Employers

We’re proud to work closely with over 500 local, national, and international employers to develop skilled, motivated talent that meets the needs of today’s industries and tomorrow’s workforce. With a whole host of services that are specifically aimed at benefitting you and your business, we always love to talk to you about how best we can help.

Employer Options

Funding Opportunities

FAQs

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Meet the Team

Why partner with Cheshire College?

Largest provider in the region

The region’s largest provider of post-16 education, trusted by employers across Cheshire and beyond.

Bespoke Training Programmes

We offer bespoke training programmes co-designed with your business to address real skills gaps and help you meet your business goals.

£164 million invested in facilities

Over £164 million invested in state-of-the-art, industry-standard facilities.

Sustainable and green skills

A strong focus on sustainability and green skills to future-proof your workforce.

I am interested in hiring an apprentice

I am interested in offering a T Level placement

I am interested in offering a work experience placement

I am interested in upskilling my current staff members

End-to-end support covering recruitment, onboarding, funding, and training.
Motivated, work-ready talent eager to learn, grow, and contribute.
Upskill your workforce to improve progression, retention, and long-term success.

Build a future talent pipeline by investing in skills early.
Add capacity through extended 45-day placements with real impact.
Shape future skills by supporting young people into your industry.

Inspire future talent by shaping a young person’s career journey.
Gain fresh perspectives through innovative ideas from talented students.
Benefit from hands-on support from motivated, work-ready students.

Choose career-focused courses that build knowledge and confidence.
Create tailored training to meet your organisation’s needs and skills gaps.
Learn from industry experts in outstanding, cutting-edge facilities.

Where Employer Expertise Shapes Education

Through our 14 Employer Advisory Boards, local businesses play a direct role in shaping our curriculum by sharing insight into real skills gaps, emerging trends, and urgent workforce needs.

Your expertise informs course content and training standards, placing employer feedback at the heart of curriculum development. This ensures that our students and apprentices are fully prepared for today’s workplace and leave College with the practical, industry-ready skills your sector needs to thrive.

This unique collaboration delivers work-ready talent while recognising employer involvement through dedicated partner events, including our annual Advisory Board Celebration Dinners.

Employer Funding, Incentives & Support

Save money and boost efficiency by investing in high-quality training for both new and existing employees. Developing skills within your workforce not only strengthens productivity and performance, but also helps to future-proof your business.

Whether you’re considering hiring an apprentice to build talent from the ground up or looking to upskill and retain valued members of your current team, a range of incentives and support may be available to you. These funding opportunities can help to reduce training costs, simplify the process, and make investing in people a more affordable and practical option for your business.

Is there funding available when hiring apprentices?

Funding is available through the Apprenticeship Support Programme to help small and medium-sized businesses take on apprentices in clean-energy related sectors.

If you own a local business, or work for a Cheshire West & Chester company in energy production or other carbon-intensive industries, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch to learn how you can hire an apprentice, build future skills, and benefit from tailored project support.

Is there funding support for offering T Level placements

The Employer Support Fund (ESF) helps reduce barriers for businesses hosting T Level students by covering genuine placement-related costs. Funding can be used for essential equipment and materials, workspace setup, software licences, and administrative support, as well as staff time for induction, training, supervision, or any specialist training or certification needed to support students. Employers offering Construction and Health T Level placements are eligible regardless of size, while funding for other T Levels is available to small and medium-sized enterprises.

The ESF helps employers invest in their future workforce with reduced financial risk while supporting the long-term use of equipment and systems purchased through the fund. Funding is allocated to Cheshire College, which distributes it to employers following completion of a declaration form and submission of receipts. Once claims are validated, payments are made directly to employers. Backed by £6.3 million of government funding for 2025/26, the ESF supports high-quality T Level placements and provides a valuable opportunity for employers to get involved.

Will I receive support with T Level and work experience placements?

Our dedicated T Levels and Work Experience team is here to support both students and employers. If you’re thinking about offering a work placement but aren’t sure where to start, we’ll guide you through the process and make it simple for your business.

We also provide ongoing support throughout the placement, ensuring everything runs smoothly and that you have all the guidance and information you need.

Get in touch today to find out more!

Email: workexperience@ccsw.ac.uk / Phone: 01244 656555 (Chester and Ellesmere Port) / 01270 654654 (Crewe)

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a Cheshire College partnership mean

We are committed to building strong relationships with employers and organisations across Cheshire and beyond, delivering tailored solutions that meet each businesses unique needs. With a proven track record of exceptional results, partnering with us means gaining a trusted ally in developing your workforce.

Contact our expert business development team to arrange a call or in-person meeting and discover how working with Cheshire College can benefit your business and your employees.

Email: employers@ccsw.ac.uk / Phone: 01244 656455

How do I hire an apprentice?

Hiring an apprentice has never been easier, as our experienced apprenticeships team is here to support you every step of the way. We can help you create job adverts, manage the initial recruitment and onboarding process, and screen CVs to ensure that the apprentice is the right fit for your business.

We also provide guidance and support about funding opportunities, helping you to minimise recruitment costs while bringing motivated, skilled apprentices into your team.

Simply get in touch with our team to get started! We’ll work with you to identify the apprenticeship programmes that best meet your business needs and help you find the right solution to grow your workforce.

Email: employers@ccsw.ac.uk / Phone: 01244 656455

How do I join the Employer Advisory Board?

If you’re interested in joining one of our Employer Advisory Boards, we’d love to hear from you. Your experience and insight can play a vital role in shaping the skills training delivered across your local area, with feedback from our meetings directly influencing the development of our curriculum.

To get involved, email employers@ccsw.ac.uk and one of our experienced Business Development Executives will be in touch to discuss next steps and help identify the advisory board that best matches your skills and experience.

What training is available to upskill existing staff?

We offer a wide range of flexible training options designed to support employers and help you develop the skills your business needs. From short, targeted courses to in-depth qualifications, you can tailor training to address current skills gaps while supporting your business’s long-term goals.

Popular training options include:

Career-focused courses: These short, flexible courses cover a variety of topics, including administration, team building, and mental health awareness. They’re an easy and practical way to build new skills within your team without the commitment of a long-term training programme.
Higher education qualifications: Our Level 4 and Level 5 qualifications are ideal for upskilling key staff members. They support career progression, help businesses to retain talented employees, and ensure your organisation has the higher-level skills needed to grow and adapt.
Apprenticeships for existing staff: Apprenticeships aren’t just for new recruits. Existing employees can also enrol on an apprenticeship, allowing them to develop valuable skills while continuing to work full-time and contribute to your business.

Have a query?

Have a question about partnering with Cheshire College? Not a problem, send an enquiry to our Employers team and they’ll be happy to guide you through the opportunities!

What does sustainability mean to us?

Sustainability is a core value at Cheshire College. We are fully committed to incorporating eco-friendly practices across all areas of our work, from our Campus operations to the programmes we deliver.

We also work closely with employers to help their staff develop the green skills needed to meet today’s environmental challenges and future-proof their workforce. By partnering with us, businesses can stay ahead in a rapidly changing world, while contributing to a more sustainable future. This includes a new range of sustainability-focused apprenticeships to prepare your business for a greener future. Whether you’re upskilling your current staff or bringing in fresh talent, these training programmes will help you stay competitive and meet your Net Zero goals. From Level 2 Groundworker to Level 3 Pipe Fitter, there’s a range of exciting new training programmes to choose from.

Equip your workforce with essential green skills and take advantage of government funding to support your training goals. Get in touch today and take the first step towards a brighter, more eco-friendly future.

Hear from our Partners

“We have worked closely, and in partnership with Cheshire College for some years to deliver our apprenticeship programme and support our apprentices. We have also, more recently, welcomed an excellent T-level student and we are pleased to be able to play a part in enriching the experience of this student.”

Dawn Allett, Training & Apprenticeships Advisor, Unipart Rail

“Engaging with the College has allowed Astech to cast a wider net to attract young talent, whilst also expediting the development of our existing employees. The vast range of course offering allows us to easily identify the best development paths for our staff, all of which are very well supported by the College.”

Jack O’Donnell, Head of Operations, Astech Projects

“We are really pleased to have partnered with the College. We see this relationship as integral to our goal to provide good access to employment and pathways to successful careers for all our residents – including young people in education who are actively thinking about the next stage of their lives.”

Cheshire West and Chester Council

“We started working with the College approximately 2 years ago after attending a Careers Fair and having an informative conversation with the staff about what they could offer us in terms of apprenticeships and short courses for our staff and volunteers. As a result of this, we secured 2 apprentices in our Finance and Facilities teams, who are both doing extremely well.”

Nicky Hodkin-Brown, Volunteer Manager, Hospice of the Good Sheperd, Chester

“We have worked with Cheshire College – South & West to recruit nine apprentices onto a programme we have put in place to ensure the valuable skills of our team are being shared with a new generation of metal fabricators. From the start, the College apprentice recruitment team have worked hard to ensure the right candidates have been put forward for the opportunities.”