The Earlham Institute T-Level industry placement programme offers invaluable hands-on experience and confidence, inspiring the next generation of young people pursuing careers in science.
Launched in 2020, T-levels are 2-year technical courses for students aged 16-19 years old taken after GCSEs. These courses are incredibly important for supporting young people to thrive in a range of scientific careers.
The 45-day industry placements are designed to equip students with practical skills and knowledge needed for specific industries, rather than focusing solely on academic study.
Placements at the Earlham Institute encourage students to make the transition from classroom theory to cutting-edge research with practical training in genomics and laboratory automation.
T-Level Students Rosie (left) and Archie (right).
Rosie Hesp and Archie Dyball joined the Earlham Institute in 2024 as part of their Science T-Level courses at University Technical College Norfolk.
Working in the Earlham Institute’s Technical Genomics and Earlham Biofoundry Groups, they contributed to active institute research projects by conducting DNA sequencing and isolating nucleic acids from fish and coriander plants.
“I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to apply my academic knowledge in a real-world laboratory setting,” says Rosie. “I’ve gained valuable hands-on experience with various techniques and instruments, which has deepened my understanding of the field.
“This has been incredibly beneficial in enhancing my technical skills and deepening my understanding of advanced sequencing methods. I've really enjoyed being involved in the project and I have learnt a lot.”
They also learned techniques including micro-pipetting with high-throughput automation and using robotics to process 96 samples simultaneously.
“I learnt that robots are far more efficient at pipetting than doing it manually,” says Archie. “They are both more accurate and much quicker which gives people much more time to be doing other things around the lab.
“I have enjoyed getting an insight into how a place like this is run and all of the equipment that is used in the lab. Learning how to operate the machines has been very enjoyable for me. I especially enjoyed programming the Opentrons which are small, user-friendly liquid handling robots.”
Archie and Rosie discussing their placement with school students at las year's Norwich Bioscience Institutes Accessible Science Talks.
T Levels are equivalent to three A-Levels and combine classroom learning with industry placements. They give students entry into skilled employment, an apprenticeship or further or higher technical education as well as invaluable work experience.
Dr Karim Gharbi, Head of Technical Genomics, says a highlight was watching students confidently guide their parents on a tour of the lab - just three weeks into their placement.
“It was the first time I realised they had really absorbed all the information and skills that had been shared with them,” he says. “Seeing these young technicians explain the lab and their work to their parents was a personal highlight.”
T-Level students also have the opportunity to present their work to the wider institute during a weekly science seminar, developing important communication and presentation skills.
And, as part of the 2024 NBI Accessible Science event, Rosie and Archie had the opportunity to interact with researchers, network with industry professionals, and showcase their work to both peers and members of the public.
“Two of our students were naturally quite reserved, but by the end, they were engaging effortlessly with others, their confidence truly flourished,” says Fiona Fraser, Senior Research Assistant and Technician Commitment Lead for EI. “These placements give them an opportunity to experience a career pathway that they might not have considered was an option for them.”
Dr Carolina Grandellis, Head of Earlham Institute Biofoundry, says she loved sharing her passion for using automation in engineering biology.
“Spending a month in the lab immersed in a cutting-edge scientific ecosystem was an incredible opportunity,” she says. “I wish I’d had this kind of experience at their age.”
“The students gained hands-on confidence and a taste of breakthrough science and innovative technologies, led by professional researchers. Hopefully, we’ve inspired a few future scientists along the way.”
T-Level student Archie uses the Oxford Nananopore Technologies PromethION 2 Solo in the sequencing labs at EI
The Earlham Institute has supported T-level student placements since the science qualification was introduced in 2022. Rose and Archie’s placement is highlighted in a new case study from the UK Institute for Technical Skills and Strategy (UK ITSS).
As a signatory to the Technician's Commitment, the Earlham Institute champions the development of technical specialists.
Signatories pledge to improve visibility, recognition, career development, and sustainability for the community of people working in technical roles within research environments.
