National report highlights Norland as a model for employer-connected higher education

Independent Higher Education report recognises Norland’s unique employer connections.

Norland has been highlighted as a national exemplar of employer-connected higher education in a major new report from Independent Higher Education. The report recognises Norland’s distinctive approach to employer engagement and its contribution to developing the skilled workforce needed by the early years sector.

Drawing on evidence from 17 higher education providers across the UK, ‘Building a skilled economy: How IHE Members partner with industry’ highlights examples of effective industry partnerships and workforce development.

Norland is featured as a case study for its unique relationship with employers, with the report stating: “Norland operates its own employment agency, which gives it a direct relationship with those individual employers, and a line of sight into what they need that few providers in any sector can match.”

While many higher education institutions work with businesses and large organisations, Norland’s graduates are typically employed directly by families. The report highlights how the Norland Agency provides direct connections with those employers, offering valuable insight into their needs and the changing demands of the early childhood sector. It argues that this model demonstrates the need for a broader, more sector-sensitive understanding of employer engagement within skills and higher education policy.