New T Levels are on their way at HSDC

Work has now started on the refurbishment of the new T Level facilities at @Be_HSDC in order to welcome the first cohort of students into the Construction, Digital and Education & Childcare T Levels this September. It is the only college in Hampshire to offer all three of these new qualifications. Mike Gaston, HSDC Principal and CEO, explains more about the redevelopment: “We are creating a dedicated space for each T Level which will reflect the industry into which students are preparing for entry, accommodate the specialist equipment, and enable our teaching staff to deliver high quality teaching and learning via digital technologies.”

Although the pandemic has had an impact across the educational landscape, HSDC feels the time is right and passionately believes that it is imperative to have facilities ready for those students who want what a T Level can offer – a mixture of state-of-the-art classroom learning with an on-the-job placement. T Levels at HSDC have been designed in conjunction with employers and businesses to meet the needs of industry.

Gillian Keegan MP, Minister for Apprenticeships and Skills, emphasized the importance of starting T Levels this autumn: “As I’ve mentioned before, we have been working closely with our 2020 T Level providers to assess the impact of COVID-19 and I am pleased that, despite the challenges of the current situation, 46 providers will continue with first teaching this September.”

Ashley Grute, Director of Curriculum, is excited about starting in September: “We have more than 50 applicants for the T Level courses. We have been in contact with all of them, giving them information about key employers for Industry Placements, an outline of the plan for delivery and information about new equipment purchased. 

“We have set up partner boards for each qualification, working with industry professionals to guide us and help us with the implementation of the T Level. With their advice, we have purchased state-of-the-art equipment which should equip our students with the right knowledge to gain employment at the end of their qualification. For example, we have purchased sophisticated 4k land surveying drones to be used by Construction T Level students for quantity surveying. For our Education & Childcare students, we have purchased RealCare Baby Infant Simulators, the world’s most advanced infant simulator used to teach early childhood, parenting and infant health.

“Work started on the refurbishment of the new T Level facilities in early June so that we will be ready to welcome students in September. For example, our digital IT classroom will be equipped with dual-screen high-end PCs. With these, students can do everything from learning to code to designing virtual and augmented reality environments for our virtual reality headsets. 

“We look forward to the start of these exciting new qualifications.”