Local College’s Engineering Employer Academy Seals Sponsorship from Global Manufacturing Business

Aspiring engineers attending Rotherham College (Part of the RNN Group) will continue to benefit from the expertise of the team at global manufacturing giants AESSEAL, who have extended their sponsorship of the College’s Engineering Employer Academy into the 2020/21 academic year.

The Employer Academies were established to drive collaboration between the College and local industries. It sees employers pledging to support and prepare students for the world of work through involvement in curriculum design, work placements, apprenticeships, guest lectures and project briefs among other activities.

AESSEAL was among the first local businesses to pledge their support to the Academies and have played an active role in moulding the engineering offer at the College over the last 12 months. Over the next academic year, the business has committed to attend curriculum review and planning meetings with the College team, attend College events including Welcome Onboard Week in September, deliver industry-focused workshops and judge student competitions as well as deliver guest lectures.

AESSEAL Head of Learning and Development and HR, Julia Bloomer has worked closely with staff at the College since the inception of the Employer Academies.

Julia said: “Being involved in the Employer Academies is important to us. Rotherham College is local and offers a wide range of engineering apprenticeships and qualifications. They welcome and listen to the feedback provided by the industry which provides opportunities for a variety of students with different learning needs.

“The meetings are also a chance for us to meet with other employers as well as the College teams and share best practice. We understand the aims of the College and can hopefully help wherever possible. We have a good relationship with the College and the majority of our apprentices from the College have secured full-time roles with us.”

RNN Group Director of Employer Partnerships, James Godsell is the key point of contact for employers involved in the Academies and has worked closely with Julia over the last 12 months.

James said: “Having AESSEAL on board as an Employer Academy sponsor is fantastic for our students. Julia and the team at AESSEAL have really bought into the concept of the sessions and have made a significant contribution to our engineering curriculum.

“In return, the company has access to a pool of talented work-ready young people who can add value to their business, either through entering the business and securing further training on an apprenticeship programme or directly into an entry-level role on the shop floor.

“We look forward to continuing to collaborate and work alongside AESSEAL to ensure that we are training the next generation of engineers to an industry standard.”

Find out more information about RNN Group Employer Academies.