Sunderland College’s first cohort of T Level students are celebrating after receiving impressive results in their construction and digital courses.
The college launched the new technical qualifications in September 2021 with Design Surveying and Planning and Building Services Engineering offered at City Campus, and Digital Production, Design and Development at Bede Campus.
Students collected their results in August, achieving an almost 90% overall pass rate and more than half of the cohort gaining a Distinction on higher.
They are now progressing to a range of degrees or embarking exciting careers, such as Euan Batters who is heading to Nottingham Trent University.
The 18-year-old, who completed a placement with Arktek as part of the Building Services Engineering course, said: “I find the construction industry interesting and enjoyed the experience I gained working on a building site.
“My lecturers were helpful and supportive and studying at Sunderland College ensured I could go to university.”
Fellow student Ryan Jackson, 18, who has been offered an apprenticeship with Kier Group, said: “I really enjoyed my two years studying a T Level at Sunderland College. I can progress with my career choice through an apprenticeship with Kier while studying an HNC and then I’ll be progressing to a degree at Teesside University.
“I really enjoyed being on site during my placement with Kier, learning about the planning and development stages of construction projects.”
Design Surveying and Planning student James Stidolph, 18, added: “My work placement company, Academy Geomatics has offered me a full-time apprenticeship.
“I’ve always been interested in working in construction, and studying a T Level has been extremely helpful and a useful step in my career. There was a good balance of subject knowledge from my lecturers who offered constant encouragement and the work placement which gave me first-hand experience.”
T Levels are two-year vocational courses which bring together classroom learning and work placements to give students the skills and knowledge employers demand. Broadly equivalent to three A-Levels, they can help students into skilled employment, higher study or apprenticeships.
Toni Rhodes, Principal of Sunderland College, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be celebrating the success of our first T Level cohort.
“They have really embraced new qualifications and we’re delighted their hard work has paid off. Whatever their next steps, they have set a fantastic and inspirational example to our current and future T Level students.”
Sunderland College is accepting applications now from 2023 school leavers for its wide range of courses including T Levels in Construction, Digital, Health, Education and Science.
To find out more, register for an enrolment event at www.sunderlandcollege.ac.uk/enrol.
Building Design Northern (BDN) has partnered with Sunderland College to deliver an on-site hard hat tour as part of their ongoing T Level partnership.
October 25, 2022
Construction of a building that will accelerate modern construction skills in Sunderland is set to move forward
September 22, 2022
Sunderland College is celebrating the achievements of its T Level students as they complete their first year.
July 6, 2022
98% of our students progress to a positive destination
(*Destination data for Sunderland College students aged 16-18, academic year 2017/18).
Our achievement rates are well above the national average.
We are the College of the Year.
(*Top college nationally for BTECs, Pearson 2019)
100% of our HND and HNC students progressed to employment or further study.
(*Destination data, academic year 2016/17, HNC 19+)
We have recently invested £50 million in our facilities.
