Alex's T Level journey at Business West
Alex is a T Level student currently studying at Weston College and working in Business West’s Local Skills Improvement Plan team. We caught up with Alex to find out more about his T Level qualification, what he is learning and why he chose to go down this route.
What is your T Level in?
My chosen T Level is in Business Management and Leadership at Weston College.
What subjects does your course cover?
I learn the theories, behaviours and methods of managers and business.
Why did you decide to take a T Level?
I was drawn to doing a T Level because it included both classroom learning and real industry experience. The placement helps me to grow, learn, and find out where I need to direct my career for the future.
What is your placement?
I am completing my placement at Business West with their LSIP (Local Skills Improvement Plan) team. From the very first day I have been involved in tasks supporting the whole team, such as:
• Organising attendees for events using Excel
• Preparing social media content in Canva
• Researching clients
• Filtering information on their website
• Copywriting
• AI tasks and research
• Recording weekly meeting minutes
What skills have these tasks taught you?
Each task has helped build on my technical skills and core skills. I’ve improved my digital competency, especially with Excel and Canva, but I’ve also gained experience in teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Working in a professional environment has taught me how to adapt, manage my time, and work collaboratively with others towards shared goals.
Do you have plans for after you’ve finished your T Level?
The experiences I’ve had at Business West have further increased my interest in business. After I've completed my T Level, I'm aiming to go to university to study International Business. It's also helped me discover what areas of business I enjoy and don’t enjoy.
What do you like doing in your spare time?
I like to spend my time going out with friends, and I enjoy mountain biking because it’s fun and keeps my fitness up.
Would you recommend a T Level to others?
Overall, my T Level placement has been a valuable experience so far and it’s helped me grow both personally and professionally. I would strongly encourage people to do T Levels in their chosen field as it provides the best of both worlds.
Hannah Ponsford, Research Manager in the LSIP team, highlights the benefits of working with T-Level students:
“Alex is the second T Level student we have hosted in the LSIP team. We often speak to employers about the benefits of placement students, so it’s important that we practice what we preach! T Levels are a great way for students to develop the key skills and behaviours that businesses are looking for, before entering the workforce fulltime. They can also bring a different perspective and skills to your business.”