This year we are celebrating the partnership between Shropshire Chamber of Commerce and all those businesses who are marking 25 years or more as members.

As part of this milestone we are asking those members for an insight into what the partnership means to them. Today we focus on Chamber Patrons Telford College - members since January 8th, 1997, and we are grateful to employer engagement manager Beckie Bosworth, business development executive Chris Field and principal Graham Guest for sharing their thoughts with us. Here is what they had to say:

Spreading the word

Beckie: “The partnership with Shropshire Chamber helps the college in many different ways. We work with around 700 businesses, and attending Chamber breakfast networking events and expos helps us to spread the word about our breadth of employer engagement and apprenticeship services.

“We’ve also hosted Bank of England briefings in collaboration with the Chamber on several occasions, which are always well attended, and give us the chance to showcase the university-level facilities we have on campus.

“Being a member and patron of the Chamber also gives us the opportunity to engage with members through their mailshots and newsletters, and to share our good news stories. For us, it’s a chance to keep members updated on changes in the further education sector, and give the business community an opportunity to work with us to help shape our curriculum for the needs of local employers.”

 Promotion is key

Chris: “Linking up with the Chamber also allows us to promote work experience and industry placement or apprenticeship opportunities.”

The college has also been involved in the Shropshire Chamber Business Awards in almost every aspect over the years – as award finalists, sponsors, judges, and guests.

Vital links

Graham: “Building close links with local businesses is absolutely crucial to our work here at Telford College. It’s important for us to understand the ever-changing skills needs in the local economy, so we can shape our curriculum to deliver what companies require.”

How to get in touch

You can contact Telford College by calling 01952 642200.