Jenny Lewis, Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, met with students and talked with them about her own varied career path and how she hopes the students will find working in healthcare as rewarding as she does.
Jenny said: “You are the talent of our future. Set your vision as high as possible.”
She is excited for the Trust to be attracting so much local talent into healthcare career opportunities and praised the collaborative programme for providing this opportunity.
Alyana F., T-Level student, is thankful for the opportunity to work with patients and develop her skills through practical work.
Alyana said: “Practical experience gives me confidence in different situations and helps me develop interpersonal skills with patients.”
She plans to apply for a Clinical Support Worker apprenticeship next year. Another T-Level student, Anna H., hopes to get a paramedic or nursing apprenticeship with the Trust. Right now, she is excited to be gaining more knowledge, confidence and clinical skills in a practical environment.
Anna said: “Technical education is my style of learning; this course is a nice balance between learning and theory—and using all the equipment is fun!”
The Technical Levels (T-Levels) programme was introduced in September 2020 following the 2016 Sainsbury Review which found there was a need to improve and simplify technical education in England and validate its equivalence to A levels. T-levels are a two-year post-16 programme that is equivalent to three A-levels. The first year includes classroom instruction and exams; the second year is a mix of classroom and placements.
The healthcare industry placements are a compulsory component of the T-Levels programme and placing students within the Trust helps them to develop their knowledge and skills within an acute healthcare setting and exposes them to a real workplace. The 25 students will rotate across 18 wards to gain experience in a variety of care settings.
With the support and guidance of their Senior Clinical Support Worker buddies on the wards, the students apply theoretical knowledge they gain in the classroom to real life clinical practice settings.
Tom Riley is one of the Learning Facilitators who supports T-Level students on the wards. He praised the enthusiasm of the students and their interest in the practical work.
Tom said: “This is a good way for future development in the workforce. Students’ knowledge is solidified in the practical environment.”
The placements provide essential hands-on experience with medical equipment and further learning through interaction with patients and the team.
For students who plan to be future healthcare professionals, this industry placement experience improves their employability prospects. It helps them to broaden their career prospects by interacting with healthcare staff and wider multidisciplinary teams. Previous graduates went on to become Trainee Nursing Assistants, Staff Nurses or Clinical Support Workers.
The Trust has been supporting students to complete their T-level in Health since 2021. The WBL Team works with academic providers, Notre Dame Sixth Form College, Leeds City College and other Leeds employers—in a citywide partnership that exemplifies Living the Leeds Way.
The WBL team follows a series of processes to ensure that the T-Level students can attend their placements, and that students, patients and the work environment meet the health and safety requirements. They attend open evenings and parents’ evening at the colleges to represent the Trust’s placement opportunities and the value of working within the Trust.
Students in the featured image learn about catheters from Sakena Kome, Education Practitioner, Work Based Learning team, LTHT