Industry placement stories: Benefits to students video transcript

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This video shows some of the ways in which T Level students benefit from spending time on industry placements with employers.

Nneka Smith – Cambridge University Hospitals

When students spend time here in the workplace, it's really beneficial for them because they get used to working hours, rather than students and study hours. They get used to workplace etiquette, so some of the unspoken rules that you know, everybody has in their places of work, but most importantly, they get to be in an environment where they see other professionals working.

So whenever we have students, we really do hope that they go on a journey from when they start to when they leave.

They're enthusiastic and excited, but also we're aware that they will be anxious and nervous and worried about what they're doing, and we hope by the end of their placement that they come in still with that enthusiasm, but with an understanding of what they're going to do each day, and therefore they can just crack on and do it. And they've taken on board their feedback in the guidance from their mentors and the things that they've learned, and they can put it all together and actually fulfil some of the duties that they're given.

Alister Broadberry – Morgan Sindall

The students I feel benefit in a variety of ways. You know the T levels, any educational experience is great, But it's not as great as the reality that we get on site. And whilst once the T level placements may have a specific focus, they will see so much more of the industry role on site, hopefully to inspire them to a wide range of careers that are available in construction. In relation to Pan, I'd like to see him end goal, get a job and you know that's the purpose of the placement his education is to follow through and have a career.

Sunny Bamra – Suffolk New College

One key thing that we notice is their behaviour. When they come into college, they are young and naïve. When you expose them to an adult environment, such as the construction sector, their attitudes change because they're amongst people that they will eventually be working alongside.

Pannaji – Design, surveying and planning for construction T Level student with Morgan Sindall

I definitely would consider Cam to be my mentor. He's taught me a lot about the industry. He's given me a lot of great advice on how to improve my knowledge, improve my skills, and just generally improve my progress into the industry.

Cam Ritchie – Morgan Sindall

Now he's you know I can leave him in the site office. I can go out to site. And if anyone comes asking for drawings, asking for queries from designers and he's there. He's taking them. He's if he's not answering anything, he's writing them down. He's straight on to me as soon as I'm back and he's saying Cam look, we need to sort this.

Phil Eves – BAM Construct UK

So the pathways, once they've done T Levels and many as we know, I think we would hope that they would you know, try and enrol on any of the employer boards level 4 apprenticeships or they can go and do a funded degree, or they can go and do their own degree.

Ahana - Design, surveying and planning for construction T Level student with Morgan Sindall

Well, I hope it's going to give me skills obviously. Since I get to see how works being done on site, I hope that I get an idea of what it might look like in the future for me. I wasn't that confident honestly last year, and I feel like this has really boosted my confidence, talking to new people and doing different things, it's really helped with that.

Andy Dennahy – CTECH business solutions

When the students come into work with us, they grow over time. When they first come in, they're very timid. They're not used to coming into a work environment with adults. They come from a school environment and working with their other students and their friends. And here they have to deal with the formality of the workplace.

Hannah Rumson – CTECH business solutions

Being on the work placement helps students when they're looking for a job because it gives them the skills and experience they need in order to even just get their foot in the door with companies and things. So even just having a professional appearance to staying on task.

Tom – Digital production, design and development T Level student with CTECH business solutions

I would say one of the best things about the course is definitely the work experience, because it really ties together all of the knowledge that I learn and puts like context behind it in a real life perspective

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Click on the links to see how employers and their staff benefit from industry placements as well.