MidKent College started delivering T Levels in September 2021. Alison Ackroyd, Lecturer in T Level Science explains how she prepared for T Level delivery using the Industry Insights Programme, part of the T Level Professional Development (TLPD) offer, which is delivered by the Education and Training Foundation (ETF) and funded by the Department for Education.
How did you feel when you found out you’d be delivering T Levels?
I was both excited and full of trepidation, especially since it was right after COVID-19. In some ways, the timing was fortuitous because we were still delivering online. A couple of years earlier, I had attended a Gatsby workshop on T Levels, so I had some idea of what to expect. I knew I would have to up my game and be organised about my preparation for it, so before we started, I dedicated time to completing a lot of online courses that I could access through the T Level Professional Development (TLPD) offer, knowing I could revisit them when needed.
Which parts of the TLPD Industry Insights Programme have you found most useful?
Discovering the Industry Insights Programme was a game changer for me. Having last worked professionally in a lab many years ago, I knew I needed to update my knowledge in terms of subject content and career pathways to effectively deliver the programme. Science evolves rapidly, and this was the first time in a long while that I could invest so deeply, not just from a pedagogical perspective but also in expanding my subject knowledge.
I’ve taken part in quite a few of the live online workshops, which I really enjoyed and found particularly useful because they’re bite-sized and easy to fit into your schedule. I’ve also completed longer, more intensive sessions that run for several hours online. These sessions are a great mix of subject-specific content directly linked to the T Level specification, which is really helpful. One of the most valuable aspects is the career insights they provide. I’ve learnt about careers that I didn’t really understand beforehand, and they’re not always necessarily at the lab bench, they may be in supporting roles, and it’s really interesting to see how they’ve developed.
The longer Industry Insights sessions have been especially beneficial for keeping up with current developments. I’ve been lucky enough to go on some of the Group Industry Placements where you go out to a centre, speak to scientists and hear their talks, visit labs and see equipment that you would not necessarily have access to, and cutting-edge research and innovative techniques. These experiences, along with the shorter online workshops give you little stories to share and embed into your lessons.
Another key benefit of both the online and face-to-face sessions is the opportunity to network with other educators and industry professionals. Having the opportunity to connect, share experiences, and discuss challenges was something I hadn’t experienced before. Each part of the Industry Insights Programme, including the online courses, face-to-face placements and subject-specific training, has played an important role in shaping how I approach T Level delivery. There are useful little anecdotes to bring into your lessons from modern terminology, acronyms and trends in how research is carried out. There are so many data practicals that I can do now, and I’ve learnt about some of those resources from going on a placement.
What advice would you give to other providers considering taking part in the Industry Insights Programme?
I would say definitely go for it. The Industry Insights Programme offers so many benefits, you can choose what’s on offer to suit your availability, and there are plenty of Industry Workshop recordings now available that you can dip into. It’s a fantastic repository of information and materials that you can utilise, adapt and bring directly into your lessons.
Through Industry Insights, I was actually lucky enough to connect with someone and we were able to co-develop some resources. You never know who you’re going to meet on these placements, and through this programme, I now have a huge number of contacts in Further Education that I didn’t have beforehand.
T Level delivery is all about knowledge, skills and behaviours and you won’t really truly understand that balance unless you’ve worked in industry. Even if you have done, you may have been out of the industry for a while, so you’ve got to update and refresh. There is funding support available which you can use to help ease this. So, there really is no reason not to take part, it’s very accessible, really easy to do and the dividends are immense. What other qualification gives you this kind of offer? I think there must be very few to match out there.