As an anchor institution in West and North Yorkshire, the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group works with more than 1,300 employers. We are committed to working in a highly collaborative manner with our local and regional industry partners for the benefit of our students and our communities.
We involve employers in everything we do from helping us to understand the changing employment demands and skills needs, to informing our curriculum and the range of provision we deliver. Our work with employers aims to offer the right skills for now and for the future through innovative, relevant courses and qualifications – for the region, for jobs for our learners and for employers.
Affordable Accountancy Solutions
We Are Wakefield Ltd is a not-for-profit organisation that supports local businesses and organisations through events, information, and networking opportunities.
We Are Wakefield is proud to collaborate with the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group. Our involvement in curriculum planning ensures that the education provided aligns with industry needs. By connecting the Group with various businesses, we create valuable opportunities for students. Additionally, our support in mock interviews and strategy meetings helps prepare students for their future careers and ensures that the future workforce and home grown talent is matched with the needs of local employers. Claire Sutherley
Managing Director
Biffa
Biffa Limited is a waste management company headquartered in High Wycombe, England. It provides collection, landfill, recycling and special waste services to local authorities and industrial and commercial clients in the United Kingdom. As of 2017, it was the UK’s second-largest waste-management company.
Castleford College has proven to be a brilliant apprenticeship training provider to work with through this process due to the college set-up, support and facilities, as not all colleges offer the Heavy Vehicle Service and Maintenance & Repair apprenticeship like they do. We worked with Castleford College throughout the rigorous recruitment process which led us to secure some of the most promising candidates who have shown a strong eagerness to learn. Chris Williams
Biffa Workshop Manager for Grimsby
The Devonshire Arms Hotel and Spa
The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa is a charming country house hotel. Situated in the very heart of the Yorkshire Dales, The Devonshire Arms Hotel has a luxurious spa featuring a sauna, steam room, swimming pool and whirlpool.
The Devonshire Arms Hotel and Spa, and wider Devonshire Hotels and Restaurants Group, has worked with the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group to ensure that hospitality remains an attractive career to the next generation. There have been key relationships built and maintained that nurture a strong link between education and industry; a link which is increasingly important to ensuring not only the success of hospitality, but the success of the people entering this great industry.
We have worked together in a number of ways but the most beneficial for the students has been the provision of work placements within the hotel and spa, allowing students the opportunity to experience their area of study within the working world. Some students have returned to us for full time work following the completion of their course, those individuals have joined with a great educational basis and have been valued as ambassadors for the next generation, they make us extremely proud of our partnership. Chara Forrest
Resident Manager, The Devonshire Arms Hotel & Spa
Navigate
Navigate is an online platform used by over 100 Further Education colleges. It supports learners to track, record and evidence the development of their personal, social, and employability skills. The team at Heart of Yorkshire has been using Navigate for the past three years, during which time over 300,000 hours of student activity have been recorded.
Parlour Make Up Studio
A hair and beauty salon in the heart of Selby bringing all aspects of makeup and beauty together.
Selby College is our local college, Poppy joined us as a Saturday girl in 2020 and when she started college asked if we could offer her a work placement alongside her course. Poppy has helped the running of the salon be so much smoother, clients LOVE a Poppy shampoo, and actually request her! She helps keep everything clean for us and eased our diaries. She greets clients and give them a lovely experience from the moment they walk in. She’s an asset to our team! The involvement from the college has been great, Poppy has grown in confidence. Shannon Lund
Parlour Make Up Studio, Head Stylist
Specialist Tooling Technologies Limited
Specialist Tooling Technologies Limited are specialists in engineering services, varying from special purpose machines and equipment to CNC machining to gauge and measurement equipment.
Having struggled to get the skilled labour in we turned to employing apprentices who we could train in house from the knowledge we at STT have as a collective. We have used word of mouth through our employees however the greatest resource we have locally is the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group. In 2019, we got in touch with them to help us find candidates that meet our needs as the job demands students of a high calibre that possess the ability to learn quickly and absorb and retain that information. They have and still continue to find us some outstanding candidates, many of which are still with us now, no longer apprentices. One of the many benefits of offering apprenticeships we found is that they are loyal employees! Craig Wigglesworth
Managing Director of STT (Specialist Tooling Techniques)
Viamaster Training
Viamaster Training offers a diverse range of courses designed to equip individuals and business with the necessary skills for success in the transport and logistics industry. The Heart of Yorkshire Education Group worked with logistics training provider, Viamaster, to develop a brand-new Skills Bootcamp in LGV Driving where learners can gain a Cat C driving licence and the skills needed to become a LGV driver.
Due to the national shortage of LGV drivers, the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group got in touch to see if we would be interested in delivering a Skills Bootcamp programme together. At Viamaster Training, we have experience in delivering and achieving great outcomes with our Skills Bootcamps, which have primarily focused on the license acquisition which is teaching people to drive LGVs and pass their tests but also about them becoming professional drivers who can be employed. Viamaster is always looking for drivers as there is a shortage and a demand, so the Skills Bootcamp means we are able to upskill our own drivers and make sure they are trained to a good standard to jump into that job. We have interviewed six people and four of those have secured jobs with us once they pass their tests, and we know they are committed because they attended the 16-week Skills Bootcamp. The programme has been great for us, and we would recommend Skills Bootcamps to any haulage employers, as they are getting drivers who know the underpinning knowledge such as health and safety requirements and the highway code. The programme also has the power to changes lives as well, with those who joined the course unemployed finding a lifelong career. Lizzi Greaves
Operations Manager at Viamaster
WDH
WDH are one of the UK’s largest social housing providers, with over 32,000 homes across the Wakefield district.
As a business, the T Level enables us to create a talent pipeline, while giving our existing employees the opportunity to continue developing through the mentoring of students. With the T-levels, I’m sure these young people will go away with a qualification and will use their WDH days to help benefit them and progress in their lives, to help them go to university or a job – whatever it is they want. Our priority is the community, to raise the aspiration of young people generally, that’s our driver, If it helps with our recruitment, that’s a bonus, an added extra. Tim Craven
Social Investment Manager at WDH
We Are Wakefield
We Are Wakefield Ltd is a not-for-profit organisation that supports local businesses and organisations through events, information, and networking opportunities.
We Are Wakefield is proud to collaborate with the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group. Our involvement in curriculum planning ensures that the education provided aligns with industry needs. By connecting the Group with various businesses, we create valuable opportunities for students. Additionally, our support in mock interviews and strategy meetings helps prepare students for their future careers and ensures that the future workforce and home grown talent is matched with the needs of local employers. Claire Sutherley
Managing Director