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Discover your future workforce by offering a work placement to our T Levels students. These new qualifications provide an alternative to A Levels and apprenticeships, setting learners up with the practical and technical skills needed for success in your workplace. T Levels combine classroom learning with a substantial learning placement – and that’s where you come in.
All T Level students will need to complete a placement that’s a minimum of 45 days long, giving them the opportunity to put their learning into practice. You can play a key role in a student’s personal and professional development by welcoming them into your team and providing the space for them to thrive.
How T Level placements work
Industry placements are at the heart of the success of the T Level programme. The North Hertfordshire College team will support you at every stage so that you can get the most from your placement student. Here’s how the process works, in five easy steps:
Step 1: Get in touch
Start the T Level placement process by contacting our team to start a conversation. We’ll discuss your business, our T Level offer, and our amazing students who are looking to launch their career.
It’s a good idea to start the conversation as early as possible, even if you’re still getting things in place.
Step 2: Meet our students
Once you’ve worked with our team to define your placement’s roles and responsibilities, we’ll start the process of finding a suitable student to join your business.
You’ll have the chance to interview any candidates and assess their skills to find a student that’s right for your business.
Step 3: Plan your placement
We’ll work with you to agree the dates and times that work best for everyone and pin down the final details, such as the work project, how often the student will join you, and if and how you’d like to pay the student.
We’ll also support you in understanding your responsibilities and arranging practicalities like insurance and risk assessments.
Step 4: The placement in action
It’s a good idea to assign someone in your team to act as a mentor or manager during the placement so that you can track the student’s progress against their objectives.
But don’t worry – we’ll be on hand to help with any questions or issues that might crop up.
Step 5: End-of-placement review
To wrap the placement up, you’ll take part in an end-of-placement review with the student and our team. This is your chance to chat about your experience and give your placement student constructive feedback to help them plan their next career steps and reflect on their experience.
Download our guidelines for hosting an industry placement learner –Â Guidelines – hosting an industry placement learner for the first time
T Level sectors at North Hertfordshire College
We’re currently running a number of T Level programmes across a range of sectors, with further programmes being added each academic year. You can find our full T Level offer on our T Level page.
The UK Government have put together guidance on how your business can play an important role in skills development through offering industry placements. Click on the button below to view the relevant information for your sector.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Two year programme.
- This is equivalent to 3 x A Levels.
- Student spends 80% of the time at college – The programme imbeds knowledge, working through units in their occupational specialism and core skills. Students are set external exams/assignments and set project towards their qualification.
- Student spends 20% of their time on placement in the workplace – developing technical, knowledge and practical skills for successful employment. (A mandatory minimum of 315 hours of placement must be achieved as part of the qualification.)
- Progression routes for students to University (UCAS points), skilled employment, higher level apprenticeships and technical training.
- Students are 16-19 years of age on programme.
- This is a long-term unpaid work experience. Minimum 315 hours (approximately 40-55 Days).
- Students to work 1 day per week around college timetable. Students can additionally do extra days during block weeks in the college calendar.
- The placement takes place in a real workplace environment with an employer. The placement is not delivered or supported online.  Twenty percent of student’s placement hours can be done remotely for some subjects only.
- The placement provides a meaningful contribution to the organisation. For example, students taking ownership of a real-time business project. The tutor can offer guidance here.
- Placements develop student’s practical and technical skills.
- Start date of placement agreed between curriculum/employer. Students will require time to setline into their course and be fully prepared to start a placement.
- Students are treated like an employee of the business. Understanding H&S/Policy guidelines etc. A formal induction is advised – to take place at start date.
- You do not pay a wage. Some companies like to support students with travel costs/lunch. This is optional.
- Talent pipeline for the future
- A way to fill skills gaps now and in the future
- Build a more diverse workforce
- A chance for staff to develop supervisory and mentoring skills
- Fresh perspective and new ideas from the next generation of talented students. Young people have innovative and creative ideas, adding a different level of dynamism to a team.
- A helping pair of hands for your business.
- Improve the profile of your business in local community by supporting corporate social responsibility.
- Students have achieved 5 x GCSEs at Grades 5 or above. This includes Mathematics and English.
- Students possess a strong focus on developing their talents, as they strive towards their chosen career goals.
- Students embrace the opportunity of working with local companies, offering their growing personal skills and expertise, in exchange for experiencing a real insight into the world of work.
- Managers will be introduced to the roles and responsibilities of Tutor and Industry Placement Coordinator – who will be involved in the whole student journey within the organisation.
- Your dedicated Industry Placement Coordinator is your first point of contact for any queries and guidance.
- Reviews booked in advance by the curriculum between Manager/Student/Tutor to track student progress.
- Should your business circumstances change and you can no longer host a student, you should contact your Industry Placement Coordinator at the earliest.
- You will be provided an Agreement between your business, the college and the student. The Agreement will show details of the qualification, your job description(s), contact information for all three parties.
- The Industry Placement Coordinator will ensure your company Job Descriptions will be matched to the relevant T-Level qualification and delivery curriculum area.
- The college uses a software system called GROFAR. This is a monitoring system for T-Level students for recording their attendance. The system sends via email details of the student’s logged hours for your company confirmation.
- The college will carry out relevant Health and Safety (via GROFAR) before a student can begin a placement. You will be requested to have a current Employer Liability Insurance cover and Risk Assessments in place to cover working with young people.
- Discuss with the Tutor/Industry Placement Coordinator your preference for matching an ideal student to your job description.
- You are welcome to come into the college to meet our students to talk about your business and ask students to apply for your positions(s). Alternatively, students can be invited into your business. A recruitment process will be supported by the college.
- Alternatively, the tutor can match an ideal student to suit your business needs.
Discover your future workforce through T Levels
To start the process of a T Level industry placement, complete our contact form below and our team will get back to you.
Looking for more information?
The latest information about T Level placements and support for your business can be found on the UK Government’s website. There are a range of downloadable resources to help you plan your placement, understand your responsibilities, and the benefits that T Level placements can provide to your business.
The government also frequently run webinars, including sector-focused webinars, to share more information about T Levels and placements. These webinars are recorded and stored for you to watch on-demand, too.
More ways your business can support the next generation
North Hertfordshire College is always looking for more ways to bring our students together with employers to inspire and raise aspirations about their future careers.
Our Give a Future campaign is designed to give businesses a simple way to connect with our learners, whether that’s as a short guest speaker session through to apprenticeships and industry placements. Discover our full options on our Give a Future page.
