Embracing a flexible T Level industry placement model at Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board

Introduction

Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board (NHS Greater Manchester) created a flexible T Level industry placement for a Management and Administration student, giving them hands-on experience of how the NHS operates as a system. The placement focused on developing crucial administrative and stakeholder engagement skills while tailoring tasks to the student’s strengths and career ambitions. 

Key benefits and outcomes

• Raised awareness of T Level industry placements with stakeholders across the system.
• Equipped NHS Greater Manchester colleagues with an understanding of the industry placement process facilitating stronger onward support for system colleagues.
• Provided a flexible, person-centred industry placement offer for a Management and Administration T Level student.

What the organisation faced

As a team supporting colleagues across the system to deliver their own T Level industry placements, the organisation recognised the value of hosting a student itself. Doing so would also give them first-hand experience of the process, enabling them to better advise other organisations.

It also wanted to widen access to health careers by creating a placement model focused on the student’s values, aspirations and the benefits they could gain from doing an industry placement in the organisation. Finally, hosting an industry placement offered an opportunity to increase awareness of the interconnected nature of integrated care systems and the variety of careers within them.  

What the organisation did

NHS Greater Manchester designed a flexible, rotational industry placement for a Management and Administration T Level student. Here’s how they made it work:

• Chose the right model: a one-day-a-week placement suited both the student and the team, allowing flexibility and consistent engagement.
• Created varied experiences: the placement included administrative tasks, stakeholder engagement, and opportunities to shadow senior colleagues.
• Adapted the placement plan: it became swiftly apparent the student had a key strength and interest in communications, so the placement plan was revised to maximise that skillset. This also aligned with the students' onward career aspirations. This approach also lessened supervision support needs, navigating towards activities where less hands-on upskilling was required.  
• Collaborated with partners: worked with the local education provider to recruit the student via social media, using CVs and values-based interviews to assess communication and stakeholder skills. It also shared a profile with the education provider to appeal to the right candidate.
• Prepared thoroughly: completed onboarding paperwork, ensured insurance compliance, and provided mandatory training on GDPR and information governance.
• Focused on induction: scheduled early meetings with key colleagues to explain the organisation’s role and structure, helping the student understand the system context.
• Built pastoral support: offered regular check-ins and informal guidance, supported by a wraparound team approach to ensure the student felt integrated. The organisation was also supported by the education provider sharing a helpful induction checklist.
• This approach gave the student meaningful exposure to system-level work while allowing the organisation to learn what works, and what to improve, for future placements.

Results and benefits

The industry placement created clear, measurable benefits for NHS Greater Manchester and for the wider system:

• Increased system-wide awareness of T Levels: 
  Having the student present in meetings, stakeholder sessions and events helped spark conversations about the benefits of hosting students and the potential for stakeholders to host industry placements.
• Enhanced the student’s skills and confidence:
  The student developed administrative capability, stakeholder engagement experience, and a stronger understanding of system-wide connectivity and role opportunities — helping them progress toward employment or further training.
• Model developed for future placements:
  The flexible, one day a week, rotational structure has provided a working template that can be replicated or adapted across the system.
• Improved visibility of system career pathways:
  Through shadowing and meeting senior colleagues, the student gained insight into diverse roles across the breath of the integrated care system, supporting NHS Greater Manchester’s wider aim of widening participation.

Overcoming obstacles

There were a small number of challenges associated with hosting an industry placement student, some practical and others linked to supporting a student who was experiencing a professional workplace for the first time. One of the practical challenges involved IT equipment; small but unexpected details, such as the absence of a webcam which limited the student's ability to fully participate in virtual meetings and engage with stakeholders. The team also found that the placement structure needed finessing as the experience worked best when it coincided with the day most flexibly working colleagues were present in the office. 

The industry placement has also coincided with a period of change for integrated care boards. This required careful thought about how to manage and explain shifting responsibilities and evolving structures while still ensuring the student had a clear, positive learning experience. The placement was converted to a rotational model, whereby the student transferred to a secondary placement provider (Greater Manchester Combined Authority), providing a broader public service placement opportunity. 

Top tips for employers

• Colleagues advocate for meeting potential students face to face so they can ascertain their interest in the work area and offer them the opportunity to ask more questions.
• Share information on the communication channels the organisation uses with the student to encourage them to feel comfortable and be able to request support if necessary.
• When designing the industry placement, build-in flexibility to the tasks the student might be doing. This allows employers to lean into and encourage a student’s strengths and provide adaptable support to complement their academic learning.
• Ensure a real focus on practical considerations; where will the student sit to take advantage of learning from other colleagues, in a flexible workplace which day works best to account for colleagues differing working patterns.
• Take the time prior to the start of the industry placement to ensure teams are aware of the T Level qualification, the benefits of hosting a student and how colleagues can support them. This support should go beyond their immediate supervisor. 

Contact details

To discuss this case study further please contact gm.workforce@nhs.net.