Kent & Medway Employer Guilds Purpose

An interface between industry and education

Each Guild is a forum for employers and education & training providers, from Kent & Medway, within a defined sector Current Guilds

• Construction & the Built Environment • Hospitality & Tourism • Engineering & Advanced • Health & Social Care Manufacturing

• Creative & Media • Land Based

• Financial services • Sciences Membership

Currently • 150 employers across eight guilds • 20 education/training providers – FE Colleges – Training Providers – HE Colleges • Local Authorities – (KCC, Districts & Medway) Kent and Medway Skills Commission

Employer representatives Employer representation organisations (Chamber/FSB) 1 Guilds/sector representatives 8 LEP/KMEP representative (business member) 1 VCS representative (social enterprise) 1 Institute of Directors 1 Total (employers) 12 Providers Kent Association of Headteachers 1 Medway School representative 1 KATO (Kent Association of Training Organisations) 1 KAFEC (Kent Association of Further Education Colleges) 1 HE (Higher Education) 1 Total (providers) 5 Strategic partners KCC 1 Medway 1 District Councils 1 JCP (Job Centre Plus) 1 EFA (Education Funding Agency) 1 SFA (Skills Funding Agency) 1 Total (strategic partners) 6 Grand total: 23 Action Plans

• School/College & Employer Partnerships • Work experience & work placements - supporting recruitment • Apprenticeships and other work based learning • Providing an employer voice to skills funding • Newsletters - promotional material, sharing good practice • Adult re-training opportunities Impact [1]

Projects so far… • Big sector conversation, bringing together learners with employers in a ‘market place’ – Hospitality & Catering

• Sharing practice through newsletters – Construction & Built Environment – Engineering & Advanced Manufacturing Guild Engineering - Newsletter Impact [2]

Schools/colleges… Example Employers… Wrotham School, • Dover Harbour Board Goodwin Academy, Holmesdale, • P&B Metals Harvey Grammar, • Viking Recruitment Ashford North, • Megger Towers, • MEP Engineering Aylesford, Brockhill, • Pfizer East Kent College, • Biddenden Vineyards Hadlow College, • Kent Rural PLC Mid Kent College • Wirebelt + 20 Coastal schools (CEC), • Bouyges UK each with employer + numerous others engaged in careers fairs and events Impact [3]

• Charter mark employer quality mark for supporting education/training provision – Pilot with Construction & Built Environment – Requirement for visits, work placements, traineeships and apprenticeships

• Informed and influenced SELEP funding – giving employers a voice in the development of training facilities First Skills Commission Conference March 2017 • 94 delegates, including employers from Kent & Medway, FE Colleges & training providers, schools, District and County Economic Development officers, and Council • Presentations from CEC, Members BITC and local Guild representatives • Promoting cross Guild initiatives such as ‘Made in Kent’ Next steps...

• School/Employer Partnerships • Develop CEC partnerships • Sector conversations • ‘Kent Choices’ local events • Roll out Charter mark • Website and Social Media • Pledges re Apprenticeships and work placements • Conference (February 2018)