How Chelmsford College and Essex County Council are working together to prepare young learners for the future

Hear from the college, the council and learners on how the Management and Administration T Level is creating new opportunities

T Levels were introduced with the goal of getting young learners ready for the next step in their lives and careers, whether that is moving on to an apprenticeship or degree course or entering the workforce. By combining course content that instils a breadth of knowledge with an industry placement that allows learners to put their new skills into practice, T Levels build graduates with an understanding of their sector and the realities of working life.

As they reach the end of the first year of delivery for the Management and Administration T Level, the learners and tutors at Chelmsford College and the Essex County Council staff responsible for managing learner industry placements are already seeing the hard work they have put into the course pay off.

Choosing T Levels and identifying the right pathway

Deciding on T Levels and then selecting the right pathway either as a provider or as a learner requires a lot of thought and for Chelmsford College the decision to offer the Management and Administration pathway was based on a number of key factors.

Rebecca Leech, Head of Department at the college explained: “We always try to develop a curriculum that suits the local employer needs. So we identified the need for management qualifications and that's why we selected this T Level.”

Rebecca also referenced the content of the T Level as a significant factor in the college’s decision. “The programme content is very exciting. The management aspects, the specialism aspects are very insightful for the learners in terms of how they can use those skills in the workplace. Both lecturers that deliver on the programme and myself have been very excited to bring back the skills that we've had when we've worked in industry before.”

This ability of T Levels to suit both the capacity of the college and the needs of the region that it serves makes them appealing to learners as well as staff. One student, Reuben, highlighted the industry placement as a key influence in his choice to complete a T Level: “I chose the T Level because it offered something that a lot of other courses didn't; the work placement. I felt that it set me up better in comparison to other courses.”

Enabling successful T Level delivery

With new course content to get to grips with and placements to organise, Rebecca and her team had to begin preparations early. “The delivery plan took over one academic year. We had members of staff that went on T Level training opportunities to ensure that they had good insight. We also worked with other colleges [who were already running the programme] to see what they had done, and then developed a plan of how we would deliver the curriculum.”

This process also involved working with employers while looking at the regions Local Skills Improvement Plan (LSIP) to find out what the work environment would be like for learners on placement. By prioritising the planning stage and building strong relationships with the employers they would go on to work with, Chelmsford College put themselves into the best possible position to successfully deliver the Management and Administration T Level to learners.

“T Levels do differ slightly from other qualifications that we run here at the college,” Rebecca explained. “In terms of the delivery time, there is a lot more time spent in the classroom. The teaching itself is slightly different because we are working in an office environment, and we have a different set of standards in terms of expectations. We're already setting the tone for the workplace.”

Industry placement

With learners identifying the industry placement as a significant reason for their choice to complete a T Level, finding the best way to integrate this placement into the course has been vital to the success of delivery. Done right, the 45-day placement helps learners to develop their skills with support from industry experts while learning about the expectations and responsibilities in place in a working environment.

Johanna Smith, the Entry to Work Manager for Essex County Council who works with T Level learners on their placements has seen the value of this firsthand. “By having the students on a 45-day placement, it has allowed us to give them much more of an in-depth experience. It's not just high level, like a week at work experience might do. It gives that in-depth knowledge and makes sure it's a meaningful experience for them.”

This extended timescale combined with an approach that focuses on making learners a real part of the team has provided a valuable opportunity for professional development for T Level learners. Reuben identified his placement at Essex County Council as a standout feature of the T Level. “The experience of being in an office space is something that none of the courses that I've come across have had. Being treated like an adult more, an equal, in a working environment is not something I've had before.”

This opinion was supported by fellow first year T Level learners. Edward, who is also on placement at the council, shared: “The placement has provided me with the opportunity to understand fully what goes on when working in an office environment.” While another student in their cohort, Daniel, referenced the important link between the placement and the teaching they are receiving in college: “What I'm learning in the classroom is helping with my work placement, especially the administrative side of my T Level. So, knowing how to act in a work environment as well as all the rules, regulations, all that stuff.”

Continuing to progress with support from City & Guilds

As the end of the first year of delivery approaches there is time for reflection from the college, the council and learners about the course so far and their plans for the future.

“I've felt like I've learned a lot and taken on the course quite well. I've really enjoyed the programme,” Reuben replied when asked about his experience. While Rebecca highlighted the value of the support received from City & Guilds in enabling their delivery: “City & Guilds have supported us. We have a good relationship with our external quality assurer (EQA), who has guided us towards the relevant training and resources that we need to help support delivery of the programme. City & Guilds have also supported with external opportunities to go and see other campuses that deliver the same programme.”

Learners and staff alike are also positive about the opportunities available for the future. Giving her view on the unique value of the Management and Administration T Level from an employer perspective, Johanna at Essex County Council explained: “The benefits for a student are vast. From things such as career progression, it gives the student a chance to have a choice of their destination when they finish their qualifications.”

Chelmsford College student Daniel agreed that the T Level structure is setting him up to progress into the world of work successfully, adding: “I would say it does give a bit of an advantage as you're getting the experience of working as well as learning,”

“The programme is very good at offering progression opportunities. We have a number of students that are already looking into university as an option, degree apprenticeships or going on to work with their employer that they've taken their placement with,” shared Rebecca, Head of Department at Chelmsford College.

And her final piece of advice to any other colleges looking to do T Levels? “Definitely take the leap. It was a very exciting journey, albeit hard work, but once that's in place, you've got a good plan in place, it should be an excellent course and I can honestly see the value for the learners.”

Find out more about the Management & Administration T Level