Civil Service Organisations: T Level Industry Placement Journey - Commitment
Build a powerful case for hosting T Level students on industry placements
Outcome
The organisation is committed to hosting high-quality T Level industry placements, giving as many students as possible the opportunity to work, learn and prepare for the next step in their early career
Key Steps
- Why commit - Identify the main reasons for your organisation to host industry placements
- Who commits - Identify the roles and individuals whose support is essential
- What commitment looks like - Paint a convincing picture of an established, successful industry placement programme
Why commit
There are many good reasons why employers commit to T Levels and industry placements. These are the three reasons most often given by Civil Service organisations that are already committed:
1. Develop a talent pipeline
Industry placements help to:
- Identify young people who have a genuine interest in what the organisation does
- Give them opportunities to carry out administrative and executive officer roles and learn about employment in technical and professional roles
- Help them make an informed choice about the next step in their early career
- Provide a stepping stone to jobs and apprenticeships within the Civil Service and elsewhere
2.Develop the workforce
They help to:
- Fill skills gaps and tackle skills shortages
- Provide fresh ideas and perspectives from the younger generation
- Increase workforce diversity and contribute to greater social mobility
- Meet the demographic challenge by increasing the proportion of civil servants aged under 30
- Give non-managerial staff the chance to learn valuable skills by mentoring students
3. Develop links with and give back to local communities
They help to:
- Widen participation and improve social mobility, especially in areas of high deprivation where Civil Service teams are often located
- Promote greater awareness of how Civil Service organisations contribute to the local area
- Build its reputation among young people, parents and carers, education providers, employers and the public
Examples
The Government Digital and Data Academy has been leading the way in industry placements for the ONS. Its Chief Digital & Information Officer is incredibly supportive of building entry level pipelines into the Government Digital and Data profession within the organisation, and the Academy is working closely with the ONS Entry Talent team to provide opportunities for people from all backgrounds to join the organisation in these roles.
The ONS currently has three T Level students on the Digital Support course. Civil Service commission approval has been gained to convert the students who successfully complete their T Level qualification to a fixed-term Administrative Officer apprenticeship, so they will continue to contribute to the target in future.
Further resources
- Blog - how might industry placements contribute to the development of your workforce?
- Exploring the benefits and costs of an industry placement
- Exception 2/ Life Chances Programmes
Who commits
Commitment is needed from all areas of the organisation to be meaningful.
1. Senior leaders – Includes Senior Civil Service
Senior leaders can:
- Give their backing to T Levels and industry placements by linking them to strategic business goals and priorities
- Inspire and motivate the organisation to value highly the contribution it makes by offering industry placements to as many young people as possible
- Underline their importance to the organisation’s long-term future
- Host celebrations and external stakeholder events
- Sponsor the industry placement programme from the top
2. Operational managers – Includes Senior Executive Officer/Higher Executive Officer in operational roles
Operational managers can:
- Support the development of an industry placement programme in their department, team and area
- Allocate resources needed to start and sustain the programme
- Prioritise locations and teams to host placements in the early stages
- Identify opportunities to expand the programme to meet the organisation’s workforce needs and broader priorities
- Celebrate successes
3. Human Resource and Learning & Development managers – Includes Senior Executive Officer/Higher Executive Officer in HR and learning and development roles.
HR and L&D managers can:
- Set up and manage the industry placement programme
- Support operational areas to plan and host students
- Provide a central support function and resource bank
- Build partnerships with schools, colleges and other T Level providers
- Analyse data, monitor the performance of the programme and report to senior colleagues
- Share good practice among the teams and individuals involved
- Communicate key messages across the organisation
4. Line managers, supervisors and mentors – Includes Executive Officer in team-leading roles.
Line managers, supervisors and mentors can:
- Prepare and host placements
- Support students
- Review progress and achievements
Further resources
Roles and responsibilities – supporting learners on their placement
What commitment looks like
Commitment more often happens as an evolution than a ‘big bang’. For many employers, Civil Service organisations included, the journey starts with a small number of individuals who see the value of T Levels and industry placements and try them out, usually on a small scale.
Their experience provides both a proof of concept and a platform for the industry placement programme to grow. Early success, driven by the energy and resourcefulness of a small group, transmits the message to the wider organisation that industry placements are well worth doing. And the processes put in place during a small-scale pilot provide the platform on which others can build.
Employers that are committed to T Levels and industry placements share some common characteristics.
They are:
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Ambitious for young people’s future
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Open to students from all backgrounds
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Able to see T Levels and industry placements as an integral part of workforce planning and early careers
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Willing to try out new forms of engagement internally and externally, especially with providers
They have:
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A T Level champion (or more than one) who drives the industry placement programme from the start
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A dedicated team to manage the programme and help it to grow
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Departments and teams across the organisation that are willing to host students
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Experience with apprenticeships and other early career programmes
As might be expected in the department responsible for young people’s education and training, there’s a strong belief throughout the DfE in the value of T Levels and the role they play in making a difference and changing lives.
This belief translates into a strong commitment to hosting industry placements in the DfE itself. Having piloted a small group of students through their T Level course and seen first-hand how industry placements work on the ground, the department has now set itself a target of 100 placements every year.
Commitment to this ambition comes right from the top, which means that the whole organisation is engaged in meeting the target and delivering exemplary high-quality placements. The team managing the programme on the ground provides regular reports and dashboards to senior leaders, who take a close interest in progress.
For ONS, T Levels are one of several developments in early careers. Others include apprenticeships, in-house development programmes, SWE graduate programme, Network 75 scheme in Wales (combining a part-time work placement with studying for a degree) and Life Chances schemes.
Further resources
Are we ready to offer industry placements? Checklist and action plan
Last updated:
The DWP Digital Academy’s industry placement programme creates opportunities for young people from a wide range of backgrounds to consider a career in the department.
Students who are successful in their placement and show a high standard of work may meet the criteria for a two-year fixed term as social mobility apprentices, after which they can apply as normal for permanent posts.
This route uses the Civil Service Commission’s Exception 2/ Life Chances Programmes, under which departments may appoint individuals temporarily for up to two years. An internal business case is also required to clarify the business need for each placement.