Estates and facilities placements for T Level students with Pennine Care

Introduction

Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health and learning disability services across Greater Manchester. The estates and facilities management (EFM) team supports the trust across its 88 locations in five Greater Manchester boroughs, ensuring safe, efficient and well-maintained environments for patients, staff and visitors.

T Level industry placements were identified as an opportunity to attract new talent into the EFM workforce in addition to developing existing staff through apprenticeships and training pathways. A robust industry placement offer was developed, working closely with a local education provider.

Key benefits and outcomes

• The two placements offered provided valuable hands-on experience, preparing students for future EFM careers within the NHS.
• Students brought fresh perspectives and skills, supporting the trust’s EFM function and enhancing the quality of patient environments. They quickly progressed from closely supervised tasks to working more independently.
• The placements proved to be an effective talent pipeline, with both students offered roles within the team at the end of their programme. One progressed into an estates services operational compliance officer position, while the other took up a maintenance assistant role.

What the organisation faced

Workforce shortages within estates, locally at Pennine Care and nationally across the NHS, have been one of the most significant and persistent challenges, featuring on the trust risk register for several years. 

What the organisation did

In 2025, the EFM team offered two placements to T Level students from Oldham College studying the building services engineering T Level qualification. This was offered to second year students, on a two-day a week model. During the placement however, the trust decided to move to a block placement model, which the team felt provided greater continuity, improved supervision and a more immersive experience for students, while also being more manageable for operational estates teams.

Students had the opportunity to:

• work with the team across multiple sites
• gain experience across a variety of engineering activities, from routine day-to-day tasks to more specialised project work
• maintain and monitor specialist and domestic equipment
• work on specific engineering projects, supporting minor electrical and plumbing works and planned preventative maintenance.

Prior to the placement, trust staff met college staff and prospective students to build relationships, agree objectives and shape delivery models. For the first cohort, there was no formal screening or interview stage. Going forward, a formal interview will be introduced, with selection based on behaviours and attitudes such as professionalism, motivation, safety awareness, attention to detail and technical aptitude.

Practical considerations, such as DBS checks and CSCS cards were identified early, with clear responsibilities agreed across the partnership, with the education provider arranging these prior to placement.  

The placements were designed to allow students to apply their engineering knowledge in a real-world setting, working with skilled professionals across a range of trades and professions. Their understanding of building services engineering principles, gained in their first year, allowed them to quickly take responsibility for minor engineering tasks, under supervision, rapidly developing their skills.

Mentors were appointed and briefed, and students received full inductions. During the placement students had regular mentoring sessions, allowing them to reflect on their progress while also supporting the development of trust staff who took on supervisory roles. 

The enthusiasm and commitment of the students was well received by the team. They soon became involved in a wide range of maintenance, monitoring and rectification tasks across multiple sites and trades, including electrical, plumbing, joinery and general maintenance.

‘The variety of work across the team provided a huge range of learning opportunities, and they really rose to the challenge, despite having never worked in an environment like this. The placements helped them explore their own career options upon completing their T Level.’ – Richard Duke, industry placement student mentor.

Results and benefits

• Staff at all levels recognise supporting T Level students as an important investment in the future EFM workforce. The placements have enriched the current service, introducing new ideas, energy and technical insight.
• The process strengthened the relationship between Pennine Care’s EFM teams and Oldham College, creating a sustainable model for future workforce development. Due to the success of the initial placements, the team intends to expand the offer and has two further placements starting in April 2026.
• Both students from the first cohort have successfully gained roles in the organisation and were supported through the recruitment and interview process.
• The work at Pennine Care has contributed to national learning on how T Level placements can be implemented effectively within complex healthcare estates, informing wider workforce development discussions across the NHS.

‘T Levels have been a great experience for us. Our managers have provided fantastic mentorship and the students have matched that support with real drive, professionalism and a genuine desire to learn.’ – Stephanie Rowe-Catterall, Head of Estates Operations and Facilities.

Overcoming obstacles

Pennine Care and Oldham College worked closely together to remove early barriers and create a smooth, safe and well supported placement experience. Key challenges and how they were overcome included:

• Managing DBS checks and CSCS card requirements: Practical requirements were identified early, and responsibilities were agreed between the trust and the college to ensure students could start safely and on time.
• Handling staffing pressures and organisational change: Temporary capacity issues meant placements were paused, with plans to resume and grow once stable.
• Ensuring safety across multiple clinical sites: Strong supervision and clear safety protocols enabled students to carry out statutory checks safely.
• Aligning teams and partners: Estates, HR, comms and Oldham College developed a joined-up approach that created a consistent, high-quality model.
• Clarifying the placement model: Early uncertainty around structure was resolved by adopting a full-block placement, which proved successful.

Top tips for employers

• Assign workforce development and coordination as a dedicated responsibility within the team.
• Recognise that students are new to NHS environments by offering structured mentoring, early shadowing opportunity and gradual responsibility to build confidence.
• Provide clear objectives so students understand their goals, roles and professional boundaries.
• Recognise T Level students as an asset - learners who bring technical knowledge, motivation and fresh thinking. Maximise their impact by involving them in meaningful work and projects.
• Build strong relationships with local colleges to establish shared expectations and clear commitments for student preparation and support.

Contact details

To discuss this case study further, please contact pcn-tr.efmhelp.penninecare@nhs.net