About usQualifications, skills, and all relevant experience needed for this role can be found in the full description below.The Sheffield College is a further and higher education institution dedicated to providing academic, vocational, and professional qualifications to approximately 13,000 young people and adults annually. Our mission is to transform lives through learning, advocating for inclusivity and diversity at every stage.About the roleWe are seeking a dedicated and ambitious Specialist Employment Support Practitioner (SEN) to join our team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who believes in the potential of every learner and who is committed to removing barriers and creating inclusive pathways into employment.This role is central to ensuring that our learners with additional needs benefit from meaningful work placements and vocational experiences. Working closely with curriculum teams, students, families, and employers, you will help to design and deliver high-quality, tailored employment support that unlocks each young persons potential.This is a maternity cover role, fixed term until 2nd of March 2026.Key ResponsibilitiesSupport students with learning difficulties and disabilities to access, thrive in, and complete high-quality work placements and tasters.Work collaboratively with learners to identify strengths, interests, and any barriers to placement then co-design support strategies to overcome them.Build and maintain strong employer relationships, ensuring inclusive placement opportunities across a range of sectors.Coordinate and deliver employability workshops, guest speaker events, and job-readiness activities in line with curriculum planning.Assess and monitor learner progress in the workplace, setting clear objectives and maintaining accurate records of achievement.Support with interview preparation and work-readiness planning, in partnership with the Careers Team.Conduct regular site visits and provide in-placement support, coaching, and assessment to students and employers.Ensure all compliance documentation (e.g. DBS checks, parental consents, learner agreements) is in place prior to placements starting.Act as key support for a caseload of students, particularly those at risk of disengagement, to help them achieve their vocational goals.Promote and support the logging of placement hours and learner progression using the WRA system.Champion inclusion and advocate for our students in every setting helping employers to understand and embrace diverse talent.Deliver the colleges specialist Get Ahead, Move Ahead, Stay Ahead programme to groups of learners with learning difficulties and disabilities.About YouYou will be:Passionate about inclusion and equality, with a strong track record of supporting young people with SEND into employment or vocational training.An excellent communicator, with the ability to build trusted relationships with learners, families, employers, and colleagues.Knowledgeable about the barriers faced by young people with additional needs, and confident in applying creative solutions.Experienced in planning and delivering employability programmes and workplace support.Organised, proactive, and resilient able to juggle priorities and work with integrity and compassion.What we can offer youAs the successful candidate, you will be offered a salary of between 31,885 - 35,849 per annum (this will be pro-rata'd to reflect the weeks worked) based upon a combination of the skills, knowledge and experience that you can bring to the role.Our benefitsEnhanced Pension contributions scheme with SYPA - 17.1%Annual leave - 30 Days (222 hours) + 8 Bank Holidays (59.2 hours) - this includes a discretionary Christmas closure periodHealth and wellbeing, we offer Employee assistance programme through BupaOccupational Health through PAMFree eye tests for VDU usersFree Parking is available at the majority of our campusesF urther information can be found on our Benefits and Career Development pages.Disability ConfidentWe are a Disability Confident employer and are committed to removing barriers for applicants with a disability during our recruitment process, upon appointment and as an employee. Please review our Recruitment Guidelines for Disabled Candidates which provides further information on reasonable adjustments and how the Disability Confident scheme works in practice. If you require any reasonable adjustments or any support at any point throughout the process, please contact us.Armed Forces CovenantAs part of our commitment through the Armed Forces Covenant , were pledged to support the Armed Forces Community. Recognising the value Personnel, Veterans and military families contribute to our community and country.SafeguardingWe are an employer who is?committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of students. Successful applicants will be required to have an enhanced DBS check and will be subject to safer recruiting procedures. Further details on our safer recruiting procedures, including the employment of ex-offenders can be found here SafeguardingAs a Leader in Diversity employer, we encourage applications from everyone and value diversity in our workforce.Closing date: 29th June 2025Please be aware If we have a high number of applications, we may decide to close the vacancy earlier.TPBN1_UKTJ
Job Title
Employability Skills and Placement Officer