Hi, I’m Alisha and I’ve just finished studying the Digital Production, Design and Development T Level.

I was part of the first ever cohort of learners to study T Levels, not only at Weston College, but in the UK.

The course has honestly been excellent, and I am so glad that I decided to go down the T Level route. It has helped me to develop a range of skills, from soft to hard skills – as well as developing my technical skills which I can already tell are going to benefit me in the future.

One of the benefits of studying a T Level, is having the opportunity to gain work experience through an industry placement – something which I enjoyed!

I completed my placement at a company called Next Theme where I focussed on web development. I experienced creating a website for a company and used languages like HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP.

I particularly enjoyed having the opportunity to put the theory I’d learnt in the classroom into practice, by experiencing a real working environment. I also had the opportunity to develop new skills, such as PHP, which shows the benefit of industry placements.

During my placement, I wasn’t just seen as a ‘placement student’, my role was Junior Developer, and through this I have completed tasks related to websites and marketing, which helped me to understand how businesses can expand and build their digital presence.

My skills have been put to the test, especially in terms of HTML and CSS skills, but thanks to the support I have received at college, I have been able to handle the challenges that have come my way.

My industry placement employer has also been supportive, which has been a huge help. They have guided me through the transition to work and helped me gain even more knowledge.

I am so proud to have worked for Next Theme, the experience has improved my confidence and communication, as well getting a clearer understanding of what it is like to work in a professional environment.

Now that I have completed my T Level, I am planning to go to university to study computing, as I would like to develop my skills even further to become a web developer.

If you are reading this and thinking of studying a T Level at Weston College, then I say go for it! You will learn so many skills on your course, the staff are incredibly supportive, and the industry placement takes the course to the next level!

Alisha, Digital T Level Learner at Weston College