We are always proud to hear from our students on their placements.
Below you can hear from some of our work & industry placement students and employers from a variety of different backgrounds, job sectors and industries. We also have a selection of student and employer success stories, including the benefits of a placement.
Engineering & Manufacturing
Cole – Industry Placement at Ritherdon
Cole added, “Completing my T Level work placement at Ritherdon has been informative and fun. I have learnt about the entire product creation process from design to manufacturing and assembly.
Having the chance to work in industry has helped me understand all the different processes used to maintain a high quality of finished product. My favourite part was independently designing and making my own BBQ as it allowed me to put everything I’ve learnt into practice. This placement has made me realise I want to work within the industry as I have a deep interest in engineering”.
Our employer partner Ben Ritherdon added, “Cole, our T Level trainee from Runshaw College, recently completed another two-week placement with us. Cole has taken to the factory like a fish to water, absorbing different kinds of technical information and has now managed to complete one of his long-standing coursework projects, creating a toolbox from scratch using Ritherdon factory facilities.
We are very proud of Cole’s work on the shop floor so far and look forward to seeing him in April for his fourth and final two-week placement, where he will be designing and manufacturing a BBQ from scratch. Good work Cole and we will see you soon!”.
Early Careers Lead
Daniel – Industry Placement at James Hall & Co Ltd
Daniel added, “During my period there I spent time in several departments such as store design, using CAD software to design store layouts. Working with the project management team allowed me to witness different project steps including concept, early planning and construction phases.
Our employer partner Wendy Parkinson added, “Having a student on an industry placement can bring several benefits to a company, such as fresh perspectives, increased innovation, and the opportunity to mentor future talent. From a company’s perspective, students can offer up-to-date knowledge from their academic background, bring energy and enthusiasm, and often approach problems with a new mindset.
In essence, the skills and experiences gained during an industry placement align closely with what employers look for in future employees: practical experience, adaptability, communication, problem-solving abilities, and the ability to work effectively in teams. These qualities make students well-prepared to contribute meaningfully in their future roles”.
Health & Social Care
Angel, Lewis and Amelia – Industry Placement at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals (Chorley Hospital)
Angel added, “My T Level placement at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals has been incredibly valuable. The skills I’ve developed, particularly in communication, will not only support my career but also benefit me in everyday life. These experiences have given me a clearer understanding of what to expect in both university and work.
They have also reinforced my desire to pursue a career in the NHS. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time on Leyland ward, where the staff have been lovely and encouraging, always supporting me to get involved and learn as much as possible”.
Lewis added, “Completing my T Level industry placement at Chorley Hospital has been really interesting and has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone. I feel that my confidence has grown and overall, it has been a very informative experience.
Having the opportunity to work in a hospital has given me a better understanding of how the NHS operates and how different departments work together to provide person-centred care.
The Rawcliffe Day Centre was my favourite placement. The staff were welcoming and professional and the calm environment there made it a place I enjoyed working the most”.
Amelia added, “I have found my placements at the hospital really rewarding and have helped me expand my knowledge of care and the roles of staff within the hospital. I’ve learned valuable skills that will support my career as a paramedic. It’s been great to see how different wards work, giving me a broader understanding of hospital care and how to help patients.
I’ve enjoyed all my placements, but Brindle Ward was my favourite, it showed me how a multidisciplinary team can work together to put patients at the centre of care. I was also nominated by the Trust for the T Level Rising Star Award at the Lancashire and South Cumbria Apprenticeship Awards, which really boosted my confidence. My placement has made me want to pursue a career in the NHS”.
Engineering & Manufacturing
Lucy, Matthew and Jess – Industry Placement at Lyndhurst Precision Engineering
From Design and CNC Machining to Water jet, Fabrication, and Inspection, they’ve worked across the business, contributing to real projects like designing bird boxes to encourage wildlife on-site.
Reflecting on her placement, Lucy said, “T Levels have given me a huge advantage over studying A Levels. When I go for interviews, I’ll already understand the practical side of what they’re talking about”.
Matt also added, “I’d recommend T Levels to anyone considering a career in engineering”.
Our employer partner Andrew Wilding, Technical Manager, said, “There’s a shortage of skilled apprentices across the industry, and T Level students are helping to bridge that gap. They come to us with a solid understanding of engineering principles, and we give them the practical experience to build on that — they’re not here to make the tea, they’re helping the business. While we taught them about precision engineering, they taught us that the next generation of engineers might be more cutting-edge than our CNC machines. It’s been a pleasure having them with us — we wish Matt, Lucy, and Jess all the best as they take their next steps into the world of engineering”.
Engineering & Construction
Robert – Industry Placement at Eric Wright Construction
Robert discusses his experience on placement at Eric Wright Construction. As an award-winning leader in the UK property and construction industry, The Eric Wright Group demonstrates a culture of excellence in civil engineering, construction, facilities management, property development, property management and partnerships that ensures long term relationships with our partners and clients.
Engineering & Manufacturing
Luca – Industry Placement at Element Material Technologies
Element is a leading global provider of Testing, Inspection, and Certification services on a wide range of products, materials, processes and products for a diverse set of end markets, where failure in service is simply not an option. Element’s scientists, engineers, and technologists, working in a global network of over 200 laboratories, support customers through complex regulatory approvals and into production ensuring that their products, materials, processes, and services are safe, compliant, and fit for purpose.
Engineering & Manufacturing
Hannah – Industry Placement at Lyndhurst Precision Engineering
Over the past 30 years they have worked with everyone from small businesses to multinational corporations and governments, to deliver a comprehensive service and commitment to delivering quality and value for money. Their end-to-end service covers everything from one-off bespoke tools to life saving medical machinery. As a result, they have built a diverse team of world-class designers and engineers that adapt to meet any challenge.
Engineering & Manufacturing
Kayne – Industry Placement at Hitachi Automotive
From launching their first manufacturing facility in the UK in the mid-1990s, Hitachi Astemo now provides solutions for customers all across Europe. In recent years, they have integrated braking and software engineering companies to further bolster their product offering.
Digital Technologies
Sean and Marty – Industry Placement at Lancashire County Council
We partner with LCC to provide work placement opportunities for our students. Hear from Sean and Marty on how a placement has helped them ready for their next steps.
Business & Accounting
Rish – Industry Placement at True Bearing
Established in 2003, True Bearing is a Chartered financial planning firm with a track record of real success. They provide tailored financial planning services on pensions, investments, financial protection, inheritance tax planning and much more, working with more than 7,000 individuals and business clients throughout the North West and the UK.
Engineering & Manufacturing
What our partner employers say – SEP Geospatial
“Young people are perfect for the type of work we do that involves a lot of technology as they have an intuitive understanding of technology and the way it works. We recommend these placements, especially if a business involves technology/ software for the above reasons. We could potentially benefit from bringing staff into the company after they have finished college. They gain an understanding of how the workplace operates and can gain useful work-related skills very quickly. These placements are very important, we would be reluctant to employ someone who had no workplace experience whatsoever”.
Mechanical Engineering
What our partner employers say – Tyrers
“It’s great to be able to have a student and see whether they would fit into the full-time role of an apprentice. We would highly recommend student placements, it gives a good insight into what skills they pick up from college courses. It’s also good to bring on board young students and show them how an industry works and whether it would be something they want to pursue a career in in the future. It’s excellent to have on a CV as it shows they are experienced in the job and can provide a reference”.
Engineering & Construction
What our partner employers say – Sharples Davies Ltd
“Students make a positive impact in the business, helping take some of the roles away from other team members which has allowed them to be more productive. If you have a placement student with the attitude, personality and work ethic like ours then I would recommend other employers to take a placement on. There has to be a plan in place to keep the person interested and invested. Variety is important to the role. Having the right employer and placement match is fundamental. For our specific placement I would have no hesitation to offering a full time role upon completion of a college course. The main thing that is important is work ethic, personality and a good ability to communicate. I am really looking as an employer to see – can I mould and train that person?”.
Engineering & Manufacturing
What our partner employers say – Unifrax
“Having a work placement has allowed the more Senior Engineers to develop themselves in a mentor role to further themselves. It’s been highly enjoyable for the entire team to not only develop but also inspire a potential future engineer. The placements for Unifrax as a whole align strongly with our core values, growing potential full time staff pre-apprenticeship. While not critical, the experience within an industrial environment will provide an advantage when seeking an apprenticeship in the future. It also allows the individual to develop their interpersonal skills within this environment rather than a purely academic route”.
Engineering & Manufacturing
What our partner employers say – Westmach
“The placement has been mutually beneficial with a lot of assistance with workload and technical knowledge passed on. Highly recommended as it adds significant alternative dimensions to the working life”.
