Exeter College student, Jackson Sloane, who is studying for a T Level in Construction, has landed a once in a lifetime work experience opportunity. His industry placement was with local construction firm, Valley Construction. They have recently completed work on the Hux Shard project which was featured on the famous Channel Four series, Grand Designs, as an outstanding piece of contemporary architecture. 

The Hux Shard project, now home to the Priday family, is described as “an inspirational building, designed to be carbon negative, use local materials, be ecological, complement the landscape and be a long-term educational asset.”  

Jackson Sloane, studying for a T Level in Construction (Design, Surveying and Planning) said: “I wasn’t certain what I wanted to do so I thought a T Level would broaden my skills and help me go into different areas of Construction. I enjoy the different aspects like site visits and meeting different people. The placement has helped me learn more about various types of architecture. I’m thinking about doing a degree apprenticeship next.” 

Louise Dennis, Industry Placement Liaison Officer for Construction and the Built Environment at Exeter College said: “Jackson had the opportunity to work alongside a specialist team of builders to complete this unique, environmentally sustainable property.  This was a fantastic opportunity for Jackson to learn about this type of project.” 

A site visit for the T Level students to attend the Hux Shard was also organised, where they learnt about the materials used in the build, the end-to-end process and what challenges the construction team encountered along the way.  This was a great experience for the students to ask the site manager their questions during the middle of an important build and learn first-hand about the construction industry. 

T Levels were introduced in September 2021 and require students to complete an industry placement. T Level courses consist of around 80% of time spent in the classroom with the remaining 20% spent being on a valuable work placement in a relevant workplace. These valuable opportunities provide learners with the experience they need to progress into industry once they have completed their studies. 

Learn more about T Levels and the wide range of courses on offer at Exeter College at the next open event on Wednesday 13 October.