Cornwall’s future nurses are ‘T’eeing up for success

T Levels are new courses that have a minimum of nine weeks of industry placement. Truro and Penwith College is one of the few colleges in the UK to be pioneering the new two-year qualifications for 16-to-18 year-olds, equivalent to three A Levels, designed to meet the needs of industry.

The T Level Health students had interviews with the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, and were all offered placements.

Student Ellie Bardoe from Camborne, said: “I chose to do the T Level for the practical aspect at the hospital. It’s getting exciting. I’d like to become a midwife.” Aimee Aplin from Redruth added: “It’s putting what we’ve learned into practice. I chose the T Level because I want to become a nurse.”

Jamelia Tidball from Falmouth says: “I have enjoyed the science side of the T Level, the human biology. I want to become an Operating Department Practitioner.” Matt Hooper from Truro said: “It’s starting to get real now! We’re feeling excited. My long-term plan is to become a paramedic.”

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust issued a joint statement, saying: “We are delighted to be working in collaboration with the College to provide their T Level Health students with high-quality placements. It’s a great opportunity for us to meet our workforce of the future and to find and develop new talent within Cornwall.”

Bonnie Houghton, the Deputy Team Leader for Community Studies at the College, said: “We are so proud of our first year T Level Health students as they are about to embark on their industry placements and thank our partnership organisations who we are privileged to be working with.

“These T Level students will become the next generation of health and nursing professionals who will have a massive impact on thousands of peoples’ lives.”