On 4th June, Shrewsbury Colleges Group welcomed members of their Employer Skills Advisory Panels to attend a celebratory lunch in their award-winning Origins restaurant.

They had much to celebrate and wanted to share the great achievements of their first year of partnership.

Looking back, the college had a vision: ensure employers play a central role in influencing the skills agenda so that it meets local labour market needs.

Since then, the contribution made by employers representing the key industries identified in the Local Skills Improvement Plan (health, engineering, construction and digital), have all proved to be invaluable and so this was an ideal opportunity to recognise the contribution everyone has made.

Melissa Morgan, Registered Manager, Affinity Homecare and Health panel member said “Over the past 12 months, we've gained valuable insights into the skills gap between students and the workforce.  The college has proactively listened to employer feedback and implemented a fantastic learning model to equip students with the right skills for the workforce …… we are really proud of this partnership!”

As for lunch, well that all seemed to go down extremely well.

Rosie Berwick, Project Manager, Marches Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) was full of praise in saying “The students and the amazing staff team you have in your hospitality department were exemplary, provided us with perfectly cooked and presented delicious dishes and very professional services. What wonderful ambassadors for the college.”

Looking forward, the college and their employer partners are extremely keen to continue to work together, forging ahead to ensure everyone gets the right skills provision for tomorrow’s workforce.