Industry Liaison Officer - Building Services and Engineering in Ashford

About The Role
Bridge the Student - Employer Gap and empower students’ futures. You’ll be the main point of contact for employers across the Building Services and Engineering department, ensuring placements are impactful, well-organised, and beneficial for both students and businesses.

In this role, you will:

• Secure and monitor high-quality work placements within Building Services and Engineering sectors.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with employers, acting as the first point of contact.
• Support the planning and delivery of employer engagement events and workplace visits.
• Ensure all employer documentation is returned promptly, meeting college and national standards.
• Work with students one-to-one and in small groups to:

• Identify employability skill gaps.
• Support their personal development.
• Prepare them to succeed in industry placements.

This role offers the chance to directly influence students’ futures while strengthening partnerships with local employers.

Key information
Hours per week: 37
Weeks per year: 40
Salary per year: £25,127 (incl holiday payment)

Benefits

• Generous holiday aligned to our term dates
• Learning and Development Opportunities – 3-4 annual paid group development days, bespoke programmes e.g. First Line Manager Development Programme and strong internal progression (1 in 3 roles are filled internally)
• Flexible Personal Leave – Time off for your child’s first day at nursery or school, moving homes and for interviews
• Competitive Pension Scheme – 18% employer contribution
• Exclusive Discounts & Perks – Restaurant, grocery, retail and holidays discounts as well as car leasing and tech purchasing schemes
• Wellbeing and Health Support – Generous sick pay, counselling services, discounted gym membership, eye tests and glasses vouchers, flexible support for medical appointments and return-to-work
• Culture and Recognition – Community Days, an Annual Staff Celebration Day, and an eco-friendly organisation dedicated to net-zero by 2030

About You
We are seeking to appoint an Industry Liaison Officer who is motivated, professional, and passionate about supporting students to succeed in the workplace.

You will:

• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Be highly organised with the ability to prioritise effectively.
• Show flexibility and a responsive approach to changing work demands.
• Possess an inquisitive and analytical mindset with strong attention to detail.
• Be confident working independently using their own initiative, as well as collaboratively within a team.

Qualifications & Experience
A Level 3 qualification in a relevant subject is desirable. Alternatively, significant experience in a relevant sector with a willingness to achieve a Level 3 qualification will be considered. Previous experience in a similar role, with a genuine passion for supporting the next generation, will make this opportunity ideal for you.

This is a fantastic role for someone who wants to use their knowledge and skills to make a real difference, building strong employer relationships while helping students thrive in their industry placements.

Ready to apply?
No need to spend time updating your CV, just click apply and complete our short application form. You can save your progress as you go, and we’ll review all applications and get back to all candidates after the closing date. If you are interested in an informal chat about the role, or have any queries, please email us on jobs@ekcgroup.ac.uk

About Us
Outstanding Ofsted Provider
East Kent Colleges Group is an Ofsted Outstanding rated provider. It is proud to be the first General Further Education college organisation in the country to have received the Outstanding grade against each of the strands under the new Ofsted inspection framework. An inclusive provider, our colleagues place our students and the communities we serve at the heart of everything they do across EKC Group and this is illustrated in our ‘Strong’ skills grading by Ofsted.

Commitment to Safeguarding
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and we ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities for upholding these principles. As a designated establishment, we are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore have an obligation to carry out checks to ensure that staff are suitable to work with children and vulnerable adults. These checks include conviction/caution self-declaration, Enhanced DBS check and obtaining sufficient referencing. It is a criminal offence to apply for a post which involves engaging in regulated activity relevant to children if you are barred from doing so. If you are shortlisted, your suitability to work with children and vulnerable adults will be explored as part of the interview process.

Commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
East Kent Colleges Group is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all members of our communities. We are particularly keen to increase the diversity of our staff body and encourage applications from candidates where there is underrepresentation in our workforce. We are proud to hold the Positive About Disability Award and are a Disability Confident Employer. This confirms our commitment to interviewing all applicants who declare that they have a disability and who meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification. With any successful candidate, we will explore any reasonable adjustments to a role due to health needs or disability. Similarly, we have a commitment to Care Leavers (Care Covenant Pledge) and to current or previous Armed Forces personnel (Armed Forces Covenant Pledge) with a commitment to interview applicants who meet the positions essential criteria and who have declared this on their application. We welcome applications from anyone wishing to work flexibly and those considering a return to work from a career break. We do not engage with agencies for permanent staff and have an in-house recruitment team.