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LSIP Project Manager, Camilla Maurice, attended a national event hosted by the Gatsby Charitable Foundation yesterday, focused on unlocking the potential of Industry Associates to support further education (FE) providers and strengthen the technical teaching workforce.
Held at Friends House in London, Unlocking the Potential of Industry Associates in FE brought together colleagues from FE, industry, universities and government to explore how industry professionals can play a greater role in delivering high‑quality technical education and responding to skills needs at both a local and national level.
FE providers across the country continue to face challenges in recruiting and retaining teachers, particularly in technical subject areas. This can limit capacity to deliver the high‑quality provision required to meet employer demand and support learner progression.
Industry Associates – experienced professionals who contribute their expertise alongside their industry roles – offer a valuable opportunity to address these challenges. They can support FE provision in a range of ways, including curriculum design, delivery of masterclasses or short teaching sessions, and supporting learners with up‑to‑date industry insight. For some, this role may also form part of a broader journey towards dual professionalism in FE teaching.
A key feature of the event was a panel discussion with representatives from five pilot FE colleges that have already delivered the Industry Associate programme. During a dedicated Q&A session, attendees heard first‑hand about:
These insights provided valuable evidence of how the model can work in practice and how it could be scaled to support skills growth across different regions and sectors.
The event also explored how Industry Associates fit within the wider FE teacher education and professional development landscape, with contributions from the Department for Education and other partners. Attendees took part in discussions on next steps and helped shape thinking around future delivery models, ensuring the programme supports both employer engagement and workforce sustainability.
The themes explored throughout the day closely align with the priorities of the Kent & Medway Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP), where employer expertise is central to shaping responsive, high‑quality technical education.
Strengthening collaboration between employers and FE providers is essential to:
Participation in national conversations such as this helps ensure that the Kent & Medway LSIP remains informed by best practice and emerging policy, while continuing to champion employer-led approaches to skills planning.
