Managing T Level industry placements
Quick answer
Running T Level placements means building a pipeline of employers, matching students to meaningful roles, meeting the required hours (most at least 315 — around 45 days — with some specialisms longer), and tracking completion, including handling cases where a placement can't be finished through no fault of the student.Sourcing and keeping employers
The placement stands or falls on employer relationships. That means ongoing outreach, making it easy for employers to host a student, and nurturing repeat partners year on year. Building this pipeline is a standing task, not a one-off.
Matching students to meaningful work
A placement has to be genuine, relevant work in the student's occupational area — not shadowing or general admin. Good matching between a student's specialism and the employer's needs is what makes the experience valuable (and completable).
Hours, structure and completion
- Hours: most placements are at least 315 hours (~45 days); some specialisms require longer (e.g. Early Years Educator 750 hours).
- Structure: can be delivered in blocks or via day-release, or a mix — and, where needed, split across more than one employer.
- Completion: tracked and required for the full award. Where circumstances outside a student's control prevent completion, there is a “completed with special consideration” route.
Completion rates vary by pathway, and on small cohorts a single student moves the percentage a long way — useful context when benchmarking your own centre. What the placement involves ›
📊 Compare placement completion by pathway