The Importance of Industry Experience in Engineering

At BWB, we value learning and hands-on experience. As an SME manufacturer specialising in engineering, we recognise the need for work experience and industry knowledge at the start of a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Whilst we support all paths of education, whether that's a university degree, an apprenticeship, or similar, there is real value in hands-on experience, which is why we were thrilled to welcome a T Level student to our team last year.

What is a T Level?

A T Level is a two-year technical qualification in England, with over 20 subject pathways to choose from. It is an option available to students after completing GCSEs and an alternative to A Levels, worth the equivalent of 3 A Levels. It comprises 80% classroom learning and 20% spent in a work experience placement. It allows young people to gain hands-on experience whilst also achieving qualifications, building industry contacts, and opening their path to employment, university, or higher-level apprenticeships.

Vincent’s Experience as an Assembler

Vincent joined our team as an Assembler in May 2025 as part of his T Level engineering course and was eager to learn the ropes from our Production Team. He worked one day per week in line with his course and assisted the team with many everyday tasks, such as assembling, wiring, and product building, which prepared him for a full-time role in the engineering field with a specialised focus on electrical engineering.

From the very beginning, Vincent got stuck in and became an integral part of the team, even attending our annual team volunteer day. Speaking about his experience, he said, “I have worked at BWB Technologies for around a year, and I have had brilliant times there! The team taught me to perform various tasks, such as soldering circuits, assembling units, and organising surplus stock boxes.

Steve and Henry are very friendly and passionate about their work; they seemed to enjoy instructing and explaining to me how to assemble parts, such as the gas filter assembly! They also supervised me to ensure that I performed those tasks to the highest standards. As a result, my skills in precision and efficiency have improved significantly, and I am pleased!

Having a taste of the role as an Assembler is one of the best opportunities I have ever had; I really liked the role, as I find it can be relaxing whilst also challenging, and I enjoyed finding ways to increase my efficiency when building assemblies.”

Our team was equally impressed with Vincent's work, and our Managing Director, Hozan Edwards, shared, “Over the past year, Vincent has been embedded with the production team, getting involved in everything from soldering and PCB assembly through to wiring and general product build. He has also supported day-to-day workshop activities, such as picking, packing, and keeping the warehouse and production spaces organised. It might sound basic, but those fundamentals are what good engineers are built on: understanding the process, consistency, and attention to detail.

What's been most important is his attitude. He's been willing to get stuck in, ask questions, and learn from the team around him. At this stage, that's far more valuable than arriving with extensive prior knowledge."

The Importance of Industry Experience

It is important for us to raise awareness of T Levels as a pathway towards a career in STEM. As a relatively new course, launched in 2020, it isn’t yet well-known amongst employers and, as a result, is not offered by many despite demand. According to EngineeringUK, only 28% of employers surveyed claim they have heard of T Levels and understand what they involve, with the figure falling to 19% amongst SMEs.

The UK Parliament acknowledges that whilst the T Level is growing in popularity and success amongst students, there is a challenge in securing sufficient industry placements for all. Despite 98% of T Level students securing industry placements in the 2024-2025 academic year, student uptake is steadily increasing (up by 7.6% in the 2025-2026 academic year), and there is concern that employers aren’t aware of the scheme and aren’t prepared to offer industry placements to accommodate all course pathways.

For BWB, welcoming Vincent as a T Level student was an easy decision. As Hozan said, “We’re a hands-on engineering business, and there’s only so much you can learn in a classroom. At some point, you need to get into a workshop and start doing the job. T Levels give students that opportunity, and supporting such placements aligns with our business ethos of generational growth.

More broadly, I think T Levels are an important part of the pipeline into engineering. There’s a clear gap between education and industry, and schemes like this help bridge it in a practical way. From a business point of view, if you invest the time properly, you can get someone who understands how you work from the ground up and who may, later, become a valuable full-time employee.”

The Wider Engineering Skills Gap

The need for practical engineering talent has never been greater. Across the UK, employers continue to report shortages of engineers and technicians, particularly in specialist manufacturing and technology sectors. As experienced professionals retire and demand for technical skills rises, creating clear pathways into engineering careers is increasingly important. T Levels play a valuable role in developing the next generation of skilled engineers by combining academic learning with meaningful workplace experience.

Creating Opportunities

The future of UK engineering depends on creating opportunities for young people to gain practical experience, develop technical skills and build workplace confidence. Programmes such as T Levels help bridge the gap between education and industry, ensuring that students, employers and the wider engineering sector all benefit. Vincent's journey demonstrates what can be achieved when education and industry work together.

Next Steps

Vincent has now finished his T Level in Engineering, having completed 315 hours of work placement at BWB. The team proudly marked the occasion with a celebratory lunch and presented Vincent with a certificate of completion. The next steps are for him to await his course results, which he was very positive about, and to interview for a full-time role, with an interview already lined up!

Our whole team would like to wish Vincent the best of luck with his results and interviews. It was fantastic to have him on our team, and we are rooting for him to have a very successful career in electrical engineering.

We are also open to welcoming more T Level students for their industry placements in the future. As Hozan said, “We would definitely consider taking on another T Level student. It’s been a positive experience for us, and when you get the right person with the right mindset, it works well for everyone involved.”

If you know of someone interested in joining our team as part of a T Level course, please do contact us by email at info@bwbtech.com.