BMet connects innovative students and employers at special T Level Suite launch

Technology-focused learners at Matthew Boulton College, part of BMet, had the opportunity to join forces with like-minded employers at an official T Level Suite launch.

Held at the college, the launch was a chance to showcase the purpose-built facility to students undertaking technical courses and to employers partnering with the college to provide work placements and career opportunities.

The event included a talk by T Level Lead, Derron Blunt, highlighting the college’s industry standard facilities which include cisco switches and routers, devices for hacking and IoT systems.

T Level students also gave personal insights into their positive experiences and journeys in a section about “My T Level Journey So Far” and Julia Von Klonowski, Digital Skills Consulting Director, gave an informed talk about T Levels from an employer perspective. She said:

“Digital Skills Consulting and The CyberHub Trust were thrilled to attend the launch of the new T-Level facility, part of BMet’s Digital Skills suite, and hear from some of the new students as they presented to us, and the other employers who attended.

“Working with BMet and the students over the past few years has been a privilege as has witnessing the care that the college gives to all their students. It was also a great privilege to be asked to `cut the ribbon’ of the new facility and get to watch the students as they showed us some of their newly acquired skills.”

In addition, students showcased their technical skills to employers in the Suite in a practical and networking session, alongside networking with employers.

Oliver Stokes, Director of Digital at Matthew Boulton College, who hosted the event said: “We were delighted to invite employers and members of our digital tech board to meet our T level students, coinciding with the formal opening of our T level digital suite.

“Our amazing students shared with us what they’d learned on their course so far both in terms of knowledge and skills relating to the course, but importantly they talked about the employability skills they’ve developed.

“Their enjoyment and engagement with the course shone through with every student, this was also evident when our visitors were able to talk to the students and see them working in the practical skills area.”

The event was a chance for students to further establish existing career-related connections, whilst forming new mutually beneficial relations with future employers, who with BMet work to design a work-ready curriculum.

Here is what some of the enthusiastic participants had to say:

Patrik, T Level Student: “Choosing to do a T Level course was a good decision for me. For example, I now have confidence to make mistakes and problem solve. I have also developed resilience and learnt how IT skills link to the work environment.

“The event today helped me to share my experience of dealing with real life projects and issues and overcoming any challenges along the way.”

Zerubabel, T Level Student: “My experience has been really good. I have increased my personal development in so many ways. I now feel confident getting into a lab and doing things like building computers.

“Opportunities like today and being in touch with employers, also help me increase my networking. It was a good to connect with people today, who could be our future employers and to help them understand the industry from a student perspective.”

Porchevi, T Level Student: “I thoroughly enjoy the practical elements of my course, especially the work experience that I have gained with employers.

“There is a great benefit and need for T Levels. Working alongside employers and filling in industry shortage gaps is beneficial for both students and employers. The fact that this event brought likeminded people together was very valuable.”

Azeb, T Level Student: “My course gives me the opportunity to develop important practical skills which businesses need to thrive.

“I now feel more prepared for the future and have been able to improve on previous blind spots.

“Expressing my passion for cyber security, computing and business laws to employers at this event was good!”

Ann Ramsay, Vice President of Education at Advance:

“Our relationship with BMet is going from strength to strength and I was very pleased to be invited to come today.

“It was great to speak to our future leaders and future employers about their aspirations around the digital arena and IT. I am personally looking forward to collectively creating more opportunities to help students reach their goals.”

T Levels are two-year technical programmes, designed with employers, to give young people the skills that industries need. The ‘T’ stands for technical, and T Levels give 16- to 19-year-olds a technical alternative to A levels. One T Level is equivalent to 3 A levels.

You can find out more about the T Level courses that BMet offers on their website.