Why you should prioritise industry partnerships

By Lliam Dickinson, Higher Education Pathway Leader for esports, sport, public services, travel and tourism at Barnsley College and Research Further Scholar.

In my experience, students who engage with their passions are more likely to continue developing their skills beyond formal face-to-face education throughout their lifetime.

This is echoed through research too: in 2011, Thomas and Brown emphasised that passion fuels creativity, deeper engagement, and resilience in one’s educational pursuits. They also advocated for an ever-changing, futuristic educational offering, unlike traditional static educational offerings, and stressed that real-world experiences often provide such qualities.

Providing real-world experiences to students is at the heart of FE, and like so many other colleges across the country, at Barnsley College, we pride ourselves on the industry partnerships we have in place, as they allow us to offer a model that values passion, adaptability and real-world skills. These collaborations prepare students for the workforce and shape them into lifelong learners with the creativity and resilience to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.

Our esports provision is a particularly good example of how these partnerships can really help to push forward Thomas and Brown’s pedagogy and put it into action.

Our partnership with GT Omega and Ebuyer, for example, has been vital in facilitating the development of cutting-edge technology for our esports classrooms. In this case, the technology involved F1 racing simulators, providing an immersive and high-performance experience for students. Given the current financial climate, it would have been difficult for us to possess such a set-up. This collaboration is mutually beneficial as it allows the companies to showcase their products whilst actively contributing to the development of students and potentially future employers.

Students interested in the event management side of esports can now use this technology to lead corporate events, gaining real-world experience in executing events and developing project management, communication, and problem-solving skills. For those drawn to coaching and esports performance, the equipment provides a platform to experiment with various coaching methods and improve participant performance. Likewise, they can develop their data analytic skills by analysing live performance data, and from this, students can change coaching approaches, and advise on lifestyle choices.

Beyond these specific roles, this setup also allows students to develop in areas such as content creation, live streaming, and broadcasting, further expanding their career opportunities in the evolving world of esports and beyond.

We also have a partnership with Nexus Education Schools Trust. This emerged from an informal chance discussion on the way to a football match around the work of the AoC’s Research Further programme and a particular study. The trust was eager to explore how esports might help equip their SEND students with modern and digital skills vital for their future prosperity. Through this partnership, a plan was developed for further education students, under the guidance of staff, to deliver esports sessions to schools within the trust. These sessions are designed to focus on key topics such as creativity, problem-solving, and data analytics, providing a rich learning experience for both the FE students and the younger participants.

This offered FE students who were considering a career in teaching a chance to develop their skills. Those students got the opportunity to gain experience in lesson planning and delivery while also grappling with real-world challenges such as behaviour management, an aspect of teaching that is difficult to simulate fully outside of a live classroom environment. These experiences not only enhanced the students' skill sets but also provided valuable insight into whether a teaching career is the right path for them.

These are just two examples of how education can mix with industry to create learning environments that better reflect the future, are engaging and practical, and develop vital skills.

However, developing and maintaining successful partnerships between education and industry requires a strategic approach to collaboration. These partnerships thrive when both parties mutually benefit, share resources, and work toward common objectives. So how can colleges develop strong and effective industry partnerships?

1. Involve students in the partnership's development and feedback process to ensure their needs, interests, and career goals are considered. Our experiences have shown that when this is done, students feel empowered, providing a real sense of curriculum co-creation. Furthermore, it allows students to develop their professional standards and act as future ambassadors, presenting their experiences to potential partners, enhancing collaboration and expanding opportunities for future collaborations.
   
2. Identify mutual benefits and be forthright; in our experience, business benefits include an opportunity to showcase their products, develop their offer, access to future talent, or do this for charitable or altruistic reasons. Being forthright builds trust, clarifies expectations, and fosters more effective partnerships by ensuring both parties understand and value their contributions.
   
3. Share the partnership's successes to showcase the value created by the collaboration. For example, share stories of students who gained employment or developed key skills through the partnership. This not only creates a positive energy around the partnership, which aids longevity but also attracts new partners for entities. It also develops the institution's reputation for developing impactful collaborations.

None of these things are easy or quick, but in my experience, the rewards are more than worth it.

Integrating real-world technology allows students to develop skills that are in high demand, such as data analytics, problem-solving, creativity, and digital proficiency. This positions students to be more competitive and prepared for the workforce, reduces the skills gap many industries face, and ensure that students are going into careers they’re truly passionate about.