Employer Engagement

A Practical Perspective

What is Employer Engagement?

The cynical might say it is government’s attempt to make employers pay more?

HEFCE’s strategy: what’s in it for employers?

We will be supporting a range of projects at national, sectoral, regional and local levels. These will explore and address the barriers faced by universities and colleges in being responsive to employers’ needs. These include ensuring that:

1. quality assurance systems which apply to HE provision are fit for purpose2. employer-responsive provision is funded appropriately3. HE links effectively to policy for 14-19 year-old learners and further education4. vocational and work-based learning is valued and supported by providers5. academic staff have opportunities to update and refresh their knowledge of

industry and the world of work6. there are clearer routes to enter HE for learners from non-traditional

backgrounds7. credits and qualifications systems enable learners to learn and accumulate

qualifications in a flexible way that fits with their work and broader life commitments.

 Employers can also expect to see better services tailored to their needs As an Employer I find it difficult to get beyond the Education Jargon!

Employer Engagement – A Practical Perspective

Engagement

An appointment or arrangement

A pledge; an obligation or agreement

Mechanics. the act or state of interlocking

It involves two parties working together to mutual benefit

It isn’t just about FHE ……work placements etc …. It is also about employers and their needs

Employers

Ioan Morgan CBE: Principal Warwickshire College; Commissioner for Employment & Skills; Ministerial Advisor, Leitch writer ………….Employer

Sir Alan Sugar: Entrepreneur, self made millionaire ….. Outspoken …… Down to earth …….Apprentice maker ….. Employer!

How would they describe Employer Engagement?

Sir Alan would be quite blunt

He would take us back to basics

He’d probably tell you that business has been doing this for years

He’d probably use words like Customer, Sales, Marketing ………

In the practical world Employer Engagement is all about Customers, Sales and Marketing!

Acquiring Customers (Employers)

Retaining Customers (Employers)

The Employer Engagement Apprentice

How do you acquire customers?

Firstly, don’t forget your existing customers

Secondly, remember that people do business with people they like and respect

Thirdly, you use all the techniques that the Apprentices use … and more

You need to define your market place, the typical customer, etc

You need to think marketing … the 4 P’s

Product ……. FT / PT courses, short courses, other services

Price …… £ & Time etc

Place …… In the workplace maybe

Promotion ….. You need to promote them

These are very basic marketing techniques but we ignore them at our peril

Rachel Elnaugh

Formed Red Letter Days when in her twenties

Dragons’ Den Panellist

Rachel’s typical Red Latter Days customer was a woman, 35 – 55 years old who read Vogue ………..

Who is your typical Employer/Customer?

The Cost of Marketing?

Do you have an unlimited budget?

Why not try low cost and free marketing

Most Marketing Is Expensive & Doesn’t Work !

E-Marketing

Do you have a business or marketing plan?

Do you have an E-marketing plan?

What is Emarketing?

Lets start by defining marketing

Marketing is the process of profitably satisfying customer need

So e-marketing is ……..?

Having a website?

Yes it might be …..

But E-marketing can involve more than just a website

Such as ……………..?

E-marketing channels include….

• Websites – not only your website but other peoples as well…… directories, wikis, Adsense, Blogs etc

• SEO – search engine optimisation• Pay Per Click (PPC) – Google Adwords• Analytics• Autoresponders – these work 24/365 and can automate many processes e.g.. Newsletters, • e-zines etc.• Google Maps - free listings where people search• Google Alerts – who is talking about you, your business and your competitors?• Blogs – business and social blogs can build your reputation and drive traffic to your website • Audio and video • Press/Media Release & Article distribution sites • Online Testing & Measuring (T&M) • …………………………………………….And lets not forget Email

• Web 2.0 is about people connecting, collaborating and sharing information online - for personal or business use

• Social media such as Friends Reunited, Facebook, Ecademy, LinkedIn & YouTube

E-marketing is not a substitute for traditional marketing

E-marketing is most effective when integrated with traditional marketing

How do people find information, ask questions and conduct

research?

They

GOOGLE

Websites

Why do businesses & universities have websites?

To provide …… credibility, information, sell, research, etc.

……….. To build relationships

Who visits your website?

•Why do they visit?

•How do they find you? …… Typed URL, referred by another site, Googled a search term.

•What search terms did they use?

•Which pages are most popular?

•Where do visitors live? Town, country etc

•What are your visitors names?

•Are they businesses?

•What is their email address

X

X

X

GEES found my business when Googling for Employer Enagement

X

Autorepsonder

Google MapsLocation

Map

Website

Description

Reviews

Photos

FREE

Google AlertsCIM Training Provider Oxford College of Marketing is Expanding ...ITNews - Roma,ItalyA free lecture on E-marketing will be given by Stefan Drew who will also be present after the lecture to answer any questions. Rosie Phipps, the Principal, ...See all stories on this topic

PR / News Websites

PR.com PR NewswireSB Wire PRLeapPressFlashPRWebTheOpenPressPR NewswirePRWeb Direct

+ The Ripple Effect

The BBC recently contacted me to comment on the recent Honda advert

– they found my name on Expertsources

Beware the negative side of E-marketing!

Pershore College

Formed in the early 1950s as England’s premier college of horticulture

International reputation

Chelsea Gold Medal Winner

Merged with Warwickshire College in 2007

Employer Engagement remit …. Stefan Drew Associates

Pershore Horticulture Employment & Skills Groupsupporting the horticulture industry throughout the UK

Target Audience – UK Horticultural Employers

Reps from RHS; National Trust; English Heritage; Webbs of Wychbold (Garden Centre of the Year); HRI Wellesbourne, the University of Warwick; Midland Regional Growers; Midland Parks Forum; Bransford Webbs etc.

Independent Chair

Give to Get

The employers are inundated with new legislation and have problems sourcing all the information.

Pershore provides a website, e-newsletter etc. to help them keep up to date. This means they see the Pershore brand on a regular basis but are not sold to

Courses are being tailored under the MRG brand …. Predominately staffed by Pershore.

A relationship has been built

Questions