Blackburn College hosts T level day during National Apprenticeship Week

Blackburn College hosted a T Level day to raise awareness amongst employers and students of the range of industry linked courses.

 T Levels can be a gateway to apprenticeships, offering a combination of classroom learning and a 45-day industry placement, making them a perfect bridge between education and employers.

 16 year old Layla Patel, is in her first year as a T Level student at Blackburn College, studying design, surveying and planning in the Construction School.

 As part of her studies, Layla is on work placement learning about the role of a quantity surveyor, with one of the UK’s leading construction firms, BAM.

 The company is leading the multi million pound restoration project of the iconic Victoria Building in Blackburn, one of the largest projects of its kind in the country.

 Nestled close to Blackburn College, Victoria Building will become an adult learning centre and community hub once completed in 2026.

 Layla said: “I walked past this building every day going into College and always thought how big and impressive it looked with all the scaffolding and work that is going on.

 “I never thought I would actually be able to see what it is like inside and to work on the project and go to the top of the building.”

 In her first week on site, Leila was introduced to apprentice surveyor Jordan Winter who will be mentoring her throughout her experience with BAM.

 "It has been amazing to be able to learn so much about the different roles in construction. It has enabled me to solidify my ambition to become a quality surveyor”.

 “That is what I want to do as a career. My aim is to continue from T level onto doing a degree apprenticeship course and hopefully work with BAMN in the future”.

 Mark Hardisty from BAM, is project manager on the Victoria Building redevelopment. “There is a skills shortage in the construction industry. It is very good to see T Levels being facilitated across the wider business.”

 Mark explained how T Levels are an important part of BAM’s commitment to social values as the business looks at ways to bring T level students like Layla into the workplace, helping to create a pipeline for bringing in skilled people.

 Gretel Redwood is head of technical studies at the college and works closely with employer's like BAM to give T level students the real life work experience.

 Gretel said: “T Levels are an important part of a student's career journey and can often be the beginning of a route into a higher-level apprenticeship or degree course for example, which we know is where Layla is aiming to take her studies following her T Level in Design, Surveying and Planning.

 "Being mentored by an apprentice surveyor during her work experience with BAM is a brilliant way for Layla to gain first-hand experience of the construction industry. T Level courses are designed in collaboration with employers, so our students and apprentices emerge job ready”.