What I’ve learned from getting real workplace experience

When I started my T-Level industry placement at TECC Ltd, I knew it would give me the opportunity to experience what working in a real business was like.

Over the past few months, it has given me much more than that.

I’ve had the chance to work on a real project for the company, develop my technical and communication skills and become more confident working independently.

In this blog, I wanted to share my experience of completing a T-Level placement at TECC, why I think finding the right placement is so important and what I’ve learned during my time here.

Is Finding a Good Placement Worth It?

I think finding the right industry placement is extremely important because the experience you have can make a real difference to the start of your career.

A good placement gives you the opportunity to put what you’ve learned into practice, but it also teaches you things that are difficult to learn in a classroom.

You start to understand how a professional workplace operates, what’s expected of you and how to communicate with different people. You also learn how to manage your own work, solve problems and respond to feedback.

Starting in a professional environment for the first time can be challenging, so having the right support makes a big difference.

At TECC, I’ve always felt comfortable asking questions if I’m unsure about something. I’ve been encouraged to have a go at things myself, while knowing that somebody is there to help if I need it.

That balance has helped me become more independent and confident in my own abilities.

What’s the Atmosphere Like at TECC?

One of the things I’ve particularly enjoyed about my placement is the atmosphere within the company.

The team is friendly, welcoming and professional, and I felt like part of the workplace rather than simply being a student who was there temporarily.

Everyone has their own responsibilities and there’s a strong work ethic, but people are still happy to stop and offer advice when I need it.

That’s made it much easier to ask questions and learn from the people around me without feeling intimidated.

Being treated as a member of the team has also helped build my confidence.

Instead of only watching what other people are doing, I’ve been trusted to get involved and take responsibility for my own work.

My Experience at TECC

The biggest project I’ve worked on during my placement has been something that will actually be used within the business – developing an AI quoting tool for TECC.

This has given me the opportunity to experience several different stages of a real project.

At the beginning, the requirements and objectives were explained to me so I understood what TECC wanted the tool to achieve.

From there, I was given the independence to research different software solutions and decide which options I thought would work best.

I really valued being given that responsibility.

Rather than somebody telling me exactly what to use and how to do everything, I was able to carry out my own research, compare the options and reach my own conclusions.

If I had questions or wanted another opinion, I could ask for help, but I wasn’t being constantly monitored.

Presenting My Ideas to the Business Owner

Once I’d completed my initial research, I presented my findings to Peter, the owner of TECC.

That was another useful experience because I had to do more than simply show what I’d found.

I needed to explain why I’d made certain choices, answer questions and identify areas where I needed to carry out further research.

Presenting technical information and answering questions about my decisions helped improve my communication skills and gave me more confidence talking about my work.

It also showed me what developing something for a real business is like. It’s not just about whether something technically works – you have to consider whether it actually solves the problem the business needs it to solve.

Developing the AI Quoting Tool

When I moved on to developing the tool, I was given clear objectives to work towards but also the freedom to decide how I would achieve them.

I found this style of working really beneficial.

It meant I had responsibility for moving the project forward and solving problems myself, while still having support available if I reached a point where I needed it.

When the project was completed, I presented the finished product and received constructive feedback about what worked well and what could still be improved.

Being able to take a project from the initial research stage through development and finally present the finished product has probably been one of the most valuable parts of my placement.

What Have I Learned From My Placement?

My time at TECC has helped me develop in several areas.

I’ve become more confident working independently, improved my problem-solving and research skills and gained experience communicating my ideas in a professional environment.

I’ve also learned how important feedback is.

When you’re working on a real project, feedback isn’t necessarily criticism – it’s information you can use to make what you’re working on better.

Most importantly, I’ve had the opportunity to see what working within a business is actually like.

Would I Recommend a T-Level Industry Placement?

Definitely.

My placement at TECC has shown me why choosing the right organisation can make such a difference to the experience you get from an industry placement.

I’ve been given real responsibilities rather than simply observing other people at work, and I’ve had the freedom to develop my own ideas while having support available whenever I’ve needed it.

Working on the AI quoting tool has allowed me to apply my skills to a real business project and see something I’ve worked on develop from an idea into a finished product.

Overall, my T-Level placement at TECC Ltd has been a really positive experience and has given me practical skills, greater independence and confidence that I know will be valuable as I move forward with my career.

– Jake