Further Education Industry Partnerships Pilot

*This is a Planned Procurement Notice only* West Yorkshire Combined Authority will shortly be tendering for a supplier who will lead the design, development and delivery of a pilot project focussed on building strong partnerships between West Yorkshire-based industry/businesses in the engineering and manufacturing sectors, and the region’s Further Education (FE) colleges and independent training providers. The specific focus of the pilot is the design and delivery of a programme which enables industry experts to support curriculum delivery in FE settings.

We envisage the successful supplier will carry out a short research and design phase which builds on existing knowledge provided by the Combined Authority and then mobilise and deliver the pilot project. In the delivery of the pilot, the supplier will be responsible for relationship management between industry and education partners, coordinating opportunities for collaboration, ensuring delivery takes place against targets, and monitoring progress.

The supplier should identify a sustainable model of delivery that FE providers can take to increase their collaboration with industry partners to tackle challenges around tutor gaps and specialist knowledge sharing. The successful supplier will have experience liaising between education and industry partners, with established links to appropriate teams in West Yorkshire-based businesses (both larger organisations and SMEs).

This project will focus on the delivery of manufacturing and engineering (all types) teaching to 16-19 and adult learners (including via T Levels, apprenticeships, adult skills courses and study programmes). Therefore, the businesses/industry partners engaged should be able to provide industry volunteers who are skilled in one or more of the above subject areas. The specific skills required from industry will become clearer as the research and design with partner education providers takes place, and we expect the supplier to assess where there are gaps in currency and knowledge across further education, and how the businesses can support these.