Current and former T-Level students have celebrated their achievements and shared how industry placements are helping them take their first steps towards careers in healthcare.
County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust (CDDFT) hosted a special celebration at Darlington Memorial Hospital on Thursday 22 October, bringing together students, former students, college representatives and the colleagues who support their placements.
Nikki Brodhurst, Widening Participation Ambassador at CDDFT, said: “We are extremely proud of each and every one of our T-Level students. We are so grateful to all the colleagues across the Trust who have helped to mentor and support our students.
“The celebration event was a fantastic opportunity to bring current and former T-Level students together and hear their fantastic stories. They are the future of our workforce.”
T-Levels are two-year vocational qualifications, equivalent to three A Levels, combining classroom learning with substantial industry experience, including a minimum of 315 hours in the workplace.
CDDFT began supporting T-Level placements in April 2023 with five health students. The programme has since grown to include around 30 placement areas, offering experience across services including radiology, surgical wards, outpatients, specialist nursing, allied health professions, medical physics and pathology. The Trust has also welcomed its first digital T-Level student into its IT service.
The Trust was named North East T-Level Employer of the Year in both 2024 and 2025, recognising its commitment to supporting the next generation of the NHS workforce.
Celebrating student success
Students from Bishop Auckland College and Darlington College shared how their placements have developed their skills, confidence and career ambitions.
Bishop Auckland College students Ava Bradley, Tunmise Olusola-Taiwo and Poppy Reed have gained experience across a range of clinical settings, from urgent treatment and stroke rehabilitation to orthopaedics and community nursing.
Their placements have helped them explore different professions, with future ambitions including physiotherapy, mental health nursing, adult nursing and midwifery.
Darlington College student Josie has developed practical skills at Richardson Community Hospital, including taking patient observations and measuring blood glucose. She hopes to progress to a paramedic apprenticeship with the North East Ambulance Service.
Fellow students Megan and Lilly are working towards careers in paediatric nursing. Placements in services including radiology, pre-operative assessment and the women’s centre have helped Megan build her communication and teamwork skills ahead of university. Lilly hopes to gain experience as a healthcare assistant before continuing her studies.
The event also welcomed former students Charley Heseltine and Layla Marriott, who shared how their T-Levels had helped them progress.
Layla, a member of the Trust’s first cohort of health T-Level students, went on to study for a BSc in Adult Nursing at the University of Sunderland after her placement strengthened her understanding of patient-centred care.
Her contribution was recognised with a regional Highly Commended award from the Department for Education in 2024. Now in her third year, she continues to gain clinical experience across healthcare settings within the Trust.
Investing in the future workforce
Trust colleagues Joanne Clark, Ward Manager for Ward 10 at Bishop Auckland Hospital, and Haley Johnson, Manager for Outpatients and the Discharge Lounge at Darlington Memorial Hospital, shared their experiences of mentoring students. Georgina Peart, Lecturer and Coordinator for T-Level Health at Bishop Auckland College, also highlighted the value of industry placements and student feedback.
The celebration concluded with reflections from Gill Hunt, Chief Nurse at CDDFT, and thanks to the students, colleges and placement mentors who make the programme possible.
Through meaningful industry placements and support from experienced colleagues, CDDFT is helping young people develop the skills and confidence to pursue rewarding careers and become the healthcare professionals of the future.
