AIM AND PURPOSE OF THE JOB

Under the direction of the departments’ Leaders/Managers, to plan, secure, monitor and evaluate suitable work placements and volunteering opportunities for students on full-time programmes for an identified caseload of students. To engage with and visit local businesses and employers to source and secure placement opportunities and foster continued working relationships. To secure relevant guest speaker visits to college throughout the academic year and support planning/organisation of employer related events, trips or visits.

To work with the CRQ Manager responsible for work experience to ensure you meet college KPI targets, termly student placements targets, promote good news stories and experiences of learners. Work closely with the Business Skills and Engagement Lead, Personal Tutors and Careers team to engage learners and support them to achieve. To meet the needs of the Careers Strategy and Gatsby benchmarks.

KEY ROLES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Liaise with local employers in order to secure suitable work placement companies, ‘supported projects’ and engage potential guest speakers.
- Visit potential placements in order to ascertain their suitability and to obtain relevant information/documentation.
- Conduct HASPS, risk assessments where necessary or obtain copies of relevant risk assessments and Insurance documentation from employers.
- Liaise with employers on student’s development of employability skills via their work experience placement and increase learners’ encounters with employers over and above work placement.
- Visit students on placement to check and record progress, skills assessment and provide support.
- Work in partnership with Personal Tutors and Leaders/Directors to ensure students are well prepared for, and well supported during their work experience placement, adapting resources as required.
- Ensure Personal Tutors are aware of student progress during work experience placements.
- To liaise with the Careers Team and Personal Tutors to ensure learners are work ready and equipped with job search, CV and interview skills.
- To contribute to the self-assessment and improvement plans for work experience as part of the College’s quality processes.
- To keep accurate records of individual and group progress enabling timely completion of relevant targets.
- To contribute to the colleges (published) careers programme and support the cross-college careers strategy and Gatsby benchmarks.
- To attend specific meetings for work experience/careers as applicable during the academic year.
GENERAL ACCOUNTABILITIES
- To commit to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
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- To continually improve teaching, learning and assessment through proactive CPD and sharing best practice.
- To actively participate in the College’s Quality System, including quality improvement strategies and initiatives.
- To undertake such other duties as may be assigned commensurate with the grade and purpose of the post.
- To take reasonable care for the health and safety of him/her and for others affected by his/her work.
- To actively support College Safeguarding, Equality and Diversity policies.
- To operate/conduct all HR tasks and functions within the principles of GDPR.
- CONDITIONS OF SERVICE
- The appointment is subject to the Conditions of Service for Business Support Staff.
- All successful applicants will undergo the following checks:
- - Enhanced DBS
  - 2 x References, one of which must be your current or most recent employer
  - Qualification validation check
- SALARY
- You will be paid an hourly rate for every hour of work which you are required to work.
- HOURS OF WORK
- The hours of work will be based on 18 hours per week for 34 weeks per year during term time only.
- ANNUAL LEAVE
- As this is a term time only appointment you will receive a payment in lieu of holiday, which is in addition to your salary. You will also be paid for any Statutory Bank Holidays and concessionary days which fall within your working week.
- PENSION SCHEME
- The College operates an occupational pension scheme, namely the ‘Local Government Pension Scheme’.
- PROBATIONARY PERIOD
- All newly appointed staff must serve a 4-month probationary period. During the probationary period you will have to complete the corporate staff induction, a Teaching and Learning Induction session if you deliver learning and additional mandatory courses on: Equality & Diversity session, Keeping Children safe in Education, Safeguarding Training session, Prevent, GDPR, Cyber Security and Health & Safety training session. Failure to complete these will prevent you from successfully completing your probation.
- FIRST AID & FIRE MARSHALL
- As defined in the person specification of the , those staff with these responsibilities are required to undertake first aid and or fire marshal duties across the College, when called upon to do so. Staff must ensure they are up to date with the relevant training.
- REFERENCES
- Please note that without 2 satisfactory references being received before the end of the probationary period, new staff will not be able to successfully pass their probationary.
- LOCATION
- The successful applicant will be based at our Worcester campus but may be required to work at other locations from time to time.
- VALIDATION OF QUALIFICATIONS
- The College will undertake qualification validation by writing to the appropriate educational institute. Only those qualifications which are essential for the post will be followed up.
- CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN A QUALIFICATION
- If you are required to obtain a qualification as a contractual requirement, the College reviews its CPD budget on an annual basis regarding availability of funds and cannot therefore guarantee that newly appointed staff will receive either part or full funding for the course fees. However, student loan facilities are available.
- MATHS AND ENGLISH
- All staff are required to have a minimum level 2 qualification in both English and Maths. If you are not already in receipt of one or both of these qualifications, you will be expected to obtain it (them) during your employment at the College.
- SAFEGUARDING
- The College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
- All newly appointed staff will be required to undertake safeguarding training following their appointment.
- Heart of Worcestershire College adheres to the Department of Education’s guidance on ‘Keeping children safe in Education’. As part of your induction, you will be required to read and understand part 1 of this document.
- ONLINE CHECKS
- Candidates shortlisted for interview and then subsequently become successful in the recruitment process and prior to a formal offer of employment being made will be subject to online checks being carried out by a neutral party not directly involved in the recruitment process. Consent for these checks was requested at application stage.
- DISCLOSURE & BARRING CHECK
- All successful applicants will be required to complete and pay for a Disclosure & Barring Service check. The costs of this check will be deducted from the applicants first salary payment from the College. The College adheres to the DBS Code of Practice and has policies covering the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders and the Secure Storage, Handling, Use, Retention and Disposal of Disclosures and Disclosure Information. Copies of these are available on request.
- RECRUITMENT OF EX-OFFENDERS
- The College is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, potential staff or users of its services, regardless of race, gender religion, sexual orientation, responsibilities for dependants, age, physical/mental disability or offending background.
- As an organisation we use the Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) to assess the suitability of all prospective appointments. We undertake not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of conviction or other information revealed.
- Applicant/employees are required to declare any unspent conditional cautions or convictions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 or any adult cautions (simple or conditional) or spent convictions that are not protected as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020’.
- The only exception to this requirement is that applicants/employees do not need to disclose any ‘protected’ cautions, or convictions as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2013.
- Please read the ‘Guidance Note to applicants on disclosing information about cautions and convictions in their application’ document before you complete your application form.
- Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of any offences.
- TRAINING
- All successful applicants will be required to undertake any appropriate training and development as required, including Health and Safety.
- NO SMOKING POLICY
- HoW College is a Smoke Free environment from the effects of direct/indirect contact with smoking, including using the following:
- - Cigarettes
  - E-cigarettes
  - Vaporisers
  - Pipe smoking
  - Cigars
  - And all other associated smoking products
- APPLICANTS WITH DISABILITIES
- Candidates with a disability should contact the HR Department before interview if they require any adjustments to be made for the interview and/or selection tests.
- APPLICATIONS
- A completed application form should be submitted. Curriculum vitae will not be accepted as a substitute.
- It would greatly assist the shortlisting panel if the information submitted on your application clearly identifies and demonstrates how your qualities match those listed under the essential requirements on the person specification.
- Please remember that it is not sufficient to merely repeat what is in the specification – you must show how you meet each requirement. You must also provide details under ‘previous employment’ which must include all employment undertaken since leaving full time education.
- Completed application forms should be submitted by 19th October 2026 via our website at www.howcollege.ac.uk.
- INTERVIEWS
- The Interview date for this post is TBC; short-listed candidates will be notified with the details for interview. In view of the high cost of postage, it is not our intention to notify unsuccessful applicants. If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, please assume that your application has been unsuccessful and accept our thanks for your interest in applying. College reserves the right to withdraw a position before the closing date if the appointment has been arranged or no longer required.
- DATA PROTECTION/GENERAL DATA PROTECTION REGULATION (GDPR)
- Please be aware that HoW College complies with the current Data Protection Act and is currently developing systems to ensure that we will be fully compliant with GDPR when this comes into force in May 2018. GDPR is a European wide update to the Data Protection Act, with more requirements and stronger enforcement. As such we expect all staff to fully comply with the requirements of these legislation. Failure to do so will lead to formal disciplinary action.
- Members of staff will be provided with guidance in relation to GDPR to ensure that full compliance is achieved and maintained within the College.
- Further information can be obtained by using the following link:
- https://ico.org.uk/for-organisations/guide-to-data-protection/guide-to-the-general-data-protection-regulation-gdpr/

Person Specification
Requirements

Attainment (e.g. Qualifications, Experience)

Essential:
- - Level 2 (at least) qualification in both Maths and English, or a willingness to gain.
- - A relevant level three qualification in any given area.
Desirable:
- - Experience of working in an educational or training establishment.
- - A First Aid Qualification.
General Skills

Essential:
- - Strong communication, administrative and IT skills.
- - Proven ability of working with people, external businesses /employers working towards targets and deadlines.
Desirable:
- - Knowledge of the local geographical area.
- - Experience of working in a business environment would be advantageous.
Specific Special Skills

Essential:
- - Customer service focussed with strong ability to foster positive relationships with external and internal customers.
- - Understanding of importance of risk assessment and health and safety in the workplace.
Desirable:
- - Knowledge or experience of completing health and safety paperwork/risk assessments.
- - Experience of supporting learners, assessing progress and skills development relating to vocational areas.
Disposition/Personal Qualities

Essential:
- - Flexible and adaptable.
- - Self- motivated and enthusiastic.
Desirable:

No Desirable Disposition/Personal Qualities

General Points

Essential:
- - Use of own transport to complete visits to employers and placements.
- - Ability to work outside of office hours if need be.
Desirable:

No Desirable General Points