East Sussex College celebrates six years of T-Level success during national T-Level Week

East Sussex College is celebrating six years of T-Level success as colleges across the country mark T-Level Week, highlighting the benefits of technical education and the opportunities it offers young people.

As one of the first FE providers nationally to deliver T-Levels, East Sussex College welcomed its first students onto the qualifications in 2020 and has since become one of the largest T-Level providers in the South East.

Since then, nearly 500 students per year have gained practical experience through industry placements and developed the skills needed to progress into employment, apprenticeships and further study.

Now one of the largest T-Level providers in the South East, the College saw nine of its T-Level courses achieve a 100% pass-rate in 2026, with an overall pass-rate broadly in line with the national picture. East Sussex College is also one of the biggest providers of the Accounting T-Level, with students achieving results that stand among the strongest nationally.

For Health T-Level student Freddie Hesmer, the practical nature of the course was a major attraction.

Based at the College’s Hastings campus, Freddie completed a year-long placement with the activity team at Old Hastings House, supporting residents with activities and day-to-day interaction. He has since started a placement with the NHS and hopes to study Paramedic Science at university.

“I think you can’t learn that from sitting in front of a PowerPoint,” Freddie said. His experience reflects how T-Levels can help students build confidence and gain an understanding of their chosen industry before taking their next steps.

The College’s success can also be seen in the progression of former students. Rohan Doyle studied Construction (Design, Surveying and Planning) at East Sussex College before completing an industry placement with Sunninghill Construction. Now a Site Manager with the company, he is helping to oversee the construction of the College’s new Green Automotive Centre of Excellence at Ore Valley in Hastings.

Rohan has also welcomed around 120 current construction students to the site, giving them the opportunity to see a major construction project in action and learn more about the industry they are preparing to enter.

More recently, four East Sussex College Business Management and Administration T-Level students have been gaining hands-on experience at Hastings marketing agency 181st Street, working on live client projects including social media campaigns for luxury fashion brands and studio photoshoots.

The agency has called for more support to help small businesses offer placements, highlighting the costs involved in training students and providing equipment.

Student Olivia Goodwin said the experience has helped her apply what she learns at college in a professional setting, while developing valuable workplace skills. She highlighted the importance of learning how to be professional at work, while expressing her creativity.

Olivia said, “We’ve worked with really high end, luxury fashion houses. I got to work on a lot of video and photo editing, which I loved doing so much!”

T-Level Week provides an opportunity to highlight these routes into skilled employment, as well as the role employers play in supporting students through meaningful industry placements.

Minister for Skills Jacqui Smith said: “This government is determined to give technical and vocational education the same status and recognition as the academic route.

“T-Levels are showing what is possible when high-quality education is combined with meaningful industry experience, enabling more young people to gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to thrive.”

Rebecca Conroy, CEO & Principal of East Sussex College said, “T-Levels are a vital part of developing the highly skilled workforce our economy needs. By combining rigorous technical education with substantial industry experience, they give young people a powerful route into high-quality careers while enabling employers to shape and invest in the talent they need for the future. This is about creating opportunities for young people and building the skills, productivity and prosperity of our region.”

East Sussex College offers T-Levels across a range of subject areas including newly launched Marketing and Cybersecurity courses, giving students the chance to develop specialist knowledge and practical skills while exploring their options for the future.

To find out more about T-Levels at East Sussex College, visit www.escg.ac.uk/study/t-levels.