We have been named the regional winner in the T Level Employer of the Year category at the National Apprenticeship and Skills Awards 2026.
The award recognises an innovative approach to developing the future healthcare workforce and highlights the trust’s commitment to providing high-quality industry placements that equip young people with the skills, knowledge, professional values and experience needed for successful careers in healthcare.
Real world experience
Combining real-world clinical experience with training at its state-of-the-art Health and Social Care Academy at the University Hospital of Hartlepool, the programme is creating opportunities for students to develop the capabilities needed to thrive in the NHS. Potential careers include nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy and occupational therapy.
The placement programme was developed in partnership with Hartlepool College of Further Education, Hartlepool Sixth Form College, Stockton Riverside College and Stockton Sixth Form College.
As a result of winning the regional award, the team will now represent the North East at the national final in London on 25 November.
Exceptional
Emma Davies, group education, learning and development manager, said:
“We’ve worked really hard to develop an exceptional training programme which goes beyond simply meeting requirements.
“We’re delivering a high-impact, system-wide approach to workforce development that is making a real difference across health and education. Feedback from learners consistently highlights the quality of their experience, and our college partners recognise the programme’s ability to bring together the healthcare and education sectors to develop the workforce of the future.
“We were delighted that the judges recognised how well T Levels are embedded within our organisation. It highlights the dedication and commitment of our education and clinical teams whose hard work and collaboration have created amazing learning experiences and opportunities for our learners.”
Alison Parker, T-Level placement co-ordinator, said: “We were thrilled when our name was called out!
“The whole event was lovely and winning was such a boost for the whole team. We can’t wait for the national final.”
Between autumn 2025 and June 2026, the education and training team successfully piloted a new approach to T Level placements using the Department for Education’s Small Team Project model.
Virtual patient
Three students from Hartlepool College of Further Education took part in a project focused on the care of a virtual patient, Maya, applying their learning to a realistic healthcare scenario while developing the values and behaviours needed to deliver high-quality, person-centred care.
The pilot culminated in a showcase event where students presented their work, demonstrating the impact of the innovative placement model and its potential to enhance learning while increasing placement capacity.
Following up this success
Following the success of the pilot, the programme is being expanded to enable more students to benefit from the opportunity. From October 2026, 47 first-year T Level students from local colleges will take part in Small Team Projects as part of their mandatory industry placement programme, while second year students will go out into clinical practice for their placements.