ABSTRACT
The expectation that employer engagement in education can fulfil a range of purposes—economic, social, political—and that it can provide a 'cure all' for a multiplicity of challenges is a significant demand of something predicated entirely on voluntary commitment and good will. Calls for employer engagement within education and training are predicated on the assumption that employers will happily 'step up to the plate', contributing time, energy and resource voluntarily. 'Complementary' engagements describe those activities which tend to enhance existing provision, affording opportunities to those who are already well placed to access professional networks and, in the UK context, elite Russell Group universities. Employers need to demonstrate that they are willing to engage and that their workplaces provide opportunities in which people can learn and develop, that they afford interesting and stimulating environments in which to work.
