ABSTRACT
This chapter examines two key approaches in teaching practice for employer engagement in applied learning: Mentoring; and Team-working/team-building. A teacher of a Creative and Media Diploma course utilised a local and a popular environmental educational tourist destination to develop an applied learning assignment. Establishing high-quality engagement from employers is essential in applied learning. The chapter discusses three areas for developing learners' skills for employment: work-related learning on non-vocational/academic courses; work-related learning on vocational courses; and the role of employer engagement. Work-related learning implies a direct relationship with the world of work and links with employers, professional bodies and business practices. Applied learning requires some independence on the part of the learner and the development of creative, reflective and team working skills. Vocational courses lend themselves more easily than academic courses to work-related learning as the sector skill focus is already at the centre of the programme.
