How to take a strategic approach to employer-sponsored curriculum

By Alex Warner, Further Education Advisor and Consultant

At the recent National Network of Institutes of Technology Conference, I was struck by the words of Phil Smith, Chair of Skills England. He spoke candidly of the disconnect between business and the wider skills system, and asked the kind of question that should echo in every college leadership meeting: “How do we genuinely find a way of collaborating?”

That call to arms- for a more connected, co-developed and co-owned skills system- prompted me to reflect on my own journey and how employer-sponsored curriculum moved from being a necessity to a defining philosophy. I recognise the challenges from some quarters that we shouldn’t simply exist to furnish business with top talent, but my view is that it’s an impressive start if we can achieve this.

My first leadership role came in the 2012-13 academic year. I was appointed Programme Manager for Business and IT, responsible for large cohorts of learners who were already behind on assessments. Staffing was stretched, with long-term absences and a subject area outside of my expertise.

With limited teaching capacity and little time to spare, I faced a pressing question: How do you get learners back on track without the resources to deliver a traditional curriculum?

Supported by a line manager who encouraged innovation, I looked outward- to employers. After mapping unit content across specifications and redesigning the scheme of work to integrate disciplines, I began reaching out to industry contacts. Based in Reading, and equipped with a newly acquired minibus license, I approached employers across the M4 corridor.

What began as cold calls and tentative outreach turned into meaningful partnerships, including with some very large employers. I was struck by how seriously they took their role in supporting education- not as a favour, but as a shared investment.

With the support of colleagues at Reading College, we co-developed and delivered units on supply chains, distribution, and logistics. Learners engaged, developed new aspirations, and in some cases secured employment in sectors they hadn’t previously considered.

It was some of the most valuable professional development I’ve ever had. Few CPD sessions or leadership seminars have had the same impact.

Fast forward a few years, and this approach has evolved into something more structured. At the South Central Institute of Technology, for example, where I had the privilege of contributing to curriculum development, every unit is supported by at least one named employer sponsor. Learners don’t just see module titles- they see partnerships: Microsoft for innovation and digital transformation, McAfee for cyber security, and others.

Employer sponsorship now includes a wide range of activities; curriculum co-design, guest lectures, staff industry placements, live briefs and more. The most successful examples are those where employers are involved from the outset, shaping not just what is taught, but how.

Along the way, I have even applied this model to GCSE English and maths resits- an area not often associated with employer engagement. And yet, with the right context and support, learners engaged, achieved, and began to see these core subjects as tools for real world success.

Whether you're a classroom practitioner, middle leader, or senior executive, the principles remain consistent:

• Start with a clear understanding of what learners and employers both need
• Establish shared ownership of the curriculum
• Be bold in designing learning experiences that feel relevant, engaging, and purposeful

In my own practice, I refer to this as reverse engineering the curriculum- using industry-defined knowledge, skills, and behaviours as the starting point, and mapping backwards from there.

Employers are often motivated by more than recruitment pipelines. Corporate social responsibility, community engagement, and the desire to inspire future talent all matter. But we must help employers to understand how they can contribute- and give them confidence in the process.

The Skills for Jobs White Paper and the UK Industrial Strategy both highlight the persistent mismatch between talent supply and labour market need. If we are serious about addressing this, then employer-sponsored curriculum must move from the margins to the mainstream.

What this means in practice for teachers and lecturers:

• Design learning with context: Make curriculum content meaningful by linking it to real industry challenges.
• Be persistent: It may take time to secure employer input, but with the right pitch and preparation, partnerships do form.
• Support your partners: Brief employers on learner needs, classroom dynamics, and what to expect. They are learning too.

For middle leaders:

• Create space for innovation: Integrated unit mapping and interdisciplinary design can unlock exciting possibilities.
• Connect actively: Attend local networking events, employer forums, and LSIP sessions. You may be the first to ask- but not the last to benefit.
• Foster internal champions: Support staff who are willing to experiment, and showcase success stories to build momentum.

For senior leaders:

• Invest in time and trust: Allocate resource for deliberate curriculum development and staff industry CPD. Can you afford not to?
• Open doors: Introduce curriculum teams to your networks. Let them shadow you at stakeholder events. We also need to think about how we engage better with micro and small enterprises. How do we engage them, how do we open our doors?
• Model innovation: Empower your teams to take risks, learn from failure, and embed employer engagement at the heart of your strategy - not just your plan.

Employer-sponsored curriculum is not a trend or a tick-box. It is a powerful tool for aligning education with opportunity- for learners, for employers, and for the communities we serve.

The challenge, as Phil Smith noted, is finding a way to truly collaborate. That begins with leaders - at every level - creating the conditions for connection.

Let’s stop treating employer engagement as an add-on. Let’s embed it into the foundations of how we design curriculum. Not out of necessity, but out of intent.