Through research carried out for the Lancashire LSIP, it was evident that employers didn't have a great deal of knowledge about T Levels and the need to engage with them. Here we give a short overview of T Levels and an example of Blackburn College students succeeding in their placement with an employer.
T Levels are a new technical study programme in the UK, designed to give young students the skills and experience they need to succeed in the workplace.
T Levels are 2-year Level 3 qualifications for 16- to 19-year-olds. Designed with employers, each T Level is equivalent to 3 A Levels and helps young people develop the knowledge, attitudes, and practical skills to progress into skilled employment, an apprenticeship or further study.
As part of T Levels, students are required to take part in industry placements to gain real-world experience and apply their learning in a practical setting (minimum required 315 hours).
Red Rose Assurance , an SME based in Blackburn offered two placements to learners from Blackburn College on a Digital T Level Programme. Red Rose recognised a skills gap, and they needed support to develop their online platform. The placement not only provided the company with an extra pair of hands, but also introduced a young perspective, contributing new ideas and skills into the business.
The placement has proved to be a success for both the employer and the students, with the young people demonstrating enthusiasm and adaptability in the workplace. Hamzah and Zaid are in the first year of their 2-year programme and began their T-Level industry placements in January and will continue with Red Rose into their second year.
Mark, CEO at Red Rose said “We wanted to get involved with T Levels as we saw we could utilise young people’s skills in areas we were lacking in the business. It meets our social corporate responsibilities and fulfils our role as being part of the community. Personally, I get a lot out of the students being here, not only for using their technical skills but also having a different perspective from my colleagues and making it work for us as a business.”
When discussing the project, the students worked on, Mark explained “Students were tasked with making the website more appealing to the younger generation and improving the social media presence to increase activity. Both of which have been a great success! My colleagues and I have been delighted with the valuable input the students provided.”
The students have gained valuable insights and practical skills from working in a professional environment.
Reflecting on his experience so far, Zaid said, “I was apprehensive at first, but the employer’s been really supportive, and you get the chance to cover a lot of different areas. My experience has confirmed my intention to progress onto an apprenticeship in design and web development, hopefully with Red Rose."
The benefits students find in a T-Level include an early introduction to the knowledge, technical skills and attitudes needed to progress in skilled employment while gaining a qualification equivalent to three A-Levels.
Red Rose Assurance have said they’d be delighted in continuing industry placements next year, praising the enthusiasm and adaptability both Zaid and Hamzah have shown so far.
Are you an employer interested in getting involved with Industry Placements?
To contact the T Levels team at Blackburn College email workplacements@blackburn.ac.uk for more information.
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