Overview
System colleagues play a vital role in helping organisations facilitate and upscale T Level industry placements. They foster collaboration among stakeholders, including employers and education providers, to streamline the placement process and ensure best practices are shared. By aligning placements across the system, they reduce duplication and provide clarity and develop standardised approaches such as shared induction processes and consistent policies.
System colleagues can offer guidance and resources to help organisations effectively implement T Level industry placements, assisting with planning, administrative tasks, and compliance. They also engage young people by promoting T Level industry placements, organising events and raising awareness and interest.
This comprehensive support helps build a skilled and motivated workforce for the future.
This handbook explores how those working at a system level can upscale T Level industry placements in their system. It focuses on establishing the role of a system, the documents to support T Level industry placements and how to engage education partners and other colleagues.
Introduction
From 2023 – 2025 the Department for Education has funded industry placement coordinators (IPCOs) in seven integrated care systems (ICSs) across England to support upscaling of T Level industry placements. We spoke to these coordinators to learn how to improve placement delivery and support colleagues, so students and employers have the best placement experience.
This handbook will support systems, regardless of locality, resources or dedicated T Level staffing, to upscale industry placement delivery. It is intended to be used by those working at a system-level, who are implementing and upscaling T Level industry placement delivery. Each system partner will require differing levels of support, depending on current infrastructure, upscaling ambitions and previous history of offering T Level industry placements.
For employers looking at the first steps to hosting industry placements, or considering upscaling the number of placements on offer, we have developed a T Level hub with guidance and case studies to support you with your industry placement journey.
Support from the Department for Education
The DfE has a range of materials for employers to support their placement journey. This includes guidance on planning the content of an industry placement, a guide on the type of delivery approaches systems can take and support with how to manage young people who, in many cases, will be in a professional work environment for the first time. There is also specific support for the health and care sector, where most placements are likely to be in health and science.
"T Level students bring a fresh perspective and an eagerness to learn. Feedback shows that T Level industry placements benefit not just the students, but those mentoring them, boosting team morale. Also worthy of mention is the positive impacts in terms of supporting staff with patient-centred care." – Chiamaka Kennedy, IPCO, Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS
The system as a driver of T Level industry placements
For those working at a system level, a systematic approach can help create a strategy for upscaling industry placements. This means setting the direction and encouraging stakeholder collaboration among organisations that have established T Level industry placements already, like larger NHS trusts. Smaller organisations, which may not initially have the necessary structures in place, will benefit from a more in-depth package of support and there may be areas of the system which have no exposure to T Levels.
Objectives and measures of success
System colleagues should set their success criteria based on workforce needs, the local context and the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, before looking at the specifics of industry placements. This will be system-specific but could involve onboarding new employers, upscaling of placements with current partners or expanding into new areas.
Initial analysis
Those working at a system level can start with a situational analysis using a questionnaire to gauge stakeholders’ understanding of T Levels and current industry placement provisions. This will help identify workforce supply needs.
The analysis results will set a baseline for future conversations and can then be used to inform the objectives and success measures.
Adapting to needs of employers
Once you have engaged with business partners from across each organisation, you should identify and adapt support based on the results. This support could include the creation of resources and a standardised memorandum of understanding and establishing an employer network to share best practices and concerns.
Employers may want the system colleagues to host practical events to raise T Level awareness, such as webinars, lunch and learn sessions or direct engagement with ward managers. We recommend asking colleagues currently hosting placements to share their insights on the benefits of hosting a T Level student. This also allows local-level concerns to be addressed.
Engaging with providers
At a system level, engaging with providers, either ad hoc or through structured forums, ensures consistency, especially where providers work with multiple employers. Inviting providers and employers to meet can align T Level industry placements with organisational needs and establish a continuous feedback process for improvement.
The responsibility of the system
Those working at a system level can act as an ambassador for T Levels, engaging organisations beyond the reach of individual employers. This could include initiating conversations with employers not yet offering industry placements, such as primary care, ambulance services and the voluntary sector. The system can also share best practices and foster collaboration, encouraging more areas to host industry placements. Colleagues can also ensure that T Levels are represented in a number of different spaces that discuss broader workforce needs, integrating T Levels as a part of wider system-level workforce strategy.
It could also be the responsibility of system colleagues to stay abreast of changes in industry placement delivery and guidance, to ensure that the information is disseminated to colleagues, and guide adoption across employers.
System strategy in practice
Chiamaka Kennedy, IPCO for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS, explains how a strategy was established in their system. When considering strategy, Chiamaka defined success as the number of partners adopting T Levels, the development of supportive tools and resources, and some standardisation of the T Level industry placement among employers.
Fostering collaboration through stakeholder groups
Kim Alexander, IPCO for Humber and North Yorkshire Integrated Care Board, engages with three different stakeholder groups that represent the T Level agenda at different levels, ensuring T Level employers and providers feel connected. Networks can be useful for ensuring the sustainability of T Level industry placements with those working at a system level serving as organisers and facilitators.
Aligning placements across the system
Ensuring consistency of placements across the system streamlines discussions with providers and ensures certainty for everyone involved. It requires an understanding of the best times of the year for T Level industry placements, the structure that works for each system, and how it fits with demand for other placements, such as undergraduate students.
Having multiple placement models with multiple education providers can be labour-intensive for employers. A system-wide placement model reduces administrative pressures and streamlines the process.
Considerations for a system-placement structure
For all T Level students:
- Exam schedules: avoid placement times around exams and re-sits, to ensure good attendance.
- Avoid academic breaks: consider that many students might work for extra income during an academic break and faculty support from further education providers may be limited. Placements during breaks could disadvantage students from lower socio-economic backgrounds.
For health T Level students:
- Overall placement activities and demand: consideration of other placement activities across the system. Although T level learners may be working with different staff groups to undergraduates, there is a finite number of learners that could be hosted in the organisation at any one time, so quieter times may be more suitable.
- Operational pressures: avoid high-pressure times like winter or the changeover of doctors in training.
Beyond the placement structure itself, systems could consider further standardisation in the following ways:
- A shared induction process including statutory and mandatory (STAM) training.
- One placement handbook across the system.
- The same approach to DBS checks, occupational health and uniforms.
- A set agenda for T Level working group meetings.
- Standard work experience policies across the system, which include T Level students.
- A standard service-level agreement or memorandum of understanding for employers offering placements.
Student inductions
Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICS has a strong induction for students through its Social and Health Care Partnership Training Academy, which other employers can emulate. Similar to the training received by healthcare support workers (HCSWs), this involves two weeks of face-to-face sessions hosted at Telford College and 32 e-learning modules. Students learn the 15 standards of care for the Care Certificate, manual handling, resuscitation, personal care and catheter care, handwashing, food safety, professional behaviour and record keeping.
This training, provided by trust staff, makes up 75 hours of the placement as the learning is patient focused. Students train with newly appointed HCSWs who have completed DBS checks, which fosters informal mentoring and teamwork before starting their placements.
Documentation to support upscaling of T Level industry placements
Organisations within the system will benefit from a comprehensive set of documents to help establish and expand T Level industry placements. These documents support administrative tasks, can spark discussions about hosting placements and prevent duplication by employers. A shared suite of documents will be easier to update and can be included in network discussions.
For systems seeking support with the documentation, the DfE provide detailed guidance for employers. Referring to this ensures that you are accessing the most up to date, authoritative policy and guidance. Links to this guidance can also be integrated into local documentation for employers within the system.
Chiamaka Kennedy, IPCO for Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICS, created a toolkit to help organisations get started. It included role descriptions, interview packs, mid-point review templates for students, induction checklists, and a presentation for internal stakeholders to use to generate interest in T Level industry placements from other parts of their organisations.
A how-to guide for employers
A how-to guide or handbook is central to the documentation provided to employers, outlining steps for implementing industry placements, from early discussions with providers to supporting students at the end of their placement. The specifics of this document will depend on the local context, but could include:
- Support for employers: available system-level support, forums for engaging with other employers, sharing successes and escalating concerns.
- Objective setting: what is the purpose of the placement for both the student and the employer, and how does this vary across different organisations.
- Identifying suitable placement areas: guidance on engaging with organisational areas, student capabilities, mentoring support, and placement models (e.g. rotational, hub and spoke).
- Policies: example policies for industry placements such as safeguarding, absence and behaviour policies.
- Student role descriptions: consistent and clear role descriptions for different placements across the system.
The list above is not exhaustive and can be complemented by the other documentation noted in this section.
An ideal how-to guide
Fiona Lord, IPCO for North East London ICS, breaks down the specifics of what the how-to guide contains, to support other systems with creating a guide best suited to their requirements.
"It needs to be more than a document of how to host T Level students. It’s an analysis and improvement guide on how to use your knowledge and skills in health and social care to give the students the best experience possible. It’s about how to develop strong relationships with providers." – Fiona Lord
Induction checklist
The training that students receive prior to starting on placement is crucial, including statutory and mandatory training, professional conduct discussions, and information on the employer and placement. System colleagues can develop an induction checklist for employers to use with students on arrival, the DfE have developed a sample induction checklist that can be adapted for a health and care context.
Student workbook
Employers should receive a copy of the student workbook, an example of which can be found on the HASO website. This workbook contains what students are expected to complete during their placement and should be developed between the employer and provider. It can also contain information reminding students of expectations, their role description and placement policies. If a student workbook hasn’t been developed a list of required items can be shared.
Case studies
A bank of case studies can be developed to inspire employers and students when discussing career aspirations. These could be case studies relevant to the local context, for example similar sized systems, geographical location or organisations offering similar T Level placements.
System talent pipeline
Documentation for employers should include information on the system talent pipeline, outlining the opportunities for T Level students post-placement, examples available from the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education. This helps organisations understand the broader health and care careers landscape. Some organisations may not have a strong understanding of the wider system talent pipeline, providing this information will help them give guidance to students on the health and care careers landscape.
Memorandum of understanding
A system-wide memorandum of understanding (MOU) ensures consistent understanding of stakeholder roles and responsibilities when hosting T Level industry placements, facilitating quicker engagement with new providers and employers.
The MOU, tailored to the local context, should outline the placement model, responsibilities of all parties, the full placement journey (including pre-placement and post-placement support), and issue resolution channels. It is a living document and should form part of employer and provider conversations as the placement offer in the system develops.
Creating a comprehensive memorandum of understanding
Ruth Field, IPCO for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICS, has created a comprehensive memorandum of understanding (MOU) which outlines the responsibilities of the employers, providers and students. This MOU is used by all providers and employers in the system and enables new employers and providers to start offering placements without individual negotiations
Engagement and promotion of careers
Those working at a system level are encouraged to engage with schools to promote careers in health and care, discussing pathways and dispelling myths about T Levels. This helps students learn about the breadth of roles and choose suitable placements for their career goals. Employers across the system can support career engagement for young people, both for those considering T Levels and those already enrolled. Career engagement ensures all students have equal access to relevant information and promotes widening participation.
Employers can support career engagement by:
- attending career events in schools, raising awareness of careers in health and care, T Level pathways to these careers and promote career options directly with providers
- visiting further education institutions during the first year of the T Level to offer career sessions or training sessions, which count towards the 35 hours of taster activities
- talking with students on placement about their options after they finish, like going to university, starting an apprenticeship, or moving into a healthcare support worker
- sharing local contacts with system-level colleagues to better engage with school career services and promote T Levels
- ensuring there are clear education and career pathways for young people, that integrate T Levels.
Colleagues in the system can work in partnership to promote T Levels as a talent pipeline. This includes:
- collaborating with apprenticeship leads to show how T Level students can transition into apprenticeships
- engaging with health and care banks to explore the onboarding of students and sharing the benefits of this option with those on placement
- working with local authorities to explore T Level pathways into care roles
- increasing health ambassadors’ knowledge of T Levels and supporting them with resources.
"The NHS and social care sectors are facing increasing staff shortages. By introducing young people to health and care careers early, we can inspire them to pursue these paths and help mitigate future staffing issues. Early engagement broadens the pool of candidates, including those who might not have considered these fields. Many under 16s are unaware of the diverse career options available, such as social workers, radiographers, and biomedical scientists, beyond the more visible roles of doctors and nurses. This awareness helps them make informed career choices and builds a pipeline of future talent.
Early exposure these opportunities can inspire young people to develop essential skills for the effective operation of the NHS and social care systems. In Devon we have recognised the importance of gaining a wider audience, we are placing posters in GP surgeries and advertising on buses to promote the Health T Level." – Nicki Wright, IPCO, Devon ICB.
