EDUCATION
Apprentice Harees Hussain ( centre ) with Neal Robinson of Geoffrey Robinson and Katharine Hawking of Middlesbrough College .
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T Levels could solve skill shortages , says college group
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Levels could be the solution to the skills shortage facing the engineering and construction sectors – that ’ s the message from businesses across the region already reaping the rewards .
The new pioneering technical qualifications are designed in collaboration with employers and include an industry placement of at least 45 days – helping learners gain valuable experience in the workplace alongside their studies . Industry placements feature sector-specific learning programmes so students can hit the ground running once they start fulltime roles .
As one of only a handful of UK institutions first selected to deliver T Levels , Middlesbrough College has already been training hundreds of young people in a range of sectors , from childcare and digital , to construction and science .
And it ’ s not just students who are benefitting from the programme .
With the focus on hands-on experience , T Level industry placements offer a unique opportunity for employers who want to shape the way young people are trained to meet their future needs .
One Teesside business already benefitting is mechanical , electrical and construction contractor Geoffrey Robinson .
The Billingham-based employer has worked with Northern Skills , the apprenticeship and training arm of Middlesbrough College , for more than three years to bring in a pipeline of talent .
Along with many others in the sector , the business had felt the impact of the skills shortage for several years , only to be heightened by the impact of Covid-19 . Managing director Neal Robinson said : “ More than 200,000 construction engineers have left the sector since the start of the pandemic , with almost half aged 45-55 . That ’ s on top of the pressures we already felt as a business when trying to recruit .
“ That ’ s why our partnership with Middlesbrough College Group is so important . As we continue to grow , making sure we have the right people with the right skills to help us achieve that is vital .
“ We see real value in bringing in industry placement students – they ’ re keen to learn and it ’ s a great stepping stone to an apprenticeship . In fact , we hope to take on at least 12 apprentices this year and are looking to develop our own training school .”
Following a successful T Level industry placement with Geoffrey Robinson , 19-year-old Harees Hussain was offered a full-time apprenticeship with the company , starting this September . Harees is currently studying a Building Service Engineering T Level , specialising in plumbing and heating engineering .
Neal added : “ Harees is a great example of a young , enthusiastic student who has embraced their placement and made a real impression .
“ Moving forward , we ’ re hoping to incentivise staff to mentor their own apprentice – giving the learner quality one on one time with our experienced team .”
As well as Harees , many other bright spark students are building exciting careers in the region and beyond through industry placements and apprenticeships with other leading companies such as Esh , Persimmon Homes , Northern Power Grid and HC Controls Ltd .
Middlesbrough College Group works with more than 2,000 employers to deliver various skills programmes . With strong industry links , its experienced team have trained more than 2,200 apprentices .
Katharine Hawking , head of work experience and T Level industry placements at Middlesbrough College , said : “ T Levels offer a unique proposition for employers , addressing the pain points that many report – including lack of handson experience .
“ The qualifications build on the idea of work experience by inviting learners to fully integrate themselves into the business – in turn , giving them more time to master essential skills and competencies .
“ Some of the next generation of business leaders will start their careers with T Levels .”
From September , Middlesbrough College will deliver T Levels in engineering , and is looking to speak with engineering and construction employers interested in finding out more about how they can support students , as well as how T Levels could help their business in 2022 .
Contact the Middlesbrough College Group Work Experience and T Level Industry Placements team at placements @ mbro . ac . uk
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