Posted by Devon Partnership Trust in News on 2nd December, 2024
T Levels Week, Monday 2 to Friday 6 December. #TLevelsWeek
This week, we proudly celebrate T Levels Week, highlighting the success of students who have completed or are undertaking industry placements with our organisation, in partnership with Exeter College and Petroc College.
Our involvement with T Levels began in 2022, offering Health placements. Since then, we’ve expanded to include placements in finance and business administration and are exploring additional T Level subjects to broaden opportunities further.
T Levels are two-year courses that young people can take following GCSEs. Broadly equivalent in size to three A levels and accruing UCAS points. T Levels were developed in collaboration with employers to ensure that students will be equipped with the skills they need. They offer a mixture of classroom learning and ‘on the job’ experience, with at least 45 days spent on an industry placement with an employer. With a T Level, students can progress straight onto skilled work, higher study or apprenticeships.
Industry placements are incredibly important to young people who choose T Levels, offering students real-world experience. By working with an organisation like ours, students practice their skills, learn teamwork and communication, and gain confidence while contributing meaningfully to the workplace. Find out more by watching a short T Levels - the next level qualification film.
Pauline Champion, Early Career and Volunteer Coordinator, said: "We’re really proud of our T Level students. They're moving on to such a wide range of next steps, including employment, apprenticeships, and higher education. Liv, one of our first Health T Level students, showcases this success. Now on the Registered Nurse Learning Disability Apprenticeship, Liv shares her success through local and national networks, including the ICS Placement Network at the Gatsby Foundation."
Since the implementation of the health qualification, we have hosted 47 students on insight weeks and seven going on to complete long placements. In addition, six business administration students have been hosted and we continue to find new departments and teams for the next cohort commencing their placements in February 2025.
Two of our current business administrative students share their experience and future career plans:
Della Norris, Vocational Services Manager and Occupational Therapist, commented: "It is so important to support these students, some of whom will be our future workforce. Not only do students bring new ideas and dynamics to our service but they learn so much on their placements and grow in confidence, gaining a better understanding of working in healthcare and helping to inform their career options."
Collaboration with colleges like Exeter College is pivotal for the success of industry placements and our future talent pipeline. Exeter College Industry Placement Liaisons share the importance of collaboration and the value of placements.
Tom O’Regan, Faculty of IT, Digital and Data
“The industry placement component of the T Level is of huge importance to our students and one of the key factors for them selecting to study the course. It allows them to develop their employability skills such as communication, self-management and team working. Alongside this, they develop technical knowledge and skills by working with DPT staff across the organisational structure. It is the third cohort that the DPT have supported Business Management and Administration T Level placements students, and the opportunities have continued to grow with the first two students graduating successful in June 2024.”
Moira, Faculty of Health
Industry Placement is essential for learners to enhance their skills, knowledge and understanding from staff at DPT who have a wealth of expertise and a passion for sharing the everyday experience of their professional working environment. Industry Placement is an integral part of the educational experience and as an Industry Placement Liaison Officer for T-Level Health students at Exeter College the collaboration between the College and DPT is vital in learner success to follow their career pathway for the future workforce of mental health in the Trust.”
Whilst taking into account the age of the students, we hope to expand our offer of placements to more teams going forward.