Industry placement students have skills down to a T (Level)

SWITCHED ON: Jack Regan, left, and Oliver Sharp, both 16, from Fareham College, Fareham, south Hampshire. Both T Level students are on a 45-day industry placement at Fareham Innovation Centre, home to nearly 50 businesses. Jack is supporting CTECH Business Solutions and Oliver is working alongside Psion Vision.

Technical skills

Launched as a two-year course by the government in September 2020, focusing on vocational skills, T Levels provide a credible alternative to A Levels, allowing students to gain real-world experience while maintaining a high level of academic study.

All T Level programmes are equivalent to 3 A Levels and allow progression onto university, higher apprenticeships or into the workplace.

Fareham Innovation Centre, home to nearly 50 businesses, and Fareham College forged a partnership to place students at eight companies on site.

Stephen Brownlie, Centre Director, said: “We’ve received great feedback from our customers on the work the students are doing for them on industry placements.”

Great feedback

“Students have got stuck in and are learning essential skills as well as providing next-generation insights.

“Young adults are also learning the soft skills that are part and parcel of daily working life, such as how to communicate effectively with colleagues and customers and the importance of research and development, marketing and sales.

“From a broader perspective, having these new skills may well put students in a better position when applying for future jobs.

Competitive jobs market

“Official figures show that total UK population aged 16 to 24 has been declining in recent years, meaning increased competition for jobs due to a smaller labour pool for employers and exacerbated by a well-documented national skills shortage.”

Next to Solent Airport at Lee-on-the-Solent, near Gosport, Fareham Innovation Centre has 55 offices, 20 light manufacturing and engineering workshops and a meeting and conference centre.

Companies on-site include ones from the aerospace, aviation, advanced manufacturing and marine sectors.

Innovation driver

TABLE TORQUE: Stephen Brownlie, Centre Director, Fareham Innovation Centre, by Solent Airport in south Hampshire.

Stephen, pictured, said: “Innovation is the driver in these sectors – the T Level students are getting a superb understanding of the painstaking work that goes on behind the scenes into concepts, product development and sales.”

Fareham Innovation Centre already runs a successful knowledge transfer partnership with regional universities, with undergraduates supporting companies with internships and other on-site support.

The Innovation Centre also has strong links with adjacent CEMAST campus, Fareham College’s Centre of Excellence in Engineering, Manufacturing and Advanced Skills Training, and CETC campus, Fareham College’s Civil Engineering Training Centre.

Both sites look set to welcome further T Level provisions in the upcoming years as the government introduce qualifications in engineering, manufacturing, surveying and planning.

“Engaging, productive partnership”

Anoushka Ottley, Managing Director for Business, Partnerships and Commercial at Fareham College, said: “The placement of T Level students at various companies working out of Fareham Innovation Centre is an inspirational example of an engaging, productive partnership between industry and education locally.

“We are grateful to the thriving centre and its occupiers for showing our students the ropes in such a professional, supportive and dynamic environment.”

As well as T Level students completing industry placements, several students undertaking Level 3 qualifications at Fareham College are also supported in gaining work experience through the Innovation Centre.

Fareham College offers a variety of Level 3 qualifications in technical, vocational and practical subjects. Level 3 is equivalent to A Level qualifications.