JOBS GENERATION: Padmesh Gupta, Managing Director, Oxford Business College. The independent higher education provider for business students is launching the largest staff recruitment drive of its kind in its 38-year history due to rising student numbers across the College’s campuses in England. An initial 150 posts, mostly at lecturer level, are being created. With 350 employees, the College expects to enrol more than 10,000 students at campuses in Oxford, North West London, Nottingham, Coventry and Slough. One in Brentford, West London, opens in September 2023.
The largest staff recruitment drive of its kind by an independent higher education provider for business students in the UK is under way.
Founded as Oxford’s first business school in 1985, Oxford Business College currently has 350 employees and 10,000students.
Due to demand from UK students for business-related courses and workplace soft skills, the College has expanded campuses in the UK and forged partnerships with degree-awarding universities.
An initial 150 posts, mostly for lecturer positions, are being created over the next 12 months, including at the newly opened Coventry campus.
There are also campuses at the university city of Oxford, Park Royal in NorthWest London, Nottingham and Slough, Berkshire.
Furthermore, this September sees the opening of the Brentford campus in West London, with the entire 2,458 sq m building at One Brentside Park occupied by the College.
The College provides a wide range of job-orientated undergraduate courses in business and management.
In addition, the College is the pioneer of the longest-running International Foundation Programme in Oxford, which has prepared international students for more than 30 years to successfully progress on to UK university degrees.
The Business English Language Preparation programme (BELP) is added to the International Foundation in Business to help students work in English with confidence; the high-quality English language teaching and learning is accredited by the British Council.
Degree partnerships are in place with Buckinghamshire New University and Ravensbourne University London.
Undergraduate courses at the three universities, each with a foundation year, are, respectively, BA (Hons) Business Management and BA (Hons) Business Management.
Padmesh Gupta, Managing Director, Oxford Business College, said: “Due to the unprecedented growth of the College in the UK, the largest employment recruitment drive in our 38-year history is taking place.
“We are looking to fill an initial 150 vacancies across all our campuses, including at Coventry and our new Brentford one.
“Most of the posts are for highly qualified lecturers looking to develop their careers at one of the most sought-after places of learning in the independent, for-profit higher education sector.”
He added: “We look forward to hearing from talented academics in Coventry and from any of our other campuses.
“The College is incredibly proud of providing academic programmes for students who are keen to either run their own businesses or want to earn more money than their current job – in turn, both can generate taxes for UK plc.
“We also appeal to students who may otherwise be written off because their English language skills might not be initially strong but who have the flair, passion and dedication to run or contribute to successful businesses.
“There stills persists a terribly old-fashioned and corrosive notion that the best businesspeople have come through long-established universities.
“Thankfully, our students are proving that what matters is not wealth or social class but ability, talent and an overwhelming ambition to succeed in a working world where merit is the only judge.
“Our lecturers see this every day from motivated students who have enrolled, having passed robust admissions standards which result in 60% of applicants being rejected.”
Mr Gupta also stressed that new lecturers need to excel as their future colleagues are already doing; at 92.3% the College was ranked in the top 15% of all teaching institutions for students overall satisfaction in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2022.
The College performed above the NSS benchmark in six out of seven key themes, securing 66th place amongst 431 higher education teaching institutions which took part in the UK.
Furthermore, Mr Gupta also cited the College as being the recipient of two consecutive ‘WhatUni’ Student Choice Awards.
In another development, the Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) recently awarded its associate membership to the College; it is CABS’ first membership with any private higher education institution in the UK.
Mr Gupta said: “People looking to join us will understand that the College has a mission to excel in everything it does in order to provide the best higher education opportunities for students - young or mature - who want to better themselves in the world of business.”
He added: “Oxford Business College has grown considerably over the past several years, with profits being reinvested in new jobs and the campuses.
“The initial 150 posts, which, once filled, will generate income for the public purse through salary taxes, is an example of the College’s strategic expansion.
“Our courses offer flexible start dates throughout the year, making the College ideal for anyone embarking on their career or as an alternative route to an undergraduate or postgraduate degree or a professional qualification.”
