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College group plan for the workforce of the future

Education Partnership North East (EPNE) is preparing young people for the future workforce when they launch the brand-new T Level qualifications this September.

The qualifications, that will be offered at Sunderland College and Hartlepool Sixth Form, will train young people for working in various sectors. From 2021 the qualifications will focus on building services engineering for construction; design, surveying and planning for construction; healthcare adult nursing; digital production, design and development; education and childcare and laboratory science industries, with more to be introduced next year.

T Levels are the new Level 3 technical qualifications, equivalent to 3 A-Levels and designed with leading employers to ensure they meet future skills needs.

The qualification includes a 45-day industry placement, which will take place in an employer or industry setting relating to the student’s course and career aspirations.

Industry placements can hugely benefit businesses by giving early access to new talent, a channel for future recruitment and increased productivity.

Employers are eligible for a £1,000 payment from the Government for each T Level placement up to 20 placements until July 2022.

Placement is an important element of the qualifications and required for the student to complete their studies. Students will usually attend their placement setting for 1-2 days per week and students will be equipped with mandatory placement requirements including DBS certificates, CSCS cards and uniform.

EPNE are looking for employers across the region who would be interested on providing a T Level placement and encourage them to get in touch to find out more.

In preparation for the new T Levels the college group have been working with a number of employers on a pilot scheme with placement opportunities and have great success with many students becoming fully employed at the end of their placement in various industries.

Reanna Wilson (pictured) is currently studying to become an electrician at Sunderland College. She was given the opportunity to put her training into practice on a brand-new housing development, by securing a placement with leading energy, services and regeneration company ENGIE.

Victoria Moyse, Work Experience and Placement Lead at Education Partnership North East said: “We are committed to supporting our students to get career ready and develop the technical and work-based skills which employers are looking for. Industry work placements give our students both the edge in the jobs market and an exciting insight into their future careers.

“The new T Level qualifications offer students the knowledge and experience required for skilled employment, further study or higher apprenticeships, while the industry placements provide real hands-on experience allowing learners to put into practice the skills developed in college and make a meaningful contribution to employers.”

Sunderland College’s Bede Campus will see completion of a multi-million-pound redevelopment to build a brand-new digital innovation centre delivering the workers of tomorrow through new T Level qualifications. The 360-degree immersive visualisation dome will allow students to train in a number of virtual reality scenarios.

Employers who are interested in offering a placement opportunity and want to find out more can visit the EPNE website or get in touch with Victoria Moyse, Work Experience and Placement Lead, by telephone 0300 770 8000, email victoria.moyse@sunderlandcollege.ac.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Education Partnership North East .