With so many education and career pathways available to young people, Shrewsbury College focuses on putting its students first, offering the largest and most flexible curriculum in Shropshire to ensure every student can follow the route that’s right for them.
As part of Shropshire Chamber’s first case study in our Future Forward campaign, we explored how Shrewsbury College continues to act as a pivotal stepping stone into the working world; a world that can often feel limitless, fast-moving, and sometimes overwhelming for today’s young people.
How Shrewsbury College bridges the gap between education and employers
What can often seem like a barrier to delivering a seamless student experience is the disconnect between education providers and employers. Shrewsbury College works tirelessly to remove this barrier through a proactive, structured, and genuinely collaborative approach to employer engagement.
Andy Lee, Director of Apprenticeships and Employer Partnerships, explains that “our employer relationships are built through consistent collaboration, transparency with skill needs and student wants, and long-term partnerships.”
This commitment is demonstrated through the college’s regular sector-specific advisory panels, which bring together between five and twenty employers at a time. These sessions give businesses direct influence over curriculum planning, skill gaps, and industry expectations. The insight gathered then feeds into the Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), ensuring the college’s programmes reflect both national priorities and the specific needs of the Marches region. Recently, Shrewsbury College was one of only 25 providers in England selected to deliver the government’s Modular Acceleration Programme, which specialises in developing higher-level skills. Securing £285,500 enabled the college to offer free, flexible, degree-level modular skills training in priority areas such as digital, business, engineering, construction and health, directly aligned with Shropshire’s identified skills shortages.
By working with local employers and regional partners, the college used the programme to expand higher technical training options for adults, strengthen the local talent pipeline and support workforce development across the Marches. The success of the programme is outlined in the DfE's recent Modular Acceleration Programme (MAP) Process Evaluation – Interim Report (February 2026), which highlights Shrewsbury College as the 2nd most successful provider nationally for engagement.
In addition to this, the college runs large industry-led events that give students real exposure to the working world. With employer talks, sector showcases and mock interviews, these events help students build confidence and understand workplace standards.
Shrewsbury College has further strengthened its position as a leading skills provider by launching its latest industry‑endorsed apprenticeship provision for the food and drink manufacturing sector. Following a comprehensive review of regional training needs and with the backing of a major national food and drink producer with multiple sites across the area, the College has been approved to deliver specialist Food and Drink Engineering Apprenticeships across the wider Marches region. As the only provider offering this apprenticeship in one of the region’s LSIP priority sectors, Shrewsbury College is helping to address both current and emerging workforce demands.
How the evolution of AI is affecting students
The advancement of AI is not slowing down for anyone, and it’s certainly not something young people can afford to ignore. Students are naturally experimenting with the tools AI offers, but staff at Shrewsbury College note that many still misunderstand its true purpose.
Andy shared that “we focus on teaching responsible and efficient use, and emphasise that AI won’t replace jobs entirely, but those who understand AI will have a clear advantage in the future workforce. It can be a really helpful tool for students when using it as a reference point to their learning; not treating it as a tool to entirely generate answers.”
The college Principal is part of a national further education group working with global partners Amazon and Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The college also benefits from a member of staff who has recently completed a Master’s degree in AI. They are now helping to embed AI literacy across programmes and guide the organisation as it adapts to new technology.
Essential skills for young people in the next decade
Seeing first-hand the emerging employer needs and expectations, the college predicts that adaptability and flexibility will be the most sought-after skills for young people as rapid technological change continues to shape every industry.
Mike Needham, Director of Communications, Admissions and Marketing, said “change now happens far faster than it did even a decade ago, meaning that future workers will need to embrace continual learning, adjust quickly to new tools, and be open and comfortable with shifting ways of working.”
Teaching all corners of the world
Shrewsbury College not only supports local learners but also takes part in international exchanges through the Turing programme, hosting Swiss and Italian students while sending its own students to Zurich, Bali, and Thailand for overseas placements and study experiences.
There has also been a noticeable increase in international students studying automotive courses and progressing into university-level study. This shows the college’s quality of training and its ability to open career pathways that may not have been accessible in students’ home countries.
From student to marketer
Working toward her passion, Ella Preece began her business studies at Shrewsbury College before progressing into her love for marketing. Now a Marketing Co-ordinator for Shropshire Chamber, Ella found the college to be the perfect pathway into her career and a turning point in solidifying her interests.
“I was never fully committed to pursuing a career in marketing; before completing a course at Shrewsbury College I just knew I wanted to go into some sort of business career, which is widely varied. The business course I completed covered all sorts of topics, giving me insights into all angles of business, where I then found my love for marketing. It was the perfect starting point for me, which later on landed me a marketing role at Shropshire Chamber”.
At the heart of Shrewsbury College is its students. Whether through school-leaver courses, apprenticeships or higher education, the college ensures young people have the support they need and the opportunities they want to take their next steps with confidence.
You can explore all available courses and opportunities on their website here, or, if you’re an employer interested in partnering with the college to help provide student experience, you can get in touch at
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