DCG Impact Review 2024 - Flipbook - Page 33
THIRTY THREE | STRATEGIC PRIORITY THREE
POWERFUL PARTNERSHIPS
Mutually bene昀椀cial alliances with organisations
large and small – and from across the private,
public and third sectors – are part of the Group’s
DNA.
Overall, DCG has cultivated partnerships with more
than 2,000 employers to create meaningful skills
pathways by co-designing and co-delivering an
up-to-date, cohesive curriculum.
Founded on quality, innovation, trust and respect,
these collaborations have been hailed as a
beacon of best practice nationally at a time when
employers are set to take the driving seat in the
new-look post-16 quali昀椀cations regime.
This work is spearheaded by in昀氀uential Employment
and Skills Advisory Boards (ESBs) representing
speci昀椀c sectors who advise the College’s technical
and vocational teams and act as a mechanism for
sharing expertise and exchanging knowledge.
The ESBs bring together almost 400 employers
who contribute their creativity and innovation to
a plethora of initiatives designed to help students
make a smooth transition to the workplace.
College leaders also draw on business intelligence
from bodies such as the D2N2 Local Enterprise
Partnership to ensure they remain one step ahead
in establishing high-value, agile education provision
for a 昀氀uctuating employment landscape.
Indeed, DCG was selected as the lead partner in the
three-year D2N2 Skills Development Fund 2 project,
through which local colleges are working together
to respond to labour market need. This venture
has an over-arching theme of the green economy
and will help meet the signi昀椀cant skills demands
generated by decarbonisation in economic
priority sectors such as transport equipment
manufacturing and construction.
• Bloc Digital, who chair the Digital ESB, support
industry placements for T Level students and
contribute to DCG’s Digital Industry Week. They
are also working with DCG staff to promote
programming language skills.
• Vaillant, global manufacturers of sustainable
heating products, who have teamed up with DCG
to deliver low carbon technician, fabrication,
welding and engineering apprenticeships. Their
expertise also helps the College train its students
in new heating technologies.
• Derby and Derbyshire Integrated Care Board,
whose members liaise with DCG on various
workforce development initiatives from
Functional Skills and pre-employment training to
standalone diplomas, Access to Higher Education
courses and simulated clinical activities.
Because of its track record in employer
engagement, DCG is now primed to act on changes
heralded by latest national and regional policies to
reinvigorate skills training.
BUSINESS INPUT IS KEY
More than 70 business leaders heard how positive
ties with employers were giving DCG students a
competitive edge – at an informative event
co-ordinated by Marketing Derby at the
Roundhouse. The discussions turned the spotlight
on the exceptional opportunities which employers
provide to ensure young people are well prepared
to meet the challenges ahead.
Other key strategic partnerships are with
organisations such as:
• Rolls-Royce plc, who chair the ESB for Engineering
and Manufacturing. The alliance includes
apprenticeship programmes – spanning up to
Level 6 for civil aerospace apprentices – as well
as preparing the next generation of engineers
through the Rolls-Royce Young Apprentice
scheme.
Presentations featured DCG’s long-established
partnerships with the likes of Bloc Digital, Alstom,
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS
Foundation Trust, GXO Logistics and Derby City
Council. Guest speakers reiterated how much they
welcomed their input into the Group’s strategic
direction and the chance to invest in future talent.
