Early careers specialist Emma Simpson explains how they developed a T Level strategy to prepare students for their apprenticeship, meeting skills shortages in the construction industry.
The construction industry is in the midst of a skill shortages, with more people leaving the industry than joining.
In my previous role at ISG Ltd I headed up the early careers team and part of my remit was developing a T Level strategy that would feed our apprenticeship programme.
T Level model
We had to think creatively to engage and recruit our future workforce and saw the introduction of T Levels as an ideal pipeline of talent.
In 2020 we took on our first T Level students and saw them as a vital model to bridge the gap between education and employment.
A 45-day work placement gave students an opportunity to experience the industry and career opportunities while enabling us to get to know the students - almost a ‘try before you buy’ method for both us and the student.
After the success of our first few placements our T Level programme became part of our sustainable talent pipeline and we introduced a structured recruitment model that aligned to our apprenticeship recruitment.
Developing a consistent and quality experience
To ensure a consistent and quality experience for students across all our sites, we designed a structured programme that complemented classroom learning, allowing students to apply their theoretical knowledge with real hands-on experience.
We created processes for student selection, designed placement workbooks and provided support mechanisms for stakeholders.
All T-level students were given a supervisor, line manager and a buddy (often an apprentice) who would support them throughout their time on site. We delivered training and produced guidance documents, which provided clear expectations on the individual roles.
We developed an enhanced recruitment process for all T Level opportunities to mirror that already used for our apprenticeship recruitment.
Our process consisted of three stages: an online application, online tests and a face-to-face interview.
We wanted to give all candidates the opportunity to experience an application process in a ‘safe environment’ so we ran workshops on CV and job application writing, psychometric testing and interview techniques to help build their confidence and prepare them for life after T Levels.
Throughout our journey we had many bumps in the road but worked with colleges to overcome these to ensure that we delivered a T Level programme that gave students an unbeatable experience.
Meeting challenges
T Levels are designed for industry by industry, and collaboration between employers and education is essential in creating a successful programme.
We were delivering T Level programmes across England and working with a large number of schools and colleges proved challenging at times.
We found that there was little consistency among training providers regarding their expectations on the delivery and structure of work placements. Some required one day a week on site, whilst others were looking for block release at specific points throughout the two years.
Working in construction, there are rigorous health and safety requirements, such as the need for a CSCS card before being allowed on site. We supported students in applying for and achieving these.
In addition to these requirements, having under 18s on placement with us meant enhancing our safeguarding measures; supervisors were DBS checked, and risk assessments were signed by placement students and their guardians.
Despite these additional hurdles, we recognised the long-term value of offering T Level placements and saw them as an ideal solution to build a pipeline of young talent that could feed into our apprenticeship programme.
Apprenticeship talent pipeline
We used the 45-day work placement as an opportunity to interview students over a prolonged period of time.
At the end of the placement, if a student could demonstrate that they had broadened their behavioural and technical knowledge, had a good understanding of the industry as a whole and could highlight the experience they had gained on site through the completion of workbooks/the writing of a diary and an end of programme presentation, then we would look to offer them an apprenticeship opportunity.
This was a conditional offer, subject to them meeting the entry requirements for the relevant standard set by government. For those who were not looking for an apprenticeship, we provided support on writing job and university applications.
A win-win situation
We believe that our T Level programme offered significant advantages to both us as an organisation and those on the programme.
For us as an employer it offered:
- A reliable talent pipeline for our apprenticeship programme
- Cost-effective recruitment - we had a pipeline of students from the colleges we worked with that could enhance our pool of candidates
- Development opportunities for existing staff who could gain management and mentorship skills
- Support of our corporate social responsibility goals, including improving our diversity and other social value initiatives
Students gained invaluable real-world experience, allowing them to:
- Better understand industry roles and career pathways
- Improve academic performance through practical application of skills
- Build networks and secure mentorships
- Strengthen their applications for apprenticeships or higher education
We found that T Levels were an effective model for equipping placement students with the skills needed to succeed in the workplace and provided us with a skilled and motivated talent pool.
Over four years we refined our offering to align it closer to our apprenticeship programme, ensuring that we were delivering a consistent recruitment experience at all points of entry while developing a skilled, diverse and resilient workforce for the future.