We’re working with T-Level students to build skills, confidence and community connections
Since late 2024, we’ve been hosting work placements for students from the Digital Production, Design and Development T-Level course at Plymouth College. Over the past few months, these young developers have been learning how the tech sector works by getting hands-on with real-world projects, right here in Cornwall.
We believe in giving young people opportunities that are meaningful, accessible and genuinely useful for their future. That’s why we’ve created a new way to deliver T-Level placements that works better for both students and businesses.
So, what are T-Levels?
T-Levels are a two-year qualification designed for 16 to 19 year olds in England. They’re a mix of classroom learning and industry experience, and they’re equivalent to three A-Levels.
Every T-Level student completes 45 days of industry placement as part of their course. But here’s the challenge: most small businesses struggle to commit to long-term placements. That’s where Tech Cornwall comes in.
Instead of asking businesses to host students for weeks on end, we host the students and support them with transport, laptops and guidance. We then invite businesses to provide short, focused projects they can work on with our help. It’s flexible, collaborative, and helps young people gain exposure to a wide range of tools, methods and a view into the tech industry right here in Cornwall.
Projects so far – thank you to Iteracy & Boo Consulting
A huge shoutout goes to Iteracy and Boo Consulting, who have already jumped in to support this programme. They’ve provided project briefs that challenged the students to apply their skills and think critically while they work on a real-world project. These collaborations have made a huge difference to the student skills and confidence.
“Working on a T-level project was immensely rewarding. We were developing a new feature for a website which worked well as a standalone project.” – Iteracy
We need more businesses to get involved
We’re expecting 11 new students to join us this September. That means we’ll need at least 12 new project briefs, and we’d love your help!
If you’re part of Cornwall’s tech or digital sector, this is your chance to give back and shape the future workforce. You don’t need to host a student. You don’t need a big team. All we’re asking for is:
- A project brief – something a student can explore over a few weeks
- A quick intro call with the students
- Occasional check-ins or feedback (we’ll handle the rest)
Can you help?
Whether it’s data visualisation, front-end builds, app prototypes or internal tools, every project helps students learn what’s possible.
To get involved, email us at [email protected]
Help us work together to make sure Cornwall’s future digital talent gets the experience they deserve and the inspiration to stay right here in the region we love.
