will take no more than an hour typically 40 - 45mins.
- During this exploratory meeting we will look at:
- What the plans, goals and ambitions are for the business.
- What challenges or barriers to growth you have (including COVID-19, recruitment, skills etc.)
- How you would rate training for your sector.
- What skills needs you have currently and what you envisage needing in the future
- We can then:
- Offer training provision recommendations/options that meets your needs, helps with your growth plans or addresses challenges/barriers in the business.
- Refer you to any external organisations who may be able to help you (The Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP), West Yorkshire Consortium of Colleges, Wakefield Metropolitan Council etc) and chase up if required.
- Explain what funding is available and how we will help you to access this.
- If you want to proceed with any training with the college we will organise this internally and make any necessary funding applications on your behalf.
Finding the right level
You may have seen references to ‘levels’ of course, e.g. ‘level 2 course in maths’. These levels are based on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). All UK qualifications are given a level numbered 1 - 8, or ‘entry’.
You may be asked to have qualifications at a certain NQF ‘level’ when you apply for work or further study. You can use the table to match your qualification to its level in the National Qualifications Framework.
We do look at everyone individually and you may have different skills, interests, experiences or qualifications to offer. We will ensure that we will advise you on the best route for you.
| Level | Qualifications |
|---|---|
| Entry | Entry level courses to develop skills and increase confidence |
| Level 1 | GCSE** grade D - G, Level 1 certificates |
| Level 2 | GCSE** grade A* - C, Level 2 NVQs, Level 2 diplomas |
| Level 3 | A Levels**, Level 3 NVQs, Level 3 certificates |
| Level 4 | HNCs, Level 4 diplomas |
| Level 5 | Foundation degrees, HNDs, Level 5 diplomas |
| Level 6 | Bachelor’s degrees (e.g. BA or BSc) |
| Level 7 | Masters degrees, postgraduate certificates, postgraduate diplomas |
| Level 8 | Specialist qualifications such as PhDs (NB not currently offered at Wakefield College) |
** These qualifications are usually part of a full-time study programme for school leavers. Please see individual courses for specific entry requirements.
Business & Professional Courses
The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group has a long history of providing high quality courses for those wishing to actively improve their careers and future prospects through professional development.
Our enviable links with employers mean our courses are current and keep up to date with the rapidly changing business landscape, giving you a competitive edge in the jobs market and career progression.
As well as professional development courses in their own right, business and management are also key modules in many university-level courses, as well as Access to Higher Education programmes.
I decided to gain a qualification to safeguard my career prospects. I chose Wakefield College over various providers on recommendation and it seemed the best fit with my job role. I can’t speak too highly of my assessor.
In some fields a professional qualification is essential. The relevant professional body will set the formal route for qualification, covering examinations and assessment, competence and experience required, and standards for professional ethics.
You don’t have to wait until you are employed to benefit from the resources and knowledge base of a professional body. All of our professional courses are accredited by the appropriate professional body, ensuring that our students benefit from the high standards they instil.
Our Work with Employers at the
Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
Our work with employers across the region, and beyond, is at the heart of what we do. We’re proud of our strong partnerships which provide our students with invaluable hands-on experience and help prepare the workforce of the future. Find out how our learners benefit, and why employers choose to work with us, in our new video.
Employment Solutions
We are able to offer you a comprehensive recruitment service that will remove all of the hassle of recruiting new employees - from initial advice and guidance, to the selection of the most appropriate candidates, to work experience placements that will meet your needs.
Apprenticeships
Looking at taking on an apprentice? Or, looking to put existing staff on an Apprenticeship scheme? You’re joining one of over 130,000 workplaces that provide apprenticeship places.
Apprenticeships can help businesses across all sectors by offering a route to harness fresh new talent. UK businesses consider skills shortages and recruitment difficulties the biggest threats to performance and growth, and more than a quarter of these rate this form of vocational training higher than any other qualification.
Apprenticeships ensure that your workforce has the practical skills and qualifications your organisation needs now and in the future. The mixture of on and off job learning ensures they learn the skills that work best for your business.
Workplaces offer apprentice places because they understand the benefits that apprentices bring to their business - increased productivity, improved competitiveness and a committed and competent work-force.
Work Placements
Work Placements – Whatever the size of your organisation, Work Placements are a way to enhance your workforce with new ideas and a fresh perspective.
Students undertaking work experience are wanting the opportunity to develop their skills and are often able to bring enthusiasm and increased motivation to your workforce.
You may have tasks that you have been unable to complete due to time constraints or workloads, or require help with a project. A Work Placement could be a cost effective solution to your requirements and is a way to ‘test-run’ the possibility of the student becoming your apprentice or future employee.
If you would like to discuss your requirements then please phone our Employer Engagement Team on 01924 789761.
The Kickstart Scheme launching in November will provide funding to employers to create new 6-month job placements for young people who are currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.
Funding is available for:
- 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
- associated employer National Insurance contributions
- employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions
There is also £1500 per job placement available for setup costs, support and training.
Pre-employment
In collaboration with the local Job Centres we provide sector specific training programmes, tailored to your organisational needs for local unemployed people looking to work within your industry.
Using our own facilities, we work with the candidates to help build their confidence and develop their skills and knowledge needed to work within your organisation. On completion of the programme candidates, will know exactly what the job entails and be ready to be interviewed for your vacancy.
Once you find a suitable candidate, we can then help you with further training within the job role i.e. NVQ’s, professional training and apprenticeships.
Below is a summary of the main benefits of pre-employment training;
- Use of Wakefield Colleges Facilities
- Sector Specific
- Training tailored to your requirements
- Candidates fully aware of what it means to work for your organisation
- Costs associated with recruitment reduced
If you would like to discuss your requirements then please phone our Employer Engagement Team on 01924 789416.
We’ve worked with the following companies
Engage
The Business Bulletin from the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
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