Our Partner relationships are more than symbolic. They allow us to stay at the forefront of innovation, to understand new trends, and to adapt our teaching so that apprentices are always learning the skills and practices that matter most in the workplace. By working closely with our partners, we ensure our programmes are aligned with sector expectations and genuinely prepare learners for the future.
Our partners include long-established professional bodies that set the standards for practice, regulatory organisations that shape the frameworks we work within, and employers and customers who have collaborated with us for many years. Together, this network gives our apprentices the confidence that what they are learning is recognised, relevant, and valued across the sector.
CSR is one of the founding members of The Strategic Board for Skills Advancement. The strategic board is a committee of training providers, employers, and professional bodies. The ultimate goal of the board is to connect the country’s workforce with scientific and healthcare partners to drive growth and resilience in the science sector through high-quality apprenticeships.
The Science Council sets the standards for professional registration for practising scientists and science technicians across all scientific disciplines. Through their licensed bodies, such as the Royal Society of Chemistry and Institute of Biomedical Science, The Science Council admits scientists and science technicians to their registers. The Science Council carries out quality assurance to ensure that applicants for professional recognition meet the competence and conduct requirements and commit to Continuing Professional Development. CSR has worked closely with our apprentices and staff who have used their scientific occupational competence to gain professional recognition.
CSR has a long-standing relationship with the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) over a number of different areas. CSR has contributed to their Professional Standards board, offering our opinions on the standard of the RSC’s professional development frameworks (professional registers). We also sit on the vocational accreditation assessor panel, reviewing and assessing applications from training providers hoping to gain accredited status for their laboratory-based apprenticeship programmes.
CSR has been training laboratory technicians across multiple departments at the University of Oxford for the past 9 years. Because of this long standing, successful relationship, the University of Oxford has funded CSR’s teacher training apprenticeship programme through their levy transfer programme. In addition to this, CSR has played an active role in the university’s own apprenticeship awards days.
Our partnership with Oxfordshire Advanced Skills (OAS) strengthens our ability to deliver high-quality skills programmes in the region. Through this collaboration, we are able to extend the reach of our bootcamps in Oxfordshire, offering learners access to exceptional facilities and training environments that mirror the standards of industry. This ensures participants gain the confidence and technical capability required to step directly into the workplace.
For employers, working with OAS means access to a pipeline of talent trained to the highest standards in both engineering and science. The combination of world-class facilities, expert teaching, and strong employer engagement creates a powerful platform for developing the next generation of skilled professionals. Together, we ensure that local and national businesses benefit from apprenticeship and bootcamp provision that is responsive, innovative, and directly aligned to sector needs.
CSR has played an active role in trailblazer groups for a number of scientific and healthcare science standards. The purpose of these employer-led groups is to develop the occupational standards and to revise these standards as and when needed. CSR has a seat at these group meetings and often provides feedback on the performance of the apprenticeship standard, answers delivery-based questions from the employers with apprentices on that particular standard and has contributed to the revision of standards.