New partnership opportunities for further education colleges
Further Education (FE) colleges across the UK can now enhance their learner outcomes and employability by becoming a CIMSPA Education Partner.
For FE colleges that offer a sport and physical activity curriculum, the opportunity to partner with the sector’s only chartered professional body, will enhance learner experience, and ensure that they are better placed to meet the needs of local employers.
As the sector body for the workforce, our research and ongoing work with employers gives us comprehensive insight into current and future skills needs, both at a national and local level. This makes us well placed to support FE colleges with their curriculum development and delivery, helping them to be responsive to the needs of local employers and communities, and resulting in their learners transitioning to positive destinations either into work in the sector or on to further learning.
The opportunity for FE colleges to join CIMSPA’s network of hundreds of partners representing Awarding Organisations, Training Providers, Higher Education Institutions and employers, also ensures that sport and physical activity learning provision that takes place in colleges is part of our ongoing work to support the development of the current and future sector workforce.
Natasha Eason, Associate Director of the National Training Academy at CIMSPA said,
“We’re really pleased to be opening up this opportunity for FE colleges to partner with us as we continue to develop our commitment to supporting curriculum development and employability outcomes for those working in, or aspiring to work in, the sport and physical activity sector.
We have been working with a number of colleges in recent years on a range of projects and we know how much great work they do to not only support learners that are looking to start a career in the sector but also those with experience who are developing their skills to progress their career.
FE colleges that partner with us will benefit from our support to help them develop their curriculum and delivery and align it with the sector Professional Standards, which are defined by employers. This is so important for colleges as they respond to the Skills and Post-16 Education Act 2022, the devolution of skills funding and the focus on delivering skills and knowledge to meet local demands.”
As part of our local skills pilot work, we have worked with West Nottinghamshire College to support their sport and physical activity programmes.
Nikki Slack, Assistant Principal for Health, Education and Service Industries at West Nottinghamshire College said,
“We are delighted to partner with CIMSPA and to have had the opportunity to design a course directly towards the needs of the sector. There is a skills shortage as a result of the pandemic, but we know there are many individuals in the community excited to begin their professional training in this sector.
We have years’ of professional expertise amongst our staff in sports and exercise, so together with CIMSPA’s backing I am really confident that this programme will lead to some great careers for our students.”
Find out more about becoming a CIMSPA Further Education Partner