The Employer Exchange is an East Sussex College initiative designed to put employers at the heart of our curriculum, helping to shape the teaching of today to shape and inspire the workforce of tomorrow. We also want to support local business to upskill, talent manage and retain their current employees.

Employer exchange activities can include industry placements, mock interviews, co-creating course materials, masterclasses and recruitment fairs. These can be tailored to suit the size and preference of each employer, aligning to your needs. This not only ensures that we have a frequency of engagement with you that works for your business, but also provides as many opportunities for our future workforce as possible.

We want to provide as many opportunities for students to engage with the working world and that’s across all our provisions, from those leaving school or college to our adult, apprentices, higher educations and international learners.

• Co-designed employer/curriculum schemes of work, ensuring an 'industry eye' oversees course materials.
• Employers participating in 'learning walks' at the College, experiencing live lessons and inputting workplace priorities from an industry perspective.
• Engaging in G.O.A.L (Go Out And Listen) between students and employers to gather student feedback and inform career decisions.
• Students to participate in 'live projects' with employers either on site or atone of our campuses.
• Workplace visits, with a classroom visit to your office, factory or workplace address, exposing learners to the everyday operations of the industries they are studying.
• Taking on learners via accredited programmes with T-Level or work experience (WEX) placements or employing an apprentice.
• ESC (non-accredited) 'internship' and SWAPS as a 'step in' to industry.
• Employer mock interview days, giving students the opportunity to practice real life employability skills with interviews or support and guidance to routes to employment.
• Employer talks, ensuring there are wider industry voices helping to shape learning intent, inform delivery and to be an expert partner with the course content.
• Employer jobs fair and recruitment days - allowing employers to meet learners and source talent for current or future roles.
• An employer’s presence at college open days- optimizing routes to industry and allowing employers access to their potential workforce and those in our communities.
• An employer newsletter acting as a key communication method, promoting opportunities, training, and pathways to engage.
• Industry-led lectures at college or off-site at employer locations.
• College staff participating in 'back to industry days' with businesses opening doors to our lecturers and support staff, helping to refresh skills and heighten commercial experience/understanding.
• Connecting our employers through the Employer Exchange community for information finding, greater networking opportunities, best practice sharing or further business!