Work Placement Coordinator – Early Years and Education Full Time

This is a great opportunity for a professional individual who is qualified and experienced in Early Years and Education to join a forward-thinking college in the Early Years and Education department. You will be part of our dynamic team that works within the Directorate of Health, Education and Service Industries.

You will be responsible for developing and securing sector related work placements for 16-18 year old learners studying on the Level 1, Level 2 and T-Level Early Years, Teaching Assistant programmes, Adult Fastrack and Diploma programmes. You will manage existing opportunities and negotiate new placements, ensuring all risk assessments are complete and offering advice and guidance to both employers and students to ensure maximum benefit to both.

You will also support learners by tracking, monitoring and enhancing their employability skills. You will offer a range of training and support for the learners through 1:1 and group support prior to and during work placements, volunteering, projects, mock interviews applications for work and other work-related activities.

The role involves setting up, administration and coordination of placements for all learners in your remit. Together with the vetting of health and safety arrangements, ensuring that DBS checks are in place for all learners and monitoring their progress via the Grofar platform at a variety of placement settings.

Placement is an integral and mandatory part of all Early Years and Education programmes, including T Level qualifications, level 2 and 2 and adult provision in Early Years and Education, and this role is pivotal in ensuring all learners are placed in work placements all year round.

It is essential that the person appointed can build positive relationships within educational placements, by liaising with relevant staff, displaying excellent communication and organisational skills and have a relevant knowledge base for professional discussion.

You will need to have recent and relevant experience working within a school or nursery setting and hold a minimum qualification of Level 3 in Early Years. A full driving license and use of a car is also required.

There will be the opportunity to contribute pro-actively to the department in promoting a positive learning experience for all our learners.

The role will require you to embed the college’s values; Respect, Integrity, Collaboration, Compassion and Ambition.

• The Post

Responsibilities

2.1 Main Duties and Responsibilities

• To identify, visit, undertake and update risk assessments and approvals of establishments, including completion of health and safety vetting in order to arrange new work experience placements for T Level and foundation T Level learners, Level 1 and 2 and adult provision, in line with college procedures.
• To prepare individual/groups of learners for work experience placements and adhere to current guidelines in relation to work experience for young people.
• Visit learners in the workplace to monitor progress, setting (including health and safety), attendance and attitude.
• To monitor and record learners’ progress in their work placement, against Awarding Body criteria. Support learners in implementing and recording work placement evidence.
• To discuss and record progress with individual learners, their work placement mentor and personal tutor, and negotiate strategies for making best use of their placement experience. Provide a responsive and supportive service to managers and mentors when queries or issues arise.
• Maintain regular contact with learners and employers through a variety of channels to ensure participation and progress.
• To design and maintain recording documentation relevant to all aspects of the role. Initiate and maintain an up-to-date database of potential work experience placements for learners, utilising appropriate information technology.
• To support college procedures regarding the requirements of the Disclosure and Barring Service procedures and checks. Arrange DBS check days for learners devising appropriate documentation and information in line with changing legislation to ensure that learners submit relevant evidence.
• Monitor, report and record participation on GroFar and Work Placement monitoring systems.
• Manage relationships by liaising with all those involved; the learner, employer, teaching staff, student support etc.
• Maintain regular contact with learners and employers through a variety of channels to ensure participation and progress.
• To market placement opportunities with employers to increase the range, breadth and number of placements across counties to include nurseries, schools and other sector specific opportunities.
• To maintain appropriate standards of learner behaviour in accordance with college policies.
• To attend and contribute to relevant meetings within the School of Learning and the College.
• Invite employers to college to give talks and support employer forums including recording and evaluating employer feedback.
• Celebrate learner progress, record and publish good news stories.
• Help and direct learners to develop their skills to find employment – CV writing, job searches, completing application forms, mock interviews etc.
• To attend and contribute to Open Evenings and College events to promote programmes of study.
• To represent West Nottinghamshire College at external taster/enterprise days, to market our provision and deliver relevant interactive learning to potential learners.
• To keep up to date with curriculum initiatives, development of standards and general developmental and professional issues relating to the delivery of learning within the Department.
• To work flexibly as directed by the line manager.