T Levels Week: Workplace Wednesday

Welcome to Workplace Wednesday, a day dedicated to celebrating employers and the vital role they play in developing future talent! 

Flexibilities within the T Level Industry Placement framework are making it easier than ever for employers and providers to design placements that work for local circumstances. Providers can now make greater use of collaborative placements involving multiple employers, remotely delivered activities, employer-led small team projects and skills hub models, helping unlock opportunities that may previously have been difficult to deliver.

We are delighted to see providers and employers across the country making use of these flexibilities to expand access, engage more businesses and give students meaningful experiences that prepare them for employment - here are some examples:

Tech Cornwall- greater use of multiple SME employers to overcome rurality challenges

Tech Cornwall has developed an innovative collaborative placement model to help small digital businesses overcome barriers to offering industry placements. Over two academic years, the organisation hosted 18 Digital T Level students from two local providers, acting as a lead employer that coordinated placements, supervised students and provided a professional working environment.

Local digital SMEs contributed genuine commercial projects, including website development and app creation, which students delivered under Tech Cornwall’s supervision. SMEs remained involved through project briefings, progress reviews and feedback sessions.

The model enables small businesses to benefit from fresh talent and innovative solutions without hosting a placement independently. It also addresses challenges common in rural areas, where many digital businesses operate remotely or lack dedicated office space.

For students, the approach provides experience of working with multiple clients, developing technical skills, confidence and professional networks. Providers benefit from a scalable and repeatable model that expands placement capacity while maintaining high-quality employer engagement. Following a successful Gatsby Foundation-funded pilot, plans are in place to support future cohorts.

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust- greater use of small team projects in an NHS context to unlock additional placement opportunities

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust has successfully used the flexibilities to deliver employer-led small-team projects, creating additional placement opportunities for Health T Level students while building their confidence and workplace readiness.

Working with Hartlepool College of Further Education, the Trust developed projects based on realistic patient scenarios. Rather than entering clinical settings immediately, students worked collaboratively to complete employer-designed tasks that developed clinical knowledge, professional behaviours and problem-solving skills.

Supported by the Trust’s education faculty and aligned to the T Level curriculum, the model provides students with meaningful exposure to healthcare environments while allowing employers to engage larger numbers of learners in a structured way.

The pilot began with just three students and has since expanded significantly. Around 100 students are expected to participate in small-team projects this year, demonstrating how the flexibility can help employers scale placement opportunities while maintaining high-quality learning experiences. The model has strengthened links between education and healthcare employers and created a sustainable pipeline of future talent for the sector.

Sunderland College- greater use of small team projects in safety-critical environments where traditional placements might be more challenging

Sunderland College has successfully used employer-led small-team projects to provide meaningful industry experiences for T Level students while responding to differing employer needs.

Working with Singer Machines Ltd and Northern Gas Networks, the College developed two distinct project models. Singer Machines brought an existing business challenge, while Northern Gas Networks worked with the College to design a project suitable for a safety-critical environment where traditional placements can be more difficult to deliver.

Across the projects, 33 T Level students participated in employer-led activities, supported by the College’s Skills Development Coach. Employers remained closely involved throughout, setting industry challenges, providing technical expertise and giving direct feedback to students.

The projects enabled students to apply their technical knowledge in real-world contexts, develop workplace behaviours and gain insight into industry expectations. Employers benefited from engagement with future talent and fresh perspectives on business challenges.

All participating students successfully completed their placement requirements, while almost 97% progressed into positive destinations, including apprenticeships, higher education, employment and the Armed Forces, demonstrating the value of flexible placement models in supporting successful outcomes.

Hull City Council- greater use of multiple employer partnerships and work taster activities to expose students to a wider range of career pathways

A partnership between Hull City Council, Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust and Wyke College demonstrates how collaborative approaches can create high-quality health and care placement opportunities at scale.

Students benefit from a structured programme that combines induction activities with experiences across Community and Learning Disability services, Family Hubs, Residential Care and Day Services. Through joint planning and preparation, including health and safety training, risk assessments and professional expectations, students develop essential workplace skills while gaining insight into a wide range of career pathways.

The partnership allows employers to engage with emerging talent and support workforce development across the local health and care system, while providing learners with meaningful experiences across multiple settings.

The programme has delivered exceptional outcomes, with all participating students progressing into higher education and professional training routes. Destinations include Adult Nursing, Child Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Midwifery and Nursing Associate pathways at universities including Hull, Sheffield, Leeds, Sunderland and Edge Hill.

The model shows how collaborative delivery can strengthen local talent pipelines, support social mobility and help address future workforce needs across the health and care sector.

Reaseheath College- greater use of multiple employers to unlock placement opportunities with employers who would otherwise not be engaged

Reaseheath College are using increased industry placement flexibility to expand opportunities for students studying T Level Agriculture and T Level Animal Management and Behaviour, while engaging a broader range of employers. Employers in both sectors vary considerably in size, location, specialism and capacity. Previously, finding a single employer able to provide the full placement experience was challenging, particularly among smaller family farms and specialist animal care organisations.

The removal of limits on the number of employers involved will allow the College to combine complementary experiences across several settings. Agriculture students could undertake most of their placement on a livestock farm, alongside experience with contractors, machinery businesses or specialist enterprises. Animal Management students could similarly access opportunities across welfare organisations, specialist providers and other care settings.

This approach enables smaller employers to share their expertise and support future talent without hosting an entire placement. Students benefit from broader occupational exposure and a richer learning experience.

The flexibility also allows meaningful activity to take place within specialist college facilities, where appropriate. This can provide a familiar environment in which some students can build confidence before progressing into wider industry settings.

By combining employer experience, structured projects and specialist facilities, Reaseheath are widening access, strengthening employer networks and helping more students develop the skills and confidence needed to progress into employment.